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Debra interpreted, found out exactly where they were situated, and Vane said swiftly, ‘We’ll both go.’ He gripped her arm fiercely and ushered her back towards the lift. His face was set now.

She had to trot to keep up with his long strides. ‘Do you often have difficulties like this?’ she asked, as they rode smoothly back down to the ground floor.

‘Too often for my liking,’ he growled. ‘You can see now why 1 need you, why you’re so desperately important to me.’

It made her feel good, strangely enough, this compliment by her employer, made her all the more determined to make a success of her job.

Mr Fu had not told them the exact nature of the trouble and neither of them knew what to expect. Debra thought it might be a similar mistake to the one at Yam Ling Kee, and she guessed this was on Vane’s mind too.

It came as a considerable surprise, therefore, when they reached the old building to find the entire workforce busy with mops and buckets.

The owner of the factory met them at the door. ‘We’ve had a flood,’ he said, throwing up his hands. ‘All your fine material is ruined!’

Talking through Debra, Vane asked, ‘How did it happen?’

A tap had been left on, the man admitted. ‘When we arrived this morning we found this. I am very sorry, very sorry indeed.’

Moving through into the workshop, they discovered that the water had leaked from an upper floor, completely ruining whole rolls of silk and partly finished garments.

Vane’s lean face was dark with anger. ‘You stupid, incompetent fool!’ he yelled. ‘Doesn’t anyone make a check before you lock up for the night?’

The Cantonese man looked guilty. ‘Not for such as that. It’s never happened before. I’m sure that we can soon catch up, if you let us have some more material.’

Vane’s eyes blazed when Debra translated. ‘Tell him he’s lost my business,’ he raged, ‘the whole bloody lot, and I shall want paying for the material he’s ruined through his damn stupid neglect!’

The owner pleaded for him to change his mind, but it was no use. In the mood Vane was in nothing anyone said would make any difference. Debra felt sorry for the little man, but agreed with her employer that the building should have been checked.

Storming outside a few minutes later, Vane was still in a filthy mood, and apart from several deep angry sighs he said nothing on the return trip.

Debra shut herself in her office and got busy with the sketches she had promised Vane. His mood just now had been frightening and she was glad she had not been on the receiving end.

Had the factory owner argued any longer she would not have been surprised had Vane resorted to blows, he had been so angry.

She could understand him, when the material was some of the most expensive and was being made into elegant evening gowns, but as before she felt a slight sympathy with the unfortunate man whose livelihood had been lost.

Her sketches finished, Debra was reluctant to take them in to Vane until he sent for her. Instead she asked Mr Fu if she could have a list of all the factories who worked for them. She spent the rest of the day putting them into some sort of order, with the intention of paying each one a courtesy visit as and when she had the time.

On the stroke of five Vane came into her office. ‘Are you ready?’ he asked tersely, and it was quite clear that his evil mood still lingered.

It did not augur well for their night out, thought Debra, gathering her bag and accompanying him from the room.

In his car he said, ‘Fu Ju Wen tells me you’ve asked for a list of the factories.’

‘That’s right,’ she said warily, feeling that he might be going to raise some objections, particularly as he himself had not instructed her. ‘Once I have my car I thought I’d call on them, check that everything’s going well, that they’re interpreting your designs correctly.’

He seemed to visibly relax, much to her relief. ‘Good girl, that’s exactly what we need. Mr Fu’s ordered your car, but delivery may take some days. The way things are at the moment I think you need to get on with it. Borrow my car tomorrow—no, I’ll come with you.’

Debra would have preferred to go alone. She did not relish the thought of whole hours spent together. ‘I’ve finished those designs,’ she said, thinking that perhaps he might want to sit and study those instead.

‘Good,’ he replied. ‘I’ll have a look at them some time—unless of course you take it into your head to tear them up again?’

His good humour was returning, and Debra smiled self-consciously. ‘I’ll try not to,’ she said demurely.

Back at the villa she was concerned to find Liz in bed. She looked pale and quite unlike her usual self. ‘Darling, what’s the matter?’

‘Nothing,’ said Liz hostilely. ‘Leave me alone.’

It became clear to Debra that Liz, left on her own all day, had been brooding over what had happened last night, had blown the incident up out of all proportion, and was now laying the blame on Debra’s shoulders.

But she said nothing of her suspicions. ‘I’ll get you some aspirin,’ she said. ‘Have you eaten? Can I get you something?’

‘I want to see Vane,’ said Liz petulantly. ‘Send him in to me.’

‘You can’t see him here,’ cried Debra, horrified, ‘if you need to talk to him so badly then get dressed and come into the drawing room. I won’t disturb you.’

But Liz was adamant. She wanted Vane and she wanted him here in her bedroom.

In the end Debra did not have to send for him. He came himself to see what the commotion was about, expressing concern when he saw Liz in bed.

Against her better judgment Debra left them alone, hoping that Vane would know how to handle the girl without causing her any more emotional upset.

She guessed that they would no longer be going to eat out and she did not bother to wash or change. She sat in the drawing room, pondering over what was going on along the corridor, whether Liz really was ill. It was so unusual for her to take to her bed.

When eventually Vane put in an appearance she looked at him expectantly.

‘Liz is settled now,' he said. ‘Poor child, she has a mild dose of Hong Kong tummy. She's been ill all day, but she wouldn’t let Lin Dai send for either of us.’

‘Oh, I must go to her.’ Debra was filled with remorse for even thinking that her friend might have been putting it on.

He shook his head. ‘She’s almost asleep. The doctor’s been in and left a sleeping tablet for tonight. I shouldn’t disturb her now, she’ll probably feel much better tomorrow.’

‘But why didn’t she tell me she was feeling ill?’ demanded Debra. ‘She said it was nothing. Why did she lie?’

‘Perhaps she didn’t want to spoil your night out,’ suggested Vane softly.

Debra was aghast. ‘You’re not suggesting that we still go, with Liz lying there? It’s unthinkable!’

‘She won’t even realise we’ve gone,’ he said, ‘once the drug’s taken effect. Go and get changed or it will be too late to go anywhere.’

‘I can’t,’ she protested in anguish.

Silver eyes glinted. ‘You can, even if I have to dress you myself and carry you out to the car.’

And he was quite capable of doing just that! Debra hurried to her room, calling in on Liz first, partially satisfied when she saw that she was indeed asleep.

She chose to wear a cream silk jersey dress that could almost have been one of Vane’s own designs. The close-fitting bodice was delicately embroidered and the skirt clung to her slim hips before falling in a swirl of knife-edged pleats.

She felt a different person, and it was all she could do to meet his eyes as she re-entered the room.

He held out his hands and twirled her round, inspecting her carefully. ‘Stunning! Perfection itself.’ His critical designer’s eye looked her up and down. ‘You’ve given me an idea. I shall design a range for the smaller woman, it’s a corner of the market I’ve not yet touched. Perhaps with an Oriental influence.’ He looked at the silk wallpaper with its Chinese figures, at the Coromandel screen with its herons in flight above beautiful foliage. ‘The Chinese have something. I shall call it my Hong Kong collection.’

His enthusiasm was infectious and Debra could not help agreeing. ‘It would be marvellous, Vane. I always have difficulty in finding dresses the right size. I even had to alter this one.’

‘You’ve certainly made a good job of it,’ he said admiringly. ‘I could stand here all night looking at you, but if we want to eat we’d best get moving.’

Their drive took them out of the city and across the island, past huge resettlement blocks with lines of washing hung over balconies, past hill cemeteries and squalid shacks, into the fishing town of Aberdeen with its incredible clutter of junks and sampans and stilt houses.

Gaudy neon lights blazed from the floating restaurants with their several piers and curving roofs, and Debra laughingly let Vane take her hand as he helped her into a waiting sampan.

A grinning Cantonese woman in wide black cotton trousers and a matching black jacket ferried them across to the Sea Palace, one of Aberdeen’s vast floating restaurants.

Light bulbs like pearl necklaces decked each pier, there was an air of festivity and cheerful vulgarity. Debra loved every moment of it and was glad they were alone, resolutely pushing Liz’s illness to the back of her mind, knowing that Vane would not have insisted on them going out if her friend had been really ill.

While they waited to be served they admired the view from the restaurant windows. Junks glided slowly past, motors chugging, patched sails spread on the night breeze.

‘I once heard that ninety-five per cent of Hong Kong’s population lives on the water,’ she remarked.

‘I can well believe it,’ he said. ‘It’s truly amazing. It’s like a complete town out there.’ The harbour was laden with junks and sampans strung with washing. It was a fascinating glimpse into how other people live.

‘They even have junks coming round selling their wares so that they need never leave their boats unless they want to,’ she continued. ‘It’s fascinating, don’t you think?’

‘Interesting,’ he demurred, ‘but their life style wouldn’t suit me.’

Conversation stopped when their meal was served. They ate Peking duck, the skin, the most prized part, cut into thin slices, dipped in chilli sauce and then wrapped in wafer-thin pancakes.

Their table was loaded with an endless variety of dishes—crabmeat and sweetcorn soup, fried prawns and sweet and sour sauce, and a host of other equally exciting foods.

Vane tried a little of everything, insisted that Debra do the same, and they finished with large glasses of jasmine tea with huge black tealeaves and the odd jasmine bud floating in it.

Revolving fans on the gilded ceiling kept them cool, young girls performed dances with long, whirling scarves, and then it was all over and they were driving along the coast, despite Debra’s insistence that she wanted to go home and check on Liz.

Vane stopped at Repulse Bay, one of the most picturesque beaches on the island. A crescent of pale sand was backed by hills covered in green shrub, tall white hotel blocks that had not been there the last time Debra was in Hong Kong.

‘I used to swim here when I was a little girl,’ she said.

‘We can swim now if you like,’ he laughed, preparing to take off his jacket.

Debra put out a hand to stop him. ‘One of these days,’ she said, ‘when I’m prepared for it.’

He caught her hand, pulling her against him. She felt the rapid stirrings of his heart, and her own echoed in response.

It was a magical moment with a full moon overhead, the special tang of the Orient teasing their nostrils, and the gentle whisper of the sea curling across the pale sand.

She had the feeling that if she was not careful she would be getting more than she had bargained for. ‘It’s a beautiful night,’ she said lightly, attempting to twist away.

Guessing her intentions, he tightened his grip, both arms snaked behind her back and she was imprisoned.

‘What are you playing at?’ she enquired tremulously, almost as frightened of the feelings that were surging through her as she was of the man himself.

It was ridiculous that she should so easily weaken, especially after last night. She ought to be fighting him, declaring her hatred—instead of which her legs trembled and her heart raced as though she had been running.

‘My reward for taking you out,’ he mocked. ‘Don’t say you didn’t expect anything like this.’

He spoke blithely, but she suspected he was serious, and she guessed that this was his normal pattern of behaviour after taking a girl out. He had probably treated Liz in the same manner! An appalling thought, because how would the poor girl be able to refuse?

‘No, I did not,’ she said tightly. ‘Take me home now, I must see how Liz is.’

‘Scared?’ he taunted. ‘Don’t you think any good of me at all?’

She wanted to say no. She wanted to shout it at the top of her voice, but something stopped her. Instead she said, ‘I don’t think anything. I don’t know what to think. I’ve never met anyone quite like you before.’

‘I know you haven’t,’ he said. ‘It sticks out a mile. You think I’m playing around with Liz, you hate me for it, yet you can’t help feeling a little attracted towards me yourself.’

Again Debra tried to tug free. ‘Of all the conceited, arrogant pigs!’ she cried. ‘I’m no more attracted to you than ’

‘You’re missing all the fun,’ he cut in. ‘Why hold yourself back when there’s a whole new exciting sexy world waiting to be explored?’

‘You mean you’d like to make love to me,’ exploded Debra furiously.

He nodded, suddenly serious. ‘Yes, I would— you’re the most fascinating woman I’ve met in a long time. But I haven’t got that in mind right now.’

Debra shook her head angrily. ‘You said you were after your reward. Why else did you stop here? We could have gone straight back to the villa if your intentions were as honourable as you claim.’

‘We could have done,’ he said softly, ‘but it seemed a pity to waste such a beautiful night, and Repulse Bay is one of the nicest spots on the island.’

She could not dispute this, and seen by moonlight it was doubly attractive, but she did not trust this man, she did not trust herself, and it was for this reason she continued her battle. ‘It is beautiful,’ she agreed, ‘but now we’ve seen it can we go?’