〃Yes； yes I'd like that。〃
He took her forward first。 The cabins were neat； no sign of having been used。 Each had shower stalls and a toilet。 A small general cabin served them all。 〃We're rather popular with ladies at the moment because they can shower to their hearts content。 The water shortage does have advantages。〃
〃I'll bet；〃 she said； carried along by his joviality。
Aft； separate from the rest of the boat； was the master cabin。 Big double bed。 Neat； tidy and inviting。
Her heart was sounding loud in her ears now； and when he casually closed the cabin door and put his hand on her waist she did not back off。 He came closer。 She had never kissed a man with a beard before。 Gornt's body was hard against hers and it felt good to her； her breath picking up tempo； his lips firm and cigar tasting。 Most of her whispered： Go； let go； and most of her said； No； don't； and all of her felt sensual in his arms； too good。
What about Linc？
The question barreled into her mind like never before and all at once her mind cleared and； carried along by his sensuality； she knew for the first time with absolute clarity that it was Linc she wanted； not Par…Con or power if that had to be the choice。 Yes； it's Linc； just Linc； and tonight I'll cancel our deal。 Tonight I'll offer to cancel。
〃Now's not the time；〃 she whispered； her voice throaty。
〃What？〃
〃No； not now。 We can't； sorry。 〃 She reached up and kissed him lightly on the lips； talking through the kisses； 〃Not now； my dear； sorry； but we can't； not now。 Tuesday； perhaps Tuesday 。。。〃
He held her away from him and she saw his dark eyes searching her。 She held her gaze as long as she could； then buried her head against his chest and held him tenderly； still enjoying the closeness； sure that she was safe now； and that he was convinced。 That was a close one； she thought weakly； her knees feeling strange； all of her pulsating。 I was almost gone then and that wouldn't have been good； good for me or Linc or him。
It would have been good for him； she thought strangely。
Her heart was pounding as she rested against him； waiting； recouping； confident in a moment … with warmth and gentleness and the promise of next week … he would say； 〃Let's go back on deck。〃
Then all at once she felt his arms tighten around her and before she knew what was happening she was on the bed； his kisses strong and his hands wandering。 She began to fight back but he caught her hands expertly and stretched her out with his great strength and lay across her； his loins pinioning her； making her helpless。 At leisure he kissed her and his passion and her heat mingled with her fury and fear and want。 As much as she struggled； she could not move。
The heat grew。 In a moment he shifted his grip。 Instantly she swept to the attack； wanting more though now she was preparing to fight seriously。 Again his grip on her hands tightened。 She felt herself swamped； wanting to be overpowered； not wanting it； his passion strong； loins hard； the bed soft。 And then； as abruptly as he had begun； he released her and rolled away with a laugh。
〃Let's have a drink！〃 he said without rancor。
She was gasping for breath。 〃You bastard！〃
〃I'm not actually。 I'm very legitimate。〃 Gornt propped himself on an elbow； his eyes crinkling。 〃But you； Ciranoush； you're a liar。〃
〃Go to hell！〃
His voice was calm and genially taunting。 〃I will； soon enough。 Far be it for me to ask a lady to prove such a thing。〃
She threw herself at him； her nails hacking for his face； furious that he was so controlled when she was not。 Easily he caught her hands and held her。 〃Gently gently catchee monkeeee；〃 he said even more genially。 〃Calm down； Ciranoush。 Remember； we're both over twenty…one； I've already seen you almost naked； and if I really wanted to rape you I'm afraid it wouldn't be much of a contest。 You could scream bloody murder and my crew wouldn't hear a thing。〃
〃You're a goddamn lou… 〃
〃Stop！〃 Gornt kept his smile but she stopped； sensing danger。 〃The tumble was not to frighten； just to amuse；〃 he said gently。 〃A prank； nothing more。 Truly。〃 He released her and she scrambled off the bed； her breathing still heavy。
Angrily she walked over to the mirror and pushed her hair back into place； then saw him in the mirror； still lying casually on the bed watching her； and she whirled； 〃You're a black…eyed bastard！〃
Gornt let out a bellow of laughter； infectious； belly…shaking； and； all at once； seeing the foolishness of it all； she began to laugh too。 In a moment they were both aching with laughter； he spread out on the bed and Casey leaning against the sea chest。
On deck； as good friends； they drank some champagne that was already opened in a silver bucket； the silent； obsequious steward serving them； then going away。
At the dock in Kowloon； she kissed him again。 〃Thanks for a lovely time。 Tuesday； if not before！〃 She went ashore and waved the ship good…bye a long time； then hurried home。
Spectacles Wu was also hurrying home。 He was tired and anxious and filled with dread。 The way up through the maze of dwellings and hovels in the resettlement area high above Aberdeen was difficult； slippery and dangerous； mud and mess everywhere； and he was breathing hard from the climb。 The runoff in the concrete storm drain had overflowed its banks many times in many places； the flood shoving structures aside and spreading more havoc。 Smoke hung over many of the wrecked dwellings； some still smoldering from the fires that had spread so quickly when the slides began。 He skirted the deep slide where Fifth Niece had almost perished the day before yesterday； a hundred or more hovels wrecked by new slides in the same area。
The candy shop had vanished and the old woman with it。 〃Where is she？〃 he asked。
The scavenger shrugged and continued to sift through wreckage； seeking good wood or good cardboard or corrugated iron。
〃How is it above？〃 he asked。
〃As below；〃 the man said in halting Cantonese。 〃Some good； some bad。 Joss。〃
Wu thanked him。 He was barefoot； carrying his shoes to protect them and now he left the storm drain and forced his way over some of the debris wreckage to find the path that meandered upward。 From where he was he could not see his area though it seemed there were no slides there。 Armstrong had allowed him to e home to check when the radio news had again reported bad slides in this part of the resettlement area。 〃But be back as quickly as you can。 Another interrogation's scheduled for seven o'clock。〃
〃Oh yes； I'll be back；〃 he muttered out loud。
The sessions had been very tiring but for him good； with much praise from Armstrong and the chief of SI； his place in SI assured now； transfer and training to begin next week。 He had had little sleep； partially because the session hours bore no relationship to day or night； and partially because of his wish to succeed。 The client was shifting from English to Ning…tok dialect to Cantonese and back again and it had been hard to follow all the ramblings。 It was only when his fingers had touched the wonderful； rare roll of bills in his pocket； his winnings at the races； that a lightness had taken hold and carried him through the difficult hours。 Again he touched them to reassure himself； blessing his joss； as he climbed the narrow pathway； the path at times a rickety bridge over small ravines； climbing steadily。 People passed by； going down； and others were following going up； the noise of hammers and rebuilding； reroofing all over the mountainside。
His area was a hundred yards ahead now； around this corner； and he turned it and stopped。 His area was no more； just a deep scar in the earth； the piled…up avalanche of mud and debris two hundred feet below。 No dwellings where there had been hundreds。
Numbly he climbed； skirting the treacherous slide； and went to the nearest hovel； banging on the door。 An old woman opened it suspiciously。
〃Excuse me； Honored Lady； I'm Wu Cho…tam's son from Ning…tok。 。。。〃
The woman； One Tooth Yang； stared at him blankly； then started speaking but Wu did not understand her language so he thanked her and went off； remembering that this was one of the areas settled by the Yang； some of the northern foreigners who came