Jade Island by Elizabeth Lowell

stubborn sisters made him crazy, yet he wouldn’t have traded any of it for peace and quiet. At least not on a permanent basis.
    Once in a while, though, he wanted distance. After the fiasco in Kaliningrad with the stolen amber, he had needed a lot of space to lick his wounds and think about all the stupid things he shouldn’t have done and would never do again if he could help it. When thinking got too painful, he stepped aboard the Tomorrow, cast off, and went fishing, letting the hours and days slide away.
    “Does your family live here?” Lianne asked.
    “Some of them, some of the time. Mostly we’re scattered all over the planet. Comes of running an international import-export business.”
    “Donovan International.”
    “In my case, Donovan Gems and Minerals,” Kyle said. “The four brothers got together and went into business for ourselves. We’re an independent affiliate of Dad’s company.”
    “But still very close to him,” she said.
    “No help for it. The Donovan is as hard to get rid of as cat hair.”
    “The Donovan?”
    “That’s what we call Dad. Among other things.”
    Lianne frowned. “Don’t you get along?”
    “Sure. Usually at the top of our voices. Then Susa—that’s our mother—spreads balm and cracks heads until peace is restored.”
    Lianne tried to imagine what it would be like to be part of a noisy, affectionate family. It was impossible. Her memories of childhood were quiet, almost adult in their tranquility. Her mother had worked very hard to make her home an oasis of peace for her paramour. Not that Liannehad been neglected. She hadn’t. She and her mother were quite close, more like lifelong friends than parent and child.
    Slowly Lianne followed Kyle to another display case. This one held a variety of Western Zhou jade objects. The stone was very fine-textured, almost glassy in its finish. All but one piece featured bird or dragon designs on the translucent green surface. All glowed with the subtle inner light that only fine jade had.
    “It must be wonderful, having a big family like that,” Lianne said.
    “It has its moments.” Kyle’s flashing smile said more than his words. “I think we’ve all prayed to be an only child at one time or another. What do you think of these?”
    Reluctantly she looked away from Kyle’s burnished blond hair and infectious smile to the jades. “If these are any example, I think SunCo has a fine collection of Western Zhou jades. The designs are very cleanly executed. Do you know why that era preferred birds and dragons for its motifs?”
    Kyle shook his head. “I’ve had enough trouble learning the rudiments of Neolithic or ‘cultural’ jades. I haven’t had time to appreciate the rest of the jade eras.”
    “Birds were a symbol of gentleness, and dragons of moderation.”
    His dark blond eyebrows lifted. “Moderation? Dragons? ”
    “The Chinese saw dragons differently than the Celts. The Celts saw violence and danger, death and the opportunity for man to test himself against sheer brute strength. The Chinese see dragons as immortal, patient, wise, and infinitely subtle.”
    “Sounds dangerous to me. Especially the subtlety. The Christian devil is immortal, reasonably patient, and as subtle as the ten thousand gradations of sin.”
    “But not moderate?” Lianne asked, smiling slightly.
    “Nope. Are you going to bid on any of these?”
    “At the moment, none of my collectors have a request in for Western Zhou jades.”
    “Who wants the Neolithic blade?”
    “It would be unethical for me to discuss clients with you.”
    “Why?” Kyle asked easily. “I’m a stuffed elephant, not a client or a competitor.”
    “You’re a stuffed elephant with a passion for Neolithic jade,” she retorted.
    “Right now, I’m a relieved stuffed elephant.”
    “Relieved? Why?”
    “When you said your interest in the blade was personal, I was afraid you would be mad if I bid against you and won. But now that I know you have a client