“Except China.”
“And we know, you and I, that China is weak and helpless. That’s not to our advantage, is it? To have China weak and Russia very strong, perhaps controlling China?”
“No,” Struan said. “Then she could strangle us at will. And India.”
The two men fell silent, each lost in his own thoughts.
“But why send an important man here?” Struan asked.
“To test us. The answer’s clear historically. Russia’s a sower of seeds of discontent, and she always will be until she finds what, in her opinion, are her natural borders. She borders Turkey—there’s trouble in Turkey. She borders India—there’s trouble there. She borders China— at least, so far as we know—so there has to be trouble there. Zergeyev’s here to probe our success. The weaker he thinks China is, the more reason for them to hurry their expansion eastward. So we have to try to neutralize him, throw him off the scent, make him think that China is very strong. I’ll need all the help you can give me. Could we invite him to the ball this evening?”
“Of course.”
“We’ve got to indicate, in any event, that China is Her Majesty’s private sphere of influence—that Her Majesty’s Government will brook no interference here.”
Struan’s mind jumped ahead rapidly. The more the Crown was involved in Asia, the more it helped the basic plan—to bring China into the family of nations as a Great Power. The stronger China was, English-trained and assisted, the better for the world in general. Aye. And we canna afford despotic Russian interference when we’re on the threshold of success.
There was a knock on the door, and Clive Monsey appeared in the doorway. He was a thin man in his middle forties, quiet, unassuming, with scant hair and a huge bulbous nose.
“Your Excellency,” he said, “may I present His Highness Archduke Alexi Zergeyev?”
Longstaff and Struan rose. Longstaff went toward the archduke and said, in perfect Russian, “I’m delighted to meet you, Your Highness. Please come in and sit down. Did you have a pleasant voyage?”
“Perfect, Your Excellency,” Zergeyev replied, unsurprised, and he shook the extended hand, bowing slightly with perfect grace. “It’s too kind of you to invite me to lunch when I’ve not had the good manners to acquaint you of my arrival. And particularly as my visit is unofficial and unplanned.”
“It’s our good fortune, Your Highness.”
“I was hoping that you would be the son of the esteemed friend of Russia, Sir Robert. This is a most fortunate coincidence.”
“Yes, indeed,” Longstaff said dryly. “And how is your father the prince?” he asked, gambling on a hunch.
“In good health, I’m pleased to say. And yours?”
“He died a few years ago.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. But your mother, the Lady Longstaff?”
“In perfect health, I’m happy to say.”
Struan was inspecting the Russian. Zergeyev was a fine, tall man impeccably and richly dressed. He was broad-shouldered and narrow hipped. High cheekbones and curious, slightly slanting blue eyes gave his face an exotic cast. The dress sword at his belt under his opened frock coat seemed to belong there. Around his neck, below his pure white cravat, was a discreet decoration of some order on a thin scarlet ribbon. No man to pick a quarrel with, Struan thought. I’d wager he’s a devil with a sword and a demon if his ‘honor’ is touched.
“May I present Mr. Dirk Struan?” Longstaff said in English.
The archduke put out his hand, smiled and added in English with only the trace of an accent, “Ah, Mr. Struan, it is my pleasure.”
Struan shook hands and found Zergeyev’s grip like steel. “You have me at a disadvantage, Your Highness,” he said, deliberately being blunt and undiplomatic. “I get the distinct impression that you know a lot about me, but I know nothing about you.”
Zergeyev laughed. “The Tai-Pan of The Noble House has a reputation that reaches out even to St. Petersburg. I had hoped I would have the privilege of meeting you. And I look forward to chatting and telling you about myself, if it interests you.” He smiled at Longstaff. “You’re too kind to me, Your Excellency. I assure you that I will inform His Highness the Tsar that Her Britannic Majesty’s plenipotentiary is more than a little hospitable. Now that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting you, I will withdraw and let you get on with affairs of state.”
“Oh no, Your Highness, please, we expect you for lunch.” Longstaff warmed to the task that he had been trained for and understood. “We would be most disappointed. And it’s quite informal, as you can see.”
“Well, thank you. I’d consider it an honor.”
The door opened and a steward came in with iced champagne and glasses. He offered the tray to Zergeyev, then to Longstaff and to Struan and to Monsey.
“To a safe journey home,” Longstaff said.
They drank.
“Superb champagne, Your Excellency. Superb.”
“Please sit down.”
The lunch was served with flawless protocol, Zergeyev sitting on Longstaff’s right hand and Struan on his left. Stewards brought smoked sausages and oysters, Yorkshire hams, a bubbling stew of fresh-killed beef, a roast haunch of lamb, boiled potatoes and pickled cabbage.
“I’m sorry we have no caviar,” Longstaff said.
“I would be glad to give you some, Your Excellency, as soon as my ship arrives. We had the misfortune to run into a storm in the Sunda Strait. We sprang a leak and put into your port of Singapore. The mail packet was leaving by the same tide, so I booked passage here.”
And thus avoided giving us advance notice, Longstaff thought. Sunda Strait meant a voyage via the Cape of Good Hope. What the devil was he up to?
“I’ve heard that the Singapore climate’s intemperate, Mr. Struan, at this time of the year,” Zergeyev was saying.
“Aye, it is,” Struan said. “Is this your first voyage to Asia, Your Highness?”
“Yes.”
“Well, perhaps we can make your stay pleasant. I’m giving a ball this evening. I’d be honored if you would come. It would give you an opportunity to meet everyone.”
“You are too kind.”
“How long do you plan to stay?”
“Only until my ship arrives. I’m making an informal visit to our Alaskan possessions.”
“Was the ship damaged badly?”
“I don’t really know, Mr. Struan. I’m not too experienced in these things. She’ll follow here as soon as possible.”
“Then you’ll need accommodations,” Struan said, suspecting that Zergeyev knew a great deal about “those things,” and that the “unseaworthiness” of his ship would be a convenient way to vary, at his pleasure, the length of his stay. Struan also had a hunch that Singapore was the first port of call, outward bound from St. Petersburg. “We’ll be glad to offer you a suite aboard one of our stationary vessels. It will na be luxurious, but we’ll endeavor to make you comfortable.”