“Why not hand it over with kegs of powder in the hold and a slow taper to them?” Robb said.
“Wu Kwok’s too smart for that.”
“Is there no way you could hang mines on the outside of the hull, below sea level?”
“That’d be possible, perhaps. That might pass their scrutiny. But even when you’re trapped you have to try to work your way out, you canna break a holy oath. Nae trick, Robb. We’d lose face for a hundred years. I’m going to kill Wu Kwok.”
“Why?”
“To teach him the value of an oath. And to protect oursel’ for the next generation.”
There was a silence. “I thought you were going home in five months,” Robb said.
“I am. I’ll sail the new ship back when she’s ready. We’ll call her
Lotus Cloud.” Struan wiped his mouth with a napkin. “The men and the ship I can understand. But why train three boys as ‘toffs’? I dinna understand that. The boys worry me and I dinna know why.”
“They’d be Wu Kwok’s sons?”
“Sons or nephews, aye, certainly. But why? What do they gain?”
“Everything English. All our secrets,” Culum said.
“No, lad. The same applies to the boys as to the men. More so. Boys will be easier to convert to our ways. Wu Fang and Wu Kwok must have thought of that. Why would they be prepared to lose three sons? Why as ‘toffs’ —not as captains or soldiers or boat builders or armorers or anything useful? Why ‘toffs’?”
They could not answer him.
When
China Cloud broke through the west entrance into Hong Kong harbor, Struan was coming onto the quarterdeck to join Culum and Robb. The rain had ceased and the wind was brisk. Dusk was gathering. Struan felt greatly refreshed, and serene. But as soon as he stepped on deck, his serenity was shattered.
“Great God Almighty!”
The harbor was packed with the merchant shipping of Asia, and with the Royal Naval Fleet. And the beach was crowded with the tents which quartered the four thousand soldiers of the expeditionary force.
What really jolted Struan, however, was the hundreds of Chinese sampans clustered to the north of Glessing’s Point. Swarms of junks and sampans were leaving and arriving. Thousands of tiny hovels had sprung up like obscene mushrooms on the slopes of one of the hills.
“Chinese’ve been pouring in ever since I got back from Canton,” Culum said. “God alone knows how many. At least four or five thousand. They’re swamping us. They arrive by sampan or junk loads and stream ashore. Then they get swallowed up in that mess. By night those devils sneak out and steal anything that’s movable.”
“Great God Almighty!”
“At first they were spreading over all the island. Then I got Longstaff to allocate them that hillside temporarily. They call it Tai Ping Shan, something like that.”
“Why did you na tell me?”
“We wanted you to see for yourself, Uncle and I. A few hours wouldn’t make any difference. The European population—
apart from soldiers—is about a hundred and fifty. Longstaff is tearing out what little hair he has left. We’ve been picking up ten or fifteen Chinese bodies a night in the harbor. Murdered or drowned.”
“You’ve got to see the squalor up there to believe it,” Robb said. “The way they live! There was space enough, but they keep coming with every tide.”
“Well,” Struan said, “we will na suffer for lack of coolies and help.” He turned to Orlov. “Salute the flagship and send a signal in your name: ‘Permission to moor within eight cables.’ All hands on deck, and come aft!”
Orlov nodded.
China Cloud’s cannons boomed and there was an answering gun. Permission was granted. The crew was assembled. Then Struan walked to the quarterdeck rail. “Everyone’s confined to the ship till noon tomorrow. And no one’s to come aboard until noon tomorrow. Nae word of our cargo. Or that I’m aboard. I’ll keelhaul any that spills a word. A double month’s pay to all hands, paid in silver tomorrow at dusk. Officers will mount armed guard by the watch on the quarterdeck. Dismissed.”
There were three cheers for the Tai-Pan, and the men dispersed.
“What time’s the land sale, Culum?”
“Three o’clock, Father, tomorrow. In Happy Valley.”
“Robb, make sure we’ve the correct lot numbers well in advance.”
“Yes. We brought a list. We buy the knoll?”
“Of course.”
Robb thought a moment. “If Brock’s as inflexible as you, we may have to put our whole future on that damned hill.”
“Aye.” Struan beckoned Orlov. “At two bells in the forenoon watch, send a signal to Brock in Robb’s name, asking him to come aboard at four bells. Wake me at two bells. Until that time I’m na to be disturbed. You’re in command now.”
“Good,” Orlov said.
“I’m going to get some sleep. Robb, you and Culum do the same. We’ve a long day tomorrow. Oh yes, and, Culum, perhaps you’d like to think about the ball. Where and how. In thirty-one days.” He went below.
When
China Cloud was nearing the flagship, Culum walked over to Orlov. “Please bring the longboat alongside as soon as we’re anchored.”
“The Tai-Pan said everyone’s confined aboard. There’s no longboat without his permission.”
“That obviously didn’t apply to us, to Mr. Struan and me,” Culum said sharply.
Orlov chuckled. “You don’t know your father, Culum the Strong. He said ‘everyone.’ And that’s the way it’ll be.”
Culum turned for the hatch, but Orlov stopped him, the fighting iron easy in his hand. “He’s not to be disturbed. That’s his orders.”
“Get out of my way!”
“He never gives an order without meaning it. Ask your uncle. No one goes ashore while I’m captain o’
China Cloud! If he wanted you ashore, he’da said so.”
“We’re aboard till noon, Culum,” Robb said.
Through his fury Culum asked himself if he would be obeyed with such finality when he was Tai-Pan. He knew that such obedience was not paid automatically to the title. It had to be earned. “Very well, Captain.” He went and stood beside Robb at the gunnel. Silently they watched the island grow nearer. Soon they could see the knoll.
“That’s going to break us,” Robb said.
“Now we’ve the bullion, Brock won’t compete.”
“He’ll bid and bid and bid, knowing that Dirk’ll have it, whatever the cost. Brock’ll stop bidding when the price is astronomic. Dirk’s committed to the knoll like we’re committed to The Noble House. Now it’s a matter of face, godrotting face! Their godrotting hatred for one another will destroy both of them eventually.”
“Father said he’d deal with him, in five months, didn’t he?”
“Yes, lad. He has to. I canna. Nor can you.”
Culum riveted his eyes on the knoll and Hong Kong.