"Yes, but let's hope th--" The signal gun at the Harbor Master's cut him off.
Astonished, both men glanced seawards for no ship was expected or overdue. Movement on the crowded High Street stopped and then a murmur of excitement went through Yokohama. Rounding the distant headland was a clipper, all sails set and the bit between her teeth. They saw puffs of smoke from her cannonade salute to the flagship, then heard the following boom and the flagship's answer.
Too far distant to see her flag. "She's one of ours," the guard said proudly. "Has to be, like in the old days... oh, evening, sir."
Jamie McFay came out of the door fast and focused his binoculars. "Hello, Andr`e, just want to make sure... Prancing Cloud!
Hallelujah!" The implications would be clear to everyone. She had been scheduled to sail on to London. Returning here, and so quickly, meant she carried urgent news--or passengers. Good or bad.
"Hallelujah," Andr`e echoed. He saw Seratard with a telescope on the steps of the French Legation, Sir William at his window with binoculars, and next door, Dmitri stood at Brock's entrance, a short telescope to his eye. As Dmitri lowered it he noticed Jamie, hesitated, then gave him a thumbs-up. Jamie waved back then refocused. The clipper was beautiful charging for her moorings.
Andr`e said softly, "Perhaps she's aboard?"
"I had the same thought. We'll soon find out."
"Signal her."
"By the time I get the Harbor Master to put up the flags the light will have gone. Anyway it's not up to me now, that's Mr. MacStruan's decision." Jamie looked at him. "We'll know soon enough. You're seeing Angelique?"
"Yes."
"No need to worry her, until we know.
Eh?"
"I agree, mon brave." Andr`e looked back at the clipper. "You'll meet her?"
"The ship?" The same hard smile. "Wouldn't you?"
They went into the foyer together. Coming down the staircase was Albert MacStruan, half dressed in evening clothes, tie undone but elegant. "Prancing Cloud?"
"Yes," Jamie said.
"Thought so." The strange eyes narrowed.
"'evening, Andr`e. How are you?" MacStruan said.
"Fine, thank you. See you later."
Jamie waited until Andr`e had knocked and gone into the tai-pan's office that was now MacStruan's. "You'll meet her?"
"Oh yes." MacStruan walked down the last step but now the bounce gone from his stride.
"Please join me."
"Thanks, but that's your privilege now.
I've sent Vargas for the Bosun, the launch will be ready in five minutes."
MacStruan said kindly, "Come aboard with me, meet the ship like you used to, should still be doing."
"No, time to move on, it's all yours now.
But thanks."
"I hear Zergeyev's banquet tonight will be grand as Angelique's accepted. Change your mind, join the party."
"Can't, not tonight, I'm still not finished packing."
Jamie smiled at him, then motioned down the corridor. "Angelique cleared using your office with you?"
"Oh yes, glad to oblige, and better than having visitors upstairs in her suite, especially him. Can't say I like him."
"Andr`e's all right, his music is the best, certainly the best we have here. Hope Prancing Cloud's news is good."
"Me too. But I doubt it. Do you think Tess is aboard?"
"The thought had occurred to me." Jamie grinned, no longer her servant. "It would explain Cloud's changed schedule. That's what Dirk would have done."
"She's not Dirk, she's much more cunning-- more's the pity, my dear fellow." There was no love lost between the stepbrothers and Tess Struan, but a codicil in Dirk's will had laid down that should the two boys prove themselves in schools and scholarship, they were to be used in the Noble House the limit of their ability.
Both were smart, their connections with highly placed Etonian and university friends scattered throughout the gentry, the City and in Parliament where his stepbrother, Frederick, had just won a seat, made them even more valuable. Even so both knew Tess Struan would dismiss them, but for the codicil. "Hope she hasn't come a-visiting --that's a boring thought."
McFay laughed. "We'll just batten down the hatches."
"Hello Andr`e."
"'evening, Angelique."
She was in her favorite chair near the bay window, the curtains open to the harbor.
"Prancing Cloud?"
"Yes."
"Good. Is she aboard?"
Andr`e smiled crookedly. "It would explain the clipper."
"It doesn't matter either way," she said evenly but her stomach was twisting. "Would you like a drink?"
"Thanks." He saw the bottle of champagne opened in its bucket of ice and a half-full glass on the table. "May I?"
"Please."
It was becoming her custom to watch the sun go down, or the gloaming and the night arrive, with champagne. Just one glass to prepare for the long evening and then the long night. Her sleep pattern had changed. She no longer put her head on the pillow and drifted off to wake at dawn. Now sleep eluded her. At first she had been frightened but Babcott had convinced her that fear only made insomnia worse, "We don't need eight or ten hours so don't worry. Use the time to your profit. Write letters or your journal and think good thoughts--and don't worry..."