Soon they'll all be mine。 Along with the envy of all Asia。
He laughed。 Yes。 And about time。 Then all the ghosts will sleep。 God curse all ghosts！
He switched on the ignition and started the engine； enjoying the luxury of real leather and fine wood； the smell rich and exclusive。 Then he put the car into gear and swung down the driveway； past the carpark where all the other cars were； down to the huge wrought…iron main gates with the Struan arms entwined。 He stopped for passing traffic and caught sight of the Great House in his rear mirror。 Tall； vast； the windows ablaze； weling。
Soon I really will own you； he thought。 I'll throw parties there that Asia's never seen before and never will again。 I suppose I should have a hostess。
What about the American girl？
He chuckled。 〃Ah； Ciranoush； what a lovely name；〃 he said out loud with the same； perfect amount of husky charm that he had used previously。 That one's a pushover； he told himself confidently。 You just use old world charm and great wine； light but excellent food and patience … along with the very best of upper…class English； masculine sophistication and no swear words and she'll fall where and when you want her to。 And then； if you choose the correct moment； you can use gutter English and a little judicious roughness； and you'll unlock all her pent…up passion like no man ever has done。
If I read her correctly she needs an expert pillowing rather badly。
So either Bartlett's inadequate or they're really not lovers as the confidential report suggested。 Interesting。
But do you want her？ As a toy … perhaps。 As a tool … of course。 As a hostess no； much too pushy。
Now the road was clear so he pulled out and went down to the junction and turned left and soon he was on Peak Road going downhill toward Magazine Gap where Plumm's penthouse apartment was。 After dinner with him he was going to a meeting； then to Wanchai； to one of his private apartments and the weling embrace of Mona Leung。 His pulse quickened at the thought of her violent lovemaking； her barely hidden hatred for him and all quai loh that was ever in perpetual conflict with her love of luxury； the apartment that was on loan to her and the modest amount of money he gave her monthly。
〃Never give 'em enough money；〃 his father William had told him early on。 〃Clothes； jewelry； holidays … that's fine。 But not too much money。 Control them with dollar bills。 And never think they love you for you。 They don't。 It's only your money； only your money and always will be。 Just under the surface they'll despise you； always will。 That's fair enough if you think about it … we're not Chinese and never will be。〃
〃There's never an exception？〃
〃I don't think so。 Not for a quai loh； my son。 I don't think so。 Never has been with me and I've known a few。 Oh she'll give you her body； her children； even her life； but she'll always despise you。 She has to； she's Chinese and we're quai loh！〃
Ayeeyah； Gornt thought。 That advice's proved itself time and time again。 And saved me so much anguish。 It'll be good to see the Old Man； he told himself。 This year I'll give him a fine Christmas present： Struan's。
He was driving carefully down the left side of the winding road hugging the mountainside； the night good； the surface fine and the traffic light。 Normally he would have been chauffeur…driven but tonight he wanted no witnesses to his meeting with Plumm。
No； he thought。 Nor any witnesses when I meet Four Finger Wu。 What the hell does that pirate want？ Nothing good。 Bound to be dangerous。 Yes。 But during the Korean War Wu did you a very large favor and perhaps now is the time he wants the favor repaid。 There's always a reckoning sooner or later； and that's fair and that's Chinese law。 You get a present； you give one back a little more valuable。 You have a favor done 。。。
In 1950 when the Chinese munist armies in Korea were battering and bleeding their way south from the Yalu with monstrous losses； they were desperately short of all strategic supplies and very willing to pay mightily those who could slip through the blockade with the supplies they needed。 At that time； Rothwell…Gornt was also in desperate straits because of their huge losses at Shanghai the previous year thanks to the conquest by Mao。 So in December of 1950； he and his father had borrowed heavily and secretly bought a huge shipment of penicillin； morphine； sulfanalamides and other medical supplies in the Philippines； avoiding the obligatory export license。 These they smuggled onto a hired ocean…going junk with one of their trusted crews and sent it to Wampoa； a bleak island in the Pearl River near Canton。 Payment was to be in gold on delivery； but en route； in the secret backwaters of the Pearl River Estuary； their junk had been intercepted by river pirates favoring Chiang Kai…shek's Nationalists and a ransom demanded。 They had no money to ransom the cargo； and if the Nationalists found out that Rothwell…Gornt was dealing with their hated munist enemy； their own future in Asia was lost forever。
Through his pradore Gornt had arranged a meeting in Aberdeen Harbor with Four Finger Wu； supposedly one of the biggest smugglers in the Pearl River Estuary。
〃Where ship now？〃 Four Finger Wu had asked in execrable pidgin English。
Gornt had told him as best he could； conversing in pidgin； not being able to speak Haklo； Wu's dialect。
〃Perhaps； perhaps not！〃 Four Finger Wu smiled。 〃I phone three day。 Nee choh wah password。 Three day； heya？〃
On the third day he phoned。 〃Bad； good； don' know。 Meet two day Aberdeen。 Begin Hour of Monkey。〃 That hour was ten o'clock at night。 Chinese split the day into twelve； two…hour segments； each with a name； always in the same sequence； beginning at 4：00 a。m。 with the Cock； then at 6：00 a。m。 with the Dog； and so on； Boar； Rat； Ox； Tiger； Rabbit； Dragon； Snake； Monkey； Horse and Sheep。
At the Hour of the Monkey on Wu's junk at Aberdeen two days later； he had been given the full payment for his shipment in gold plus an extra 40 percent。 A staggering 500 percent profit。
Four Finger Wu had grinned。 〃Make better trade than quai loh； never mind。 28；000 taels of gold。〃 A tael was a little more than an ounce。 〃Next time me ship。 Yes？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃You buy； me ship； me sell； 40 percent mine； sale price。〃
〃Yes。〃 Gornt had thankfully tried to press a much larger percentage on him this time but Wu had refused。
〃40 percent only； sale price。〃 But Gornt had understood that now he was in the smuggler's debt。
The gold was in five…tael smuggler bars。 It was valued at the official rate of 35 U。S。 an ounce。 But on the black market； smuggled into Indonesia； India or back into China； it was worth two or three times as much 。。。 sometimes more。 On this one shipment again with Wu's help； Rothwell…Gornt had made a million and a half U。S。 and were on the road to recovery。
After that there had been three more shipments； immensely profitable to both sides。 Then the war had ceased and so had their relationship。
Never a word since then； Gornt thought。 Until the phone call this afternoon。
〃Ah； old friend； can see？ Tonight？〃 Four Finger Wu had said。 〃Can do？ Anytime … I wait。 Same place as old days。 Yes？〃
So now the favor's to be returned。 Good。
Gornt switched on the radio。 Chopin。 He was driving the winding road automatically； his mind on the meetings ahead； the engine almost silent。 He slowed for an advancing truck； then swung out and accelerated on the short straight to overtake a slow…moving taxi。 Going quite fast now he braked sharply in good time nearing the blind corner； then something seemed to snap in the innards of the engine； his foot sank to the floorboards； his stomach turned over and he went into the hairpin too fast。
In panic he jammed his foot on the brake again and again but nothing happened； his hands whirling the wheel around。 He took the first corner badly； swerving drunkenly as he came out of it onto the wrong side of the road。 Fortunately there was nothing ing at him but he overcorrected and lurched for the mountainside； his stomach twisting with nausea； overcorrected again； going very fast now and the next corner leapt at him。 Here the grade was steeper； the road more winding and narrow。 Agai