Jack Higgins: Midnight Never Comes

'What grade?'

'Black belt, fifth dan. '

'This means nothing unless gained under the tutelage of a Japanese master.'

'It was. Yamakura.'

Yuan Tao's eyes widened with respect. 'A master indeed.' He smiled. 'I have a feeling we shall accomplish much, my dear Paul. But now we must eat. It is necessary to put flesh back upon your bones again.'

They left the bathroom and he led the way along a narrow corridor into the living-room at the far end. It was superbly furnished, a mixture of Chinese and European that was strangely attractive.

Su-yin was sitting by the fire and rose to greet them. She was wearing another cheongsam in green silk this time, embroidered with red poppies. Two discreet vents at each side of the skirt gave a glimpse of slender legs as she moved to meet them.

'I have news for you, my child,' Yuan Tao said. 'Mr. Chavasse will be staying with us for a while. I trust this will be convenient?'

'But of course, uncle.' She bowed her head slightly. 'And now I will bring the supper.'

She moved to the door, opened it and glanced back quickly over her shoulder at Chavasse and for the first time since he had known her, she was smiling.

Chavasse came awake easily from a deep dreamless sleep, aware at once of pale evening sunlight filtering in through the curtained window. He was alone and he turned to touch the pillow beside him for a moment before throwing back the single sheet which covered him. He padded across to the window and looked out through half-drawn curtains to the green vista of Hyde Park on the other side of Knightsbridge.

It was a beautiful evening, a slight breeze stirring the branches of the trees, sunlight glinting on the waters of the Serpentine in the distance and he turned and moved across to the wardrobe feeling calm and relaxed, alive and whole again.

His eyes sparkled, his head was clear and the slight ache in the pit of his stomach had one cause only-honest hunger. He stood in front of the dressing-table mirror and examined himself in the same slightly incredulous manner that had become something of a habit with him during the past three months. He looked younger, fitter in every way. The angry weal of the knife scar had faded into a thin white line and there was flesh on his bones again.

He could hear the sound of running water from the bathroom and when he opened the door, Su-yin was standing in the glass shower stall, her face turned up in ecstasy, hot water cascading over her shoulders and breasts, steam curling from the warm flesh.

She turned with a gay smile, gasping for breath. 'So you're awake at last.'

'No thanks to you. Why didn't you give me a shake?'

'You looked so peaceful, just like a baby.'

He grinned. 'Want me to scrub your back?'

'Not likely, you've caught me that way before and I'm supposed to be at the restaurant by nine o'clock.'

'But I thought we were having dinner together?'

She shook her head. 'Not tonight, Paul. Don't forget I have a business to run.' She smiled and dismissed him with a wave of one graceful hand. 'I shan't be long. Go and do one of your exercises or something.'

He closed the door and went back into his bedroom. It was cool and rather pleasant with the faint evening sunlight falling across the Indian carpet, bringing the colours vividly to life and the traffic outside sounded muted and unreal as if it was coming from another world.

He could almost hear the silence and stood there for a moment, relaxing completely, remembering the lines of the ancient Taoist verse that Yuan Tao had constantly repeated to him.

'In motion, be like water

At rest, like a mirror

Respond, like the echo

Be subtle as though non-existent.'

The ability to relax completely-this was the most important gift of all, a faculty retained by all other animals except Man. And cultivated, it could be the well-spring of a power that at times could be positively superhuman, for out of the quiet places, created by rigorous discipline and a system of training more than a thousand years old, sprang that intrinsic energy which the Chinese had named ch'i. The life force which in repose gave a man the pliability of a child and in action the explosive power of a tiger.

He sat down on the floor, relaxing completely, breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth slowly. He closed his eyes and covered his right ear with his left hand. He varied this after five minutes by covering his left ear with his right hand and after a further five minutes, covered both ears, arms crossed.

The darkness enfolded him like velvet and when he finally opened his eyes and straightened, his mouth was sharply cool, the tongue rigid. He took a long shuddering breath and stared into the shaft of sunlight from the window without blinking. When he got to his feet and walked to the wardrobe, his limbs seemed to be filled with power.

If he had gone to Mallory or anyone else and had spoken of this three months ago after his first meeting with Yuan Tao, they would have smiled pityingly. And yet the result was visible for all to see. A hand that no longer trembled, a clear eye and the kind of strength he would never have believed possible.

He took out an old tracksuit and as he pulled it on, Su-yin came in from the bathroom. She wore slacks and a Spanish shirt in vivid orange tied at the waist. Her dark hair swung loosely to her shoulders, framing the calm, beautiful face.

'You look pleased with yourself,' she said. 'Any special reason?'

He grinned. 'I've spent the afternoon in bed with a supremely beautiful woman and I still feel like Samson. That's reason enough.'

She started to laugh helplessly. 'Oh, Paul, you're quite hopeless. Ring for a taxi, will you? I'm going to be late.'

He phoned the porter quickly, replaced the receiver and moved towards her. 'You're not going until you agree to have dinner with me later. They can't need you all night. We could eat late and catch the midnight show at Twenty-one.'

He pulled her close and she sighed. 'It's quite impossible, I assure you.'

'Then I shan't let you go.'

He swung her up into his arms and carried her across to the bed. There was a brief struggle, punctuated by laughter and then his mouth found hers and they kissed.

She drew away with a sigh and looked up at him as he leaned over her. 'You're so different, so very different. Are you happy, Paul?'

'In spades. Thanks to Yuan Tao and you.'

'You have missed him since he returned to Hong Kong?'

'A great deal.'

'And would you miss me as much?'

He stopped smiling and sat up at once, frowning slightly. 'What is it? What's happened?'

'I'm going home, Paul,' she said simply.

'To Hong Kong?'

'That's right. I had a letter from my uncle this morning. My sister and her husband are opening a night club on Repulse Bay. They need me to help things get started.'

'What about the Red Dragon?'

She shrugged. 'It can continue quite adequately under management. I came to England for the experience, Paul, nothing more.'

'And what about me?'

'What are you trying to say? That you are in love with me?'

Chavasse hesitated, staring down at her and she shook her head. 'No, Paul, we've had a lot of fun together, but now it's time for me to go home.'

He took one of her hands and held it tight. 'It's going to take a little getting used to.'

She stood up. 'It'll take me two or three weeks to arrange things. This isn't the end.'

But she was wrong, they were both conscious of that as they went down in the lift and from now on, every meeting, every kiss would be coloured by the fact of her going.

They passed the porter at his desk and moved out through the swing doors. The taxi was waiting at the kerbside and Su-yin paused on top of the steps, a hand on his sleeve.