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I have to kill Noble Star。〃
〃No need to do that； Alexi。 I'm rather fond of that horse。〃
〃Tai…pan； listen； perhaps a favor？ I've a problem。 Can I see you tonight or Sunday； Sunday or Monday late； say at Sinclair Towers？〃
〃Why there？〃
〃We made our deal there； I'd like to talk there。 But if it's not all right the day after。〃
〃You're going to leave us？〃
〃Oh no； no it's not that。 If you've time。 Please。〃
〃All right but it can't be tonight； or Sunday or Monday； I'm going to Taipei。 I could see you Tuesday at 10：00 p。m。 How's that？〃
〃Fine； Tuesday's fine yes； thank you。〃
〃I'll be down after the next race。〃
Alexi watched the tai…pan walk for the elevators。 He was near tears； an overwhelming affection for Dunross possessing him。
His eyes went to Suslev who was in the general stands nearby。 Trying to appear casual he held up the prearranged number of fingers： one for tonight； two for Sunday； three Monday； four Tuesday。 His eyes were very good and he saw Suslev acknowledge the signal。 Matyeryebyets； he thought。 Betrayer of Mother Russia and all us Russians； you and all your KGB brethren！ I curse you in the name of God； for me and all Russians if the truth be known。
Never mind that！ I'm going to ride Noble Star； he told himself grimly； one way or another。
Dunross got into the elevator amid more congratulations and much envy。 At the top floor Gavallan and Jacques were waiting for him。 〃Is everything ready？〃 he asked。
〃Yes；〃 Gavallan replied。 〃Gornt's there； and the others you wanted。 What's cooking？〃
〃e along and you'll see。 By the way； Andrew； I'm switching Jacques and David MacStruan。 Jacques will take over Canada for a year； David … 〃
Jacques's face lit up。 〃Oh thank you tai…pan。 Yes； thanks very much。 I'll make Canada very profitable； I promise。〃
〃What about the changeover？〃 Gavallan asked。 〃Do you want Jacques to go there first or will David e here？〃
〃He arrives Monday。 Jacques； you hand over everything to David； then next week you can both go back together for a couple of weeks。 You go via France； eh？ Pick up Susanne and Avril； she should be well enough by then。 There's nothing urgent in Canada at the moment … it's more urgent here。〃
〃Oh yes； ma foi！ Yes； yes thank you； tai…pan。〃
Gavallan said thoughtfully； 〃It'll be good to see old David。〃 He liked David MacStruan very much but he was still wondering why the change； and did this mean that Jacques was out of the running to inherit the tai…pan's mantle and David in and his own position changed； changing or threatened … if there was anything left to inherit after Monday。 And what about Kathy？
Joss； he told himself。 What is to be will be。 Oh goddamn everything！
〃You two go on ahead；〃 Dunross said。 〃I'll get Phillip。〃 He turned into the Chen box。 By ancient custom the pradore of the Noble House was automatically a steward。 Perhaps for the last year； Dunross thought grimly。 If Phillip doesn't deliver help in the form of Four Finger Wu； Lando Mata； Tightfist or something tangible by Sunday at midnight he's blackballed。
〃Hello； Phillip；〃 he said； his voice friendly； greeting the other guests in the packed box。 〃You ready？〃
〃Oh yes； yes； tai…pan。〃 Phillip Chen was looking older。 〃Congratulations on the win。〃
〃Yes； tai…pan； a marvelous omen … we're all praying for the fifth！〃 Dianne Chen called out； trying equally hard to hide her apprehension； Kevin beside her； echoing her。
〃Thank you；〃 Dunross said； sure that Phillip Chen had told her about their meeting。 She wore a hat with bird of paradise feathers； and too many jewels。
〃Champagne； tai…pan？〃
〃No thanks； later perhaps。 Sorry； Dianne； have to borrow Phillip for a moment or two。 Won't be long。〃
Outside in the corridor he stopped a moment。 〃Any luck； Phillip？〃
〃I've 。。。 I've talked to all the 。。。 all of them。 They're meeting tomorrow morning。〃
〃Where？ Macao？〃
〃No； here。〃 Phillip Chen dropped his voice even more。 〃I'm sorry about 。。。 about all the mess my son's caused 。。。 yes； very sorry；〃 he said； meaning it。
〃I accept your apology。 If it hadn't been for your carelessness and treachery； we'd never have bee that vulnerable。 Christ Jesus； if Gornt gets our balance sheets for the last few years and our interlocking corporate structures； we're up the creek without a paddle。〃
〃I 。。。 I had a thought； tai…pan； how to extract our … how to extract the House。 After the races； could I 。。。 a little time； please？〃
〃You're ing for drinks tonight？ With Dianne？〃
〃Yes； if 。。。 yes please。 May I bring Kevin？〃
Dunross smiled fleetingly to himself。 The heir apparent； officially and so soon。 Karma。 〃Yes。 e along。〃
〃What's this all about； tai…pan？〃
〃You'll see。 Please say nothing； do nothing； just accept … with great confidence … that you're part of the package； and when I leave follow me； spread the word and good cheer。 If we fail； the House of Chen fails first； e hell； high water or typhoon！〃 He turned into the McBride box。 There were more immediate congratulations and many said it was great joss。
〃Good God； tai…pan；〃 McBride said； 〃if Noble Star wins the fifth； wouldn't it be marvelous！〃
〃Pilot Fish will beat Noble Star；〃 Gornt said confidently。 He was at the bar with Jason Plumm getting a drink。 〃10；000 says he'll finish ahead of your filly。〃
〃Taken；〃 Dunross said at once。 There were cheers and hoots of derision from the thirty…odd guests and once more Bartlett and Casey； who had by arrangement with Dunross ostensibly just wandered in a few minutes ago to visit Peter Marlowe； were inwardly staggered at the festive air and Dunross's high…flying confidence。
〃How're you doing； Dunstan？〃 Dunross asked。 He paid Casey and Bartlett no attention； concentrating on the big florid man who was more florid than usual； a double brandy in his hand。
〃Very well； thank you； Ian。 Got the first； and Buccaneer … made a bundle on Buccaneer； but blew my damned quinella。 Lucky Court let me down。〃 The room was the same size as the Struan box but not as well decorated； though equally well filled with many of the Hong Kong elite； some invited here a moment ago by Gavallan and McBride for Dunross。 Lando Mata； Holdbrook … Struan's in…house stockbroker … Sir Luis Basilic … head of the stock exchange … Johnjohn； Havergill； Southerby … chairman of Blacs … Richard Kwang； Pugmire； Biltzmann； Sir Dunstan Barre； young Martin Haply of the China Guardian。 And Gornt。 Dunross looked at him。 〃Did you get the winner of the last race too？〃
〃No。 I didn't fancy any runner。 What's all this about； Ian？〃 Gornt said； and everyone's attention soared。 〃You want to make an announcement？〃
〃Yes； as a courtesy I thought you should know； along with other VIPs。〃 Dunross turned to Pugmire。 〃Pug； the Noble House is formally contesting the American Superfoods takeover of your H。K。 General Stores。〃
There was a vast silence and everyone stared at him。 Pugmire had gone white。 〃What？〃
〃We're offering 5 a share more than Superfoods； we'll further improve their bid by making it 30 percent cash and 70 percent stock； everything done within thirty days！〃
〃You've gone mad；〃 Pugmire burst out。 Didn't I sound everyone out first； he wanted to shout； including you？ Didn't you and everyone approve or at least not disapprove？ Isn't that the way it's done here for God's sake … private chats at the Club； here at the races； over a private dinner or wherever？ 〃You can't do that；〃 he muttered。
〃I already have；〃 Dunross said。
Gornt said harshly； 〃All you've done； Ian； is to make an announcement。 How are you going to pay？ In thirty or three hundred days。〃
Dunross just looked at him。 〃The bid's public。 We plete in thirty days。 Pug； you'll get the official papers by 9：30 a。m。 Monday； with a cash down payment to cement the tender。〃
Momentarily he was drowned out as others began talking； asking questions； everyone immediately concerned how this astonishing development would affect them personally。 No one had ever contested a prearranged takeover before。 Johnjohn and Havergill were furious that this had been done without consultation； and the other banker； Southerby of Blacs； who was merchant…banking the Superfoods takeover； was equally upset that he had been caught off balance。 But all the bankers； even Richard Kwang； were counting possibilities； for if the stock market was normal and Struan's stock at its normal level； the Struan bid could be very good for both sides。 Everyone knew that Struan's management could revitalize the rich but stagnant hong； and the acquisition would strengthen the Noble House immeasurably； put their end…of…year gross up at least 20 percent and of course increase their dividends。 On top of all that； the takeover would keep all the profits in Hong Kong； and not have them trickle away to an outsider。 Particularly Biltzmann。
Oh my God； Barre was thinking with vast admiration and not a little envy； for Ian to make the tender here； in public； on a Saturday； with never the breath of a rumor that he was contemplating the unthinkable； with nothing to give you an inkling so that you could have bought in quietly last week at bottom to make a fortune with one phone call； was brilliant。 Of course Pug's General Stores shares will soar first thing on Monday。 But how in the hell did Ia