“So I understand,” the officer said, faintly ironic. He glanced at Culum. “My congratulations, senhor.”
“Thank you.”
“I will mention your suggestion to my superiors, Senhor Struan. I’m sure they would appreciate the delicacy of the position.”
“Thank you,” Struan said. “If you catch the others, the reward still stands.”
The officer saluted and left.
“Thank you for suggesting that,” Culum said. “What would have happened to Gorth?”
“He would have hanged. There are good English laws about murder.”
“It would be ironic if that story were true.”
“Eh?”
“Gordon Chen and the secret society. If in actual fact you hadn’t planned Gorth’s challenge because you’d already secretly arranged for him to be assassinated.”
“That’s a terrible accusation. Terrible.”
“I’m not accusing you,” Culum said. “I merely said it would be ironic. I know that you’re what you are; any killing you do would have to be in the open, man to man. That’s the way
the Tai-Pan’s mind would have to work. But mine won’t. It never will. I’m tired of trapping people and using them. I’m not you and I never will be. You have to put up with me the best you can. And if your Noble House dies in my hands—well, to use your own words, that’s joss. Your face is safe. You’ll leave as
the Tai-Pan, whatever happens afterward. I’ll never understand you and know you’ll never understand me, but we can be friends even so.”
“Of course we’re friends,” Struan said. “One thing—promise you’ll never join with Brock.”
“When I’m Tai-Pan I have to do what
I think is best. It’s no longer your decision. That’s the law you set up, the law I swore to obey.”
There were the sounds from the
pra
ça. Somewhere in the distance church bells began chiming.
“Will you have dinner with us tonight? At the Club?”
“Aye.”
Culum departed. Struan remained at his desk. How can I put fire into Culum? he asked himself.
He could not think of an answer. He sent for his secretary and arranged for all company business to be completed before he returned to Hong Kong. He left the office, and on the way to May-may’s house he thought about Brock. Will he come storming into the Club tonight, like Gorth did?
Struan stopped for a moment and gazed out to sea. The
White Witch and
China Cloud looked beautiful in the afternoon sun. His eyes strayed over Macao and he saw the cathedral. Why did that devil bishop na put a fair price on the bark? Be fair yoursel’, Dirk. He’s nae devil. Aye, but he trapped you. Now you’ll never forget him for the rest of your life—and you’ll be doing all sorts of favors for the Church. And for the devil Catholics. Are they devils though? The truth, now.
Nay.
The only devil you know is Gorth, and Gorth’s dead—finished. Thank God!
Aye. Gorth’s dead. But na forgotten.
BOOK VI
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
China Cloud slipped her moorings at dawn. The sea was calm and the wind east and firm. But two hours out to sea the breeze freshened, and Struan left May-may in the great cabin and went on deck.
Orlov was scanning the sky. It was clear to the horizon, but far off a few cumulus clouds were gathering. “No danger there,” he said.
“Nothing amiss there either,” Struan said, gesturing toward the sea. He strolled along the deck and then swung into the foremast shrouds. He climbed easily, the wind tugging him pleasantly, and he did not stop until he was braced on the topgallant halyards at the pinnacle of the foremast.
He searched the sea and the sky, meticulously seeking the squall or storm that might be lurking, or the hidden reef or uncharted shoal. But there were no danger signs as far as the horizon.
For a moment he let himself enjoy the speed and the wind and the limitlessness, blessing his joss for life and for May-may, She was much better—still quite weak, but strong compared to yesterday.
He examined all the rigging in sight, checking for damage or weakness, then climbed down and went back to the quarterdeck. An hour later the wind freshened again and the clipper heeled over more, spray digging into the lower sails.
“I’ll be glad to be in harbor tonight,” Orlov said uneasily.
“Aye. You feel it too?”
“I feel nothing. Only that I’ll be happy to be in harbor tonight.” Orlov spat to leeward and shifted his tobacco quid. “Sea’s fair, wind’s fair, sky’s clean—even so, there’s devilment abrewing.”
“It’s always brewing in these waters.”
“With your permission we’ll reef down and I’ll get the leadsman acalling the fathoms. Mayhaps it’s just a shoal or stinking, belly-gutting rock out there somewhere.” Orlov shivered and pulled his sea jacket closer, even though the day was warm and the wind safe.
“Aye.”
So the leadsman was sent forward, and he tolled the fathoms. And the crew shinned aloft and
China Cloud’s press of canvas was eased off.
Late that afternoon she was safe in the neck of the west channel. Hong Kong Island was to port, the mainland to starboard. It had been a perfect voyage with no mishap.
“Perhaps we’re just getting old,” Struan said with a short laugh.
“The older you get, the more the sea wants to suck you down,” Orlov said without rancor, looking at the ocean aft. “Weren’t for my beautiful ship I’d sign off today.”
Struan walked to the wheel. “I’ll spell you a turn, helmsman. Go for’ard.”
“Aye, aye, sir.” The seaman left them alone on the quarterdeck.
“Why?” Struan asked Orlov.
“I can feel the sea watching me. She’s always watching a seaman, testing him. But there comes a time when she watches differently—jealous, aye, jealous like the woman she is. And as dangerous.” Orlov spat the tobacco quid overboard and rinsed his mouth with the cold tea that was in the canvas bag near the binnacle. “I’ve never acted a priest and married anyone before. That was mortal strange—strange, Green Eyes, looking at those two, so young and eager and confident. And listening to the echo of you, puffed like a peacock, ‘By God, Orlov, you’ll marry us, by God. I’m master of
China Cloud, by God. You know the Tai-Pan’s law, by God.’ And there’s me, aranting and araving and terrible reluctant so as to give him
face, knowing all the time old Green Eyes is the puppeteer.” Orlov chuckled and peered up at Struan. “But I acted very well and let him command me—as you wanted me to be commanded. It was like, well, like my marriage present to the lad. Did he tell you our deal?”
“Nay.”