按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Did she ever have a portrait done in later life？〃
〃Three。 She destroyed them all； the moment they were finished。〃
〃Are there any photos of her？〃
〃Not to my knowledge。 She hated cameras … wouldn't have one in the house。〃 Dunross laughed and she saw the tiredness in him。 〃Once a reporter for the China Guardian took her picture； just before the Great War。 Within an hour she sent an armed crew from one of our merchantmen into their offices with orders to burn the place if she didn't get the negative and all copies back； and if the editor didn't promise to 'cease and desist from harassing her。' He promised。〃
〃Surely you can't do that and get away with it？〃
〃No； you can't … unless you're tai…pan of the Noble House。 Besides； everyone knew that Hag Struan didn't want her picture taken and this cocky young bastard had broken the rule。 She was like the Chinese。 She believed every time your picture's taken you lose part of your soul。〃
Casey peered at the necklace。 〃Is that jade？〃 she asked。
〃Emeralds。〃
She gasped。 〃That must have been worth a fortune。〃
〃Dirk Struan willed the necklace to her … it was never to leave Asia … it was to belong to the wife of each tai…pan of the Noble House； an heirloom to be passed on from lady to lady。〃 He smiled oddly。 〃Hag Struan kept the necklace all her life； and； when she died； she ordered it burned with her。〃
〃Jesus！ Was it？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃What a waste！〃
Dunross looked back at the portrait。 〃No；〃 he said； his voice different。 〃She kept Struan's the Noble House of Asia for almost seventy…five years。 She was the tai…pan； the real tai…pan； though others had the title。 Hag Struan fought off enemies and catastrophes and kept faith with Dirk's legacy and smashed the Brocks and did whatever was necessary。 So what's a pretty bauble that probably cost nothing in the first place？ It was probably pirated from the treasury of some Mandarin who stole it from someone else； whose peasants paid for it with sweat。〃
Casey watched him staring at the face； almost past it into another dimension。 〃I only hope I can do as well；〃 he muttered absently； and it seemed to Casey he was saying it to her； to the girl in the picture。
Her eyes strayed beyond Dunross to the portrait of Dirk Struan and she saw again the marvelous likeness。 There was a strong family resemblance in all the ten large portraits … nine men and the girl … that hung on the walls amid landscapes of all sizes of Hong Kong and Shanghai and Tiensin and many seascapes of the elegant Struan clipper ships and some of their merchantmen。 Below the portrait of each tai…pan was a small brass plaque with his name and the years of his life： 〃Dirk Dunross； 4th Tai…pan； 1852…1894； lost at sea in the India Ocean with all hands in Sunset Cloud〃 。。。 〃Sir Lochlin Struan； 3rd Tai…pan； 1841…1915〃 。。。 〃Alastair Struan； 9th Tai…pan； 1900…〃 。。。 〃Dirk Struan； 1797…1841〃 。。。 〃Ross Lechie Struan； 6th Tai…pan； 1887…1915； Captain Royal Scots Regiment； killed in action at Ypres〃 。。。
〃So much history。〃 she said； judging it time to break his thought pattern。
〃Yes。 Yes it is；〃 he said； looking at her now。
〃You're the 10th tai…pan？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Have you had your portrait done yet？〃
〃No。〃
〃You'll have to； won't you？〃
〃Yes； yes in due course。 There's no hurry。〃
〃How do you bee tai…pan； Ian？〃
〃You have to be chosen by the previous one。 It's his decision。〃
〃Have you chosen who'll follow you？〃
〃No；〃 he said； but Casey thought that he had。 Why should he tell me； she asked herself。 And why are you asking him so many questions？
She looked away from him。 A small portrait caught her attention。 〃Who's that？〃 she asked； disquieted。 The man was misshapen； a hunchbacked dwarf； his eyes curious and his smile sardonic。 〃Was he a tai…pan too？〃
〃No。 That's Stride Orlov； he was Dirk's chief captain。 After the tai…pan was killed in the great typhoon and Culum took over； Stride Orlov became master of our clipper fleet。 Legend has it he was a great seaman。〃
After a pause she said； 〃Sorry but there's something about him that gives me the creeps。〃 There were pistols in Orlov's belt and a clipper ship in the background。 〃It's a frightening face；〃 she said。
〃He had that effect on everyone … except the tai…pan and Hag Struan … even Culum was supposed to have hated him。〃 Dunross turned and studied her and she felt his probing。 It made her feel warm and at the same time unsettled。
〃Why did she like him？〃 she asked。
〃The story is that right after the great typhoon when everyone in Hong Kong was picking up the pieces； Culum included； Devil Tyler started to take over the Noble House。 He gave orders； assumed control； treated Culum and Tess like children 。。。 he sent Tess aboard his ship； the White Witch； and told Culum to be aboard by sunset or else。 As far as Tyler was concerned the Noble House was now Brock…Struan and he was the tai…pan！ Somehow or other … no one knows why or how Culum got the courage … my God； Culum was only twenty…one then and Tess sixteen … but Culum ordered Orlov to go aboard the White Witch and fetch his wife ashore。 Orlov went alone； at once … Tyler was still ashore at the time。 Orlov brought her back and in his wake left one man dead and another half a dozen with broken heads or limbs。〃 Dunross was looking at her and she recognized the same half…mocking； half…violent； half…devilish smile that was on the tai…pan's face。 〃Ever afterwards； Tess … Hag Struan to be … loved him； so they say。 Orlov served our fleet well until he vanished。 He was a fine man； and a great seaman； for all his ugliness。〃
〃He vanished？ He was lost at sea？〃
〃No。 Hag Struan said he went ashore one day in Singapore and never returned。 He was always threatening to leave and go home to Norway。 So perhaps he went home。 Perhaps he was knifed。 Who knows； Asia's a violent place； though Hag Struan swore no man could kill Stride Orlov and that it must have been a woman。 Perhaps Tyler ambushed him。 Who knows？〃
Inexorably her eyes went back to Tyler Brock。 She was fascinated by the face and the implications of the knife。 〃Why did she do that to her father's image？〃
〃One day I'll tell you but not tonight； except to say that she hammered the knife into the wall with my grandfather's cricket bat and cursed before God and the devil anyone who took her knife out of her wall。〃 He smiled at Casey and again she noticed an extraordinary tiredness in him and was glad because her own tiredness was creeping up on her and she did not want to make any mistakes now。 He put out his hand。 〃We have to shake on a deal。〃
〃No；〃 Casey said calmly； glad to begin。 〃Sorry； I have to cancel out。〃
His smile evaporated。 〃What？〃
〃Yes。 Linc told me the changes you want。 It's a two…year deal … that ups our ante so I can't approve it。〃
〃Oh？〃
〃No。〃 She continued in the same flat but pleasant tone； 〃Sorry； 20 million's my limit so you'll have to close with Linc。 He's waiting in the bar。〃
Understanding flashed over his face for an instant … and relief； she thought … and then he was calm again。 〃Is he now？〃 he said softly； watching her。
〃Yes。〃 She felt a wave of heat go through her； her cheeks began to burn and she wondered if the color showed。
〃So we can't shake； you and I。 It has to be Linc Bartlett？〃
With an effort she kept her eyes unwavering。 〃A tai…pan should deal with a tai…pan。〃
〃That's a basic rule； even in America？〃 His voice was soft and gentle。
〃Yes。〃
〃Is this your idea or his？〃
〃Does it matter？〃
〃Very much。〃
〃If I say it's Linc's； he loses face； and if I say it's mine； he still loses face； though in a different way。〃
Dunross shook his head slightly and smiled。 The warmth of it increased her inner warmth。 Although she was very much in charge of herself； she felt herself responding to his unadulterated masculinity。
〃We're all bound by face； aren't we； in some way or another；〃 he said。
She did not answer； just glanced away to give herself time。 Her eyes saw the portrait of the girl。 How could such a pretty girl bee known as the Hag； she wondered。 It must be hateful to bee old in face and body when you're young at heart and still strong and tough … so unfair for a woman。 Will I be known one day as Hag Tcholok？ Or 〃that old dyke Tcholok〃 if I'm still alone； unmarried； in the business world； the man's world； still working for the same things they work for … identity； power and money … and hated for being as good or better than they are at it？ I don't care so long as we win； Linc and I。 So play the part you've chosen tonight； she told herself； and thank the French lady for her advice。 〃Remember； child；〃 her father had drummed into her； 〃remember that advice； good advice； es from unexpected places at unexpected times。〃 Yes； Casey thought happily； but for Susanne's reminder about how a lady should operate in this man's world； Ian； perhaps I wouldn't have given you that face…saving formula。 But don't be mistaken； Ian Struan Dunross。 This is my deal； and in this I'm tai…pan of Par…Con。
Casey felt an untoward glow as another current went through her。 Never before had she articulated her actual position in Par…Con to herself。 Yes； she thought； very satisfied； that's what I am。
She looked at the girl in the portrait critically and