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second key and how； at dinner the night of the tai…pan's party； he had suddenly had a premonition about his oh so secret safe buried in the garden and how； after digging it up； he had discovered the worst。 He even told the tai…pan about his quarrel with Dianne and how they thought the coin might be on John Chen somehow； and how； when the Werewolf phoned； she suggested calling his cousin； Four Finger Wu； to get his street fighters to follow him； then to follow them。 。。。
Dunross gasped but Phillip Chen did not notice it； rambling on in tears； telling how he had lied to the police and had paid over the ransom to the Werewolf youths he would never recognize again and how the street fighters of Four Fingers who were supposed to be guarding him had not intercepted the Werewolves or recaptured John or recaptured his money。 〃That's the truth； tai…pan； all of it；〃 he whimpered； 〃there's no more 。。。 nothing。 Nothing until this morning and my poor son's body at Sha Tin with that filthy sign on his chest。 。。。〃
Helplessly Dunross was trying to collect his wits。 He had not known that Four Fingers was Phillip's cousin； nor could he fathom how the old seaman could have got the coin … unless he was the chief Werewolf or in league with them； or in league with John Chen who had masterminded a supposed kidnapping to squeeze money out of the father he hated and then Four Fingers and John Chen had quarreled or 。。。 or what？ 〃How did John know our secrets； get all those secrets to pass them over to Bartlett … how the House's structured？ Eh？〃
〃I don't know；〃 the old man lied。
〃You must have told John … there's only you； Alastair； my father； Sir Ross； Gavallan； deVille or me who know； and of those； only the first four know the structure！〃
〃I didn't tell him … I swear I didn't。〃
Dunross's blinding rage began to swell again but once more he held it into place。
Be logical； he told himself。 Phillip's more Chinese than European。 Deal with him as a Chinese！ Where's the link？ The missing part of the jigsaw？
While he was trying to work out the problem； his eyes bored into the old man。 He waited； knowing that silence too was a vast weapon； in defense or attack。 What's the answer？ Phillip would never tell John anything that secret； therefore 。。。
〃Jesus Christ！〃 he burst out at the sudden thought。 〃You've been keeping records！ Private records！ That's how John found out！ From your safe！ Eh？〃
Petrified by the tai…pan's devil rage； Phillip blurted out before he could stop himself； 〃Yes 。。。 yes 。。。 I had to agree 。。。〃 He stopped； fighting for control。
〃Had to？ Why？ e on goddamnit！〃
〃Because 。。。 because my father； before he 。。。 he passed the House over to me and the coin to me 。。。 made me swear to keep 。。。 to record the private dealings of 。。。 of the Noble House to protect the House of Chen。 It was just that； tai…pan； never to use against you or the House； just a protection。 。。。〃
Dunross stared at him； hating him； hating John Chen for selling Struan's out； hating his mentor Chen…chen for the first time in his life； sick with rage at so many betrayals。 Then he remembered one of Chen…chen's admonitions years ago when Dunross was almost weeping with anger at the unfair way his father and Alastair were treating him： 〃Don't get angry； young Ian； get even。 I told Culum the same thing； and the Hag when they were equally young … Culum never listened but the Hag did。 That's the civilized way： Don't get angry； get even！ 〃So Bartlett has our structure； our balance sheets。 What else's he got？〃
Phillip Chen just shivered and stared back blankly。
〃e on for chrissake； Phillip； think！ We've all got skeletons； a lot of skeletons！ So've you； the Hag； Chen…chen； Shitee T'Chung； Dianne 。。。 for chrissake； how much more's documented that John could have passed over？〃 A wave of nausea went through him as he remembered his theory about the connection between Banastasio； Bartlett； Par…Con； the Mafia and the guns。 Christ； if our secrets get into the wrong hands！ 〃Eh？〃
〃I don't know； I don't know 。。。 What； what did Bartlett ask？ For the coin？〃 Then Phillip cried out； 〃It's mine； it belongs to me！〃
He saw the uncontrollable trembling of Phillip's hands and a sudden tinge of gray in his face。 There was brandy and whiskey in decanters on the sideboard and Dunross fetched some brandy and gave it to him。 Gratefully the old man drank； choking a little。 〃Than 。。。 thank you。〃
〃Go home and fetch everything and th… 〃 Dunross stopped and stabbed an inter button。 〃Andrew？〃
〃Yes； tai…pan？〃 Gavallan said。
〃Would you e up a second？ I want you to go home with Phillip； he's not feeling too well and there're some papers to bring back。〃
〃On my way。〃
Dunross's eyes had never left Phillip's。
〃Tai…pan； what did； did Bar… 〃
〃Stay away from them on your life！ And give Andrew everything … John's letters； Bartlett's letters； everything；〃 he said； his voice chilling。
〃Tai…pan 。。。〃
〃Everything。〃 His head ached； he had so much rage in him。 He was going to add； I'll decide about you and the House of Chen over the weekend。 But he did not say it。 〃Don't get mad； get even〃 kept ringing in his ears。
* * *
Casey came in。 Dunross met her halfway。 She carried an umbrella and was again wearing her pale green dress that set off her hair and eyes perfectly。 Dunross noticed the shadows behind her eyes。 They made her somehow more desirable。 〃Sorry to keep you waiting。〃 His smile was warm but he enjoyed none of its warmth。 He was still appalled over Phillip Chen。
Casey's hand was cool and pleasant。 〃Thanks for seeing me；〃 she said。 〃I know you're busy so I'll e to the point。〃
〃First tea。 Or would you like a drink？〃
〃No liquor thanks； but I don't want to put you to any trouble。〃
〃No trouble； I'm going to have tea anyway。 4：40's tea time。〃 As though by magic the door opened and a liveried houseboy brought in a silver tray with tea for two … with thin buttered toast and hot scones in a silver warmer。 The man poured and left。 The tea was dark brown and strong。 〃It's Darjeeling； one of our House blends。 We've been trading it since 1830；〃 he said sipping it gratefully； as always thanking the unknown genius Englishman who had invented afternoon tea； which； somehow； always seemed to settle the cares of the day and put the world into perspective。 〃I hope you like it。〃
〃It's great； maybe a mite too strong for me。 I had some around 2：00 a。m。； and it certainly woke me up。〃
〃Oh？ You still on jet lag？〃
She shook her head and told him about Peter Marlowe。
〃Oh！ What bad joss！〃 He stabbed the inter。 〃Claudia； call the Nathan Nursing Home and see how Mrs。 Marlowe is。 And send some flowers。 Thanks。〃
Casey frowned。 〃How'd you know she was at the Nathan？〃
〃Doc Tooley always uses that place in Kowloon。〃 He was watching her closely； astonished that she seemed so friendly when obviously Par…Con was trying to sabotage their deal。 If she's been up most of the night； that accounts for the shadows； he thought。 Well； shadows or not； watch out； young lady； we shook on the deal。 〃Another cup？〃 he asked solicitously。
〃No thanks； this's fine。〃
〃I remend the scones。 We eat them like this： a big dollop of Devonshire clotted cream on top； a teaspoon of homemade strawberry jam in the center of the cream and 。。。 magic！ Here！〃
Reluctantly she took it。 The scone was just bite…sized。 It vanished。 〃Fantastic；〃 she gasped； wiping a touch of the cream off her mouth。 〃But all those calories！ No； really； no more； thanks。 I've done nothing but eat since I got here。〃
〃It doesn't show。〃
〃It will。〃 He saw her smile back at him。 She was sitting in one of the deep high…backed leather chairs； the tea table between them。 Again she crossed her legs and Dunross thought once more that Gavallan had been right about her … that her Achilles' heel was impatience。 〃May I start now？〃 she asked。
〃You're sure you don't want some more tea？〃 he asked； deliberately to throw her off balance again。
〃No thanks。〃
〃Then tea's over。 What's cooking？〃
Casey took a deep breath。 〃It seems that Struan's is way out on a limb and about to go under。〃
〃Please don't concern yourself about that。 Struan's really is in very fine shape。〃
〃You may be； tai…pan； but it doesn't look that way to us。 Or to outsiders。 I've checked。 Most everyone seems to think Gornt； and or the Victoria； will make the raid stick。 It's almost a general thumbs down。 Now our deal's … 〃
〃We have a deal till Tuesday。 That's what we agreed；〃 he said； his voice sharpening。 〃Do I understand you want to renege or change it？〃
〃No。 But in the present state you're in； it'd be crazy and bad business to proceed。 So we've two alternatives： It's either Rothwell…Gornt； or we've to help you with some kind of bail…out operation。〃
〃Oh？〃
〃Yes。 I've a plan； a partial plan for how you could maybe extricate yourself and make us all a fortune。 Okay？ You're the best for us … long…term。〃
〃Thank you；〃 he said； not believing her； all attention； well aware that any concession she offered was going to be prohibitively expensive。
〃Try this on for size。 Our bankers are the First Central New York … the hated bank here。 They want back into Hong Kong so much it hurts； but they'll never get a new charter； right？〃
Dunross's inter