Noble House by James Clavell

Author:James Clavell [Clavell, James]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, Historical, General, Biography & Autobiography, Historical Fiction, British, Hong Kong (China), Trading Companies, Businesspeople, Businesspeople - China - Hong Kong, Americans, Business, Usernet, C429, Kat, Extratorrents
ISBN: 9780385343268
Publisher: Delta
Published: 2009-05-18T14:30:00+00:00

Noble House

42

10:01 A.M. :

Orlanda Ramos opened the door of her apartment and put her sodden umbrella into a stand. “Come in, Line,” she said radiantly. “Minha casa e vossa cam. My house is yours.”

Line smiled. “You’re sure?”

She laughed and said lightly, “Ah! That remains to be seen. It’s just an old Portuguese custom… to offer one’s house.” She was taking off her shiny, very fashionable raincoat. In the corridor he was doing the same to a soaked, well-u?sed raincoat.

“Here, let me hang it up,” she said. “Oh, don’t mind about the wet, my amah will mop it up. Come on in.”

He noticed how neat and tidy the living room was, feminine, in very good taste and welcoming. She shut the door behind him and hung his coat on a peg. He went over to the French windows that let out onto a small balcony. Her apartment was on the eighth floor of Rose Court in Kotewall Road.

“Is the rain always this heavy?” he asked.

“In a real typhoon it’s much worse. Perhaps twelve to eighteen inches in a day. Then there are mud slides and the resettlement areas get washed away.”

He was looking down through the overcast. Most of the view was blocked by high rises, ribbon-built on the winding roads that were cut into the mountainside. From time to time he could see glimpses of Central and the shoreline far below. “It’s like being in an airplane, Orlanda. On a balmy night it must be terrific.”

“Yes. Yes it is. I love it. You can see all of Kowloon. Before Sinclair Towers was built-that’s the block straight ahead-we had the best view in Hong Kong. Did you know Struan’s own Sinclair Towers? I think Ian Dunross helped have it built to spite Quillan.

Quillan has the penthouse apartment here… at least he did.”

“It spoiled his view?”

“Ruined it.”

“That’s an expensive attack.”

“No. Both blocks are immensely profitable. Quillan told me everything in Hong Kong’s amortized over three years. Everything. Property’s the thing to own. You could make…” She laughed. “You could improve your fortune if you wanted to.”

“If I stay, where should I live?”

“Here in Mid Levels. Farther up the Peak you’re always very damp, the walls sweat and everything mildews.” She took off her headscarf and shook her hair free, then sat on the arm of a chair, looking at his back, waiting patiently.

“How long have you been here?” he asked.

“Five, almost six years. Since the block was built.”

He turned and leaned against the window. “It’s great,” he said. “And so are you.”

“Thank you, kind sir. Would you like coffee?”

“Please.” Line Bartlett ran his fingers through his hair, peering at an oil painting. “This a Quance?”

“Yes. Yes it is. Quillan gave it to me. Espresso?”

“Yes. Black, please. Wish I knew more about paintings…” He was going to add, Casey does, but he stopped himself and watched her open one of the doors. The kitchen was large, modern and very well equipped. “That’s like something out of House and Garden

“This was all Quillan’s idea. He loves food and loves cooking.

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