“None, sir.” Perry quailed and knew better than to argue.
“Get the hell off my ship. You’re beached!”
Perry blanched. “But, sir—”
“Be off my ship by sundown.” Struan moved toward the gangway that led to the bowels of the ship. “Come on, Culum.”
Culum caught up with Struan in the passageway to the main cabin.
“That’s not fair,” he said. “It’s not fair. Captain Perry’s the best captain you have. You’ve said so.”
“He was, lad,” Struan said. “But he did na watch the interests of his man. And he’s afraid. What of, I dinna ken. But frightened men are dangerous and we’ve nae use for such.”
“McKay wasn’t harmed.”
“The first law of a captain of mine is to protect his ship. The second, his men. Then they’ll protect him. You can captain a ship alone, but you can’t run her alone.”
“Perry did nothing wrong.”
“He allowed the navy to put McKay under guard against the law, by God,” Struan said sharply. “A captain’s got to know more than just how to sail a ship, by God! Isaac should have stood up to that young puppy. He was afraid, and he failed one of his men when it was important. Next time he might fail his ship. I’ll na risk that.”
“But he’s been with you for years. Doesn’t that count?”
“Yes. It says we were lucky for years. Now I dinna trust him. So now he goes, and that’s the end to it!” Struan opened the door of the cabin.
Robb was seated at the desk, staring out of the stern windows. Boxes and chests and children’s clothes and playthings were strewn on the floor. Sarah, Robb’s wife, was half curled in one of the sea chairs, dozing. She was a small woman, heavy with child, and in sleep her face was lined and tired. When Robb noticed Struan and Culum, he tried unsuccessfully to force a smile.
“Hello, Dirk. Culum.”
“Hello, Robb.” Struan thought, He’s aged ten years in two days.
Sarah awoke with a start. “Hello, Dirk.” She got up heavily and came over to the door. “Hello, Culum.”
“How are you, Aunt Sarah?”
“Tired, dear. Very tired. And I hate being on a ship. Would you like some tea?”
“No, thank you.”
Robb watched Struan anxiously. “What can I say?”
“Nothing, Robbie. They’re dead and we’re alive and that’s the end to it.”
“Is it, Dirk?” Sarah’s blue eyes were hard. She smoothed her auburn hair and straightened her long, green, bustled dress. “Is it?”
“Aye. Would you excuse us, Sarah? I’ve got to talk to Robb.”
“Yes, of course.” She looked at her husband and despised the weakness of him. “We’re leaving, Dirk. We’re leaving the Orient for good. I’ve decided. I’ve given Struan and Company five years of my life and one baby. Now it’s time to go.”
“I think you’re wise, Sarah. The Orient is nae place for a family these days. In a year, when Hong Kong’s built, well, then it’ll be very good.”
“For some, perhaps, but not for us. Not for my Roddy or Karen or Naomi or Jamie. Not for me. We’ll never live in Hong Kong.” She was gone.
“Did you buy opium, Robb?”
“I bought some. Spent all our cash and borrowed about a hundred thousand—I don’t know exactly. Prices didn’t come down much. Then, well, I lost interest.”
So we’re deeper in the hole, Struan thought.
“Why our family? It’s terrible, terrible,” Robb said, his voice tormented. “Why all our family?”
“Joss.”
“Curse joss.” Robb stared at the cabin door. “Brock wants to see you as soon as possible.”
“Why?”
“He didn’t say.”
Struan sat and eased his boot off for a moment, and thought about Brock. Then he said, “I’ve made Culum a partner.”
“Good,” Robb said. But his voice was flat. He was still staring at the door.
“Father,” Culum broke in, “I want to talk to you about that.”
“Later, laddie. Robb, there’s something else. We’ve bad trouble on our hands.”
“There’s something I must say at once.” Robb tore his eyes off the door. “Dirk, I’m leaving the Orient with Sarah and the children. By the next boat.”
“What?”
“I’ll never be a tai-pan and I don’t want to be.”
“You’re leaving because Culum’s a partner?”
“You know me better than that. You might have discussed it with me, yes, but that’s unimportant. I want to leave.”
“Why?”
“The deaths at home made me think. Sarah’s right. Life is too brief to sweat and die out here. I want some peace. And there’s more than enough money. You can buy me out. I want to go on the next boat.”
“Why?”
“I’m tired. Tired!”
“You’re just weak, Robb. Sarah’s been on to you again, eh?”
“Yes, I’m weak, and yes, she’s been on to me again, but I’ve decided. Too many deaths. Too many.”
“I canna buy you out. We’re bankrupt.” Struan handed him the bankers’ letter.
Robb read the letter. His face aged even more. “God curse them to hell!”
“Aye. But we’re still bankrupt.” Struan pulled on his boot and stood up. “Sorry, Culum, the partnership is worthless. There was a run on our bank.”
The air in the cabin seemed to thicken.
“We’ve a hundred thousand in Scotland,” Robb said. “Let me have half of that and you take the rest.”
“Thanks, Robbie. Spoken like a man.”
Robb slammed the desk with his fist. “It’s not my fault the bank closed its doors!”
“Aye. So dinna ask for half our money when we’ll need every penny!”
“
You will, not me. You’ll find the answer, you always have.”
“Fifty thousand pounds won’t last Sarah five years.”
“That’s my worry! The money’s not on the books, so it’s fairly ours. I’ll take half. My share of the business’s worth twenty times that!”
“We’re bankrupt! Can you na get that through your head?
Bankrupt!”
The cabin door opened and a little golden-haired girl came into the room. A straw doll was in her hands. She wore a frown. “Hello, Daddy. Hello, Uncle Dirk.” She stared up at Struan. “Are I ugly?”
With an effort Struan pulled his eyes off Robb. “What, Karen lassie?”
“Are I ugly?”
“No. No. Of course not, Karen.” Struan lifted her up. “Who’s been saying such terrible things to you, lassie?”
“We was playing school on
Resting Cloud. It were Lillibet.”
“Lillibet Brock?”
“Oh, no. She’s my best friend. It were Lillibet Somebody-else.”
“Well, you’re na ugly. You tell Lillibet Somebodyelse that it’s na nice to say such things. You’re very pretty.”
“Oh, good!” Karen smiled hugely. “My daddy always says I’m pretty, but I wanted to ask you ’cause you know. You know everything.” She gave him a big hug. “Thank you, Uncle Dirk. Put me down now.” She danced to the door. “I’m glad I aren’t ugly.”