〃That's Lando Mata。 He's also Portuguese； from Macao。〃 Gavallan wondered achingly if Dunross would manage to persuade Mata to e to their rescue with all his millions。 What would I do if I was tai…pan？ he asked himself wearily。 Would I buy tomorrow； or make a deal with Mata and Tightfist tonight？ With their money； the Noble House would be safe for generations； though out of our control。 No point in worrying now。 Wait till you're tai…pan。 Then he saw Mata smiling at Orlanda and then both of them looked over and began to thread their way toward them。 His eyes watched her firm breasts； free under the silk。 Taut nipples。 Good God； he thought； awed； even Venus Poon wouldn't dare do that。 When they came up he introduced them and stood back； odd man out； wanting to watch them。
〃Hello；〃 Orlanda said warmly to Casey。 〃Linc told me so much about you and how important you are to him。〃
〃And I've heard about you too；〃 Casey said as warmly。 But not enough。 You're much more lovely than Linc indicated； she thought。 Very much more。 So you're Orlanda Ramos。 Beautiful and soft…spoken and feminine and a bitch piranha who has set her sights on my Linc。 Jesus； what do I do now？
She heard herself making small talk but her mind was still thinking Orlanda Ramos through。 On the one hand it would be good for Linc to have an affair； she thought。 It would take the heat out of him。 Last night was as lousy for him as it was for me。 He was right about me moving out。 But once this one's magic surrounds him could I extract him？ Would she be just another girl like the others that were nothing to me and after a week or so； nothing to him either？
Not this one； Casey decided with finality。 I've got two choices。 I either stick to thirteen weeks and four days and do battle； or don't and do battle。
She smiled。 〃Orlanda； your dress is fantastic。〃
〃Thanks。 May I call you Casey？〃
Both women knew the war had begun。
Bartlett was delighted that Casey obviously liked Orlanda。 Gavallan watched； fascinated by the four of them。 There was a strange warmth among them all。 Particularly between Bartlett and Orlanda。
He turned his attention to Mata and Casey。 Mata was suave； filled with old world charm； concentrating on Casey； playing her like a fish。 I wonder how far he'll get with this one。 Curious that Casey doesn't seem to mind Orlanda at all。 Surely she's noticed that her boyfriend's smitten？ Perhaps she hasn't。 Or perhaps she couldn't care less and she and Bartlett are just business partners and nothing else。 Perhaps she's a dyke after all。 Or maybe she's just frigid like a lot of them。 How sad！
〃How do you like Hong Kong； Miss Casey？〃 Mata asked； wondering what she would be like in bed。
〃Afraid I haven't seen much of it yet though I did go out to the New Territories on the hotel tour and peek into China。〃
〃Would you like to go？ I mean really go into China？ Say to Canton？ I could arrange for you to be invited。〃
She was shocked。 〃But we're forbidden to go into China 。。。 our passports aren't valid。〃
〃Oh； you wouldn't have to use your passport。 The PRC doesn't bother with passports。 So few quai loh go into China there's no problem。 They give you a written visa and they stamp that。〃
〃But our State Department 。。。 I don't think I'd risk it right now。〃
Bartlett nodded。 〃We're not even supposed to go into the munist store here。 The department store。〃
〃Yes； your government really is very strange；〃 Mata said。 〃As if going into a store is subversive！ Did you hear the rumor about the Hilton？〃
〃What about it？〃
〃The story is that they bought a marvelous collection of Chinese antiques for the new hotel； of course all locally。〃 Mata smiled。 〃It seems that now the U。S。 has decided they can't use any of it； even here in Hong Kong。 It's all in storage。 At least that's the story。〃
〃It figures。 If you can't make it in the States； you join the government；〃 Bartlett said sourly。
〃Casey； you should decide for yourself；〃 Mata said。 〃Visit the store。 It's called China Arts and Crafts on Queen's Road。 The prices are very reasonable and the munists really don't have horns and barbed tails。〃
〃It's nothing like what I expected；〃 Bartlett said。 〃Casey； you'd freak out at some of the things。〃
〃You've been？〃 she asked； surprised。
〃Sure。〃
〃I took Mr。 Bartlett this morning；〃 Orlanda explained。 〃We happened to be passing。 I'd be glad to go shopping with you if you wish。〃
〃Thanks； I'd like that；〃 Casey said as nicely； all her danger signals up。 〃But we were told in L。A。 the CIA monitors Americans who go in and out because they're sure it's a munist meeting place。〃
〃It looked like an ordinary store to me； Casey；〃 Bartlett said。 〃I didn't see anything except a few posters of Mao。 You can't bargain though。 All prices're written out。 Some of the biggest bargains you ever did see。 Pity we can't take them back home。〃 There was a total embargo on all goods of Chinese origin into the States； even antiques that had been in Hong Kong a hundred years。
〃That's no problem；〃 Mata said at once； wondering how much he would make as a middleman。 〃If there's anything you want I'd be happy to purchase it。〃
〃But we still can't get it into the States； Mr。 Mata；〃 Casey said。
〃Oh that's easy too。 I do it for American friends all the time。 I just send their purchases to a pany I have in Singapore or Manila。 For a tiny fee they send it to you in the States with a certificate of origin； Malaya or the Philippines； whichever you'd prefer。〃
〃But that'd be cheating。 Smuggling。〃
Mata； Gavallan and Orlanda laughed outright and Gavallan said； 〃Trade's the grease of the world。 Embargoed goods from the U。S。 or Taiwan find their way to the PRC； PRC goods go to Taiwan and the U。S。 … if they're sought after。 Of course they do！〃
〃I know；〃 Casey said； 〃but I don't think that's right。〃
〃Soviet Russia's mitted to your destruction but you still trade with her；〃 Gavallan said to Bartlett。
〃We don't ourselves；〃 Casey said。 〃Not Par…Con； though we've been approached to sell puters。 Much as we like profits they're a no…no。 The government does； but only on very carefully controlled goods。 Wheat； things like that。〃
〃Wherever there's a willing buyer of anything； there'll always be a seller；〃 Gavallan said； irritated by her。 He glanced out of the windows and wished he was back in Shanghai。 〃Take Vietnam； your Algiers。〃
〃Sir？〃 Casey said。
Gavallan glanced back at her。 〃I mean that Vietnam will bleed your economy to death as it did to France and as Algiers also did to France。〃
〃We'll never go into Vietnam；〃 Bartlett said confidently。 〃Why should we？ Vietnam's nothing to do with us。〃
〃I agree；〃 Mata said； 〃but nevertheless the States is having a growing involvement there。 In fact； Mr。 Bartlett； I think you're being sucked into the abyss。〃
〃In what way？〃 Casey asked。
〃I think the Soviets have deliberately enticed you into Vietnam。 You'll send in troops but they won't。 You'll be fighting Viets and the jungle； and the Soviets will be the winners。 Your CIA's already there in strength。 They're running an airline。 Even now airfields are being constructed with U。S。 money； U。S。 arms are pouring in。 You've soldiers fighting there already。〃
〃I don't believe it；〃 Casey said。
〃You can。 They're called Special Forces； sometimes Delta Force。 So sorry but Vietnam's going to be a big problem for your government unless it's very smart。〃
Bartlett said confidently； 〃Thank God it is。 JFK handled Cuba。 He'll handle Vietnam too。 He made the Big K back off there and he can do it again。 We won that time。 The Soviets took their missiles out。〃
Gavallan was grimly amused。 〃You should talk to Ian about Cuba； old chap； that really gets him going。 He says； and I agree； you lost。 The Soviets sucked you into another trap。 A fool's mate。 He believes they built their sites almost openly … wanting you to detect them and you did and then there was a lot of saber…rattling； the whole world's frightened to death； and in exchange for the Soviet agreement to take the missiles out of Cuba your President tore up your Monroe Doctrine； the cornerstone of your whole security system。〃
〃What？〃
〃Certainly。 Didn't JFK give Khrushchev a written promise not to invade Cuba； not to per