THE TEMPTATION OF TAI-PAN Christopher Welsh Will knuckled his back as he stood, grimacing as his spine popped loudly.       He wiped sweat from his forehead with the back of a grimy hand, adding to the greasy streaks already there. With a determined grimace, he reached out and grasped the generator's pull string and gave it a firm tug. Nothing. Blowing a sigh, he pulled off his dripping shirt, cracked his knuckles, and tried a few more times before giving up.       Snatching a well-worn manual from its perch on top of the generator, Will threw himself back into a torn and sprung recliner and started to flip through the book. After a few moments, he realized he wasn't reading the pages, just turning them hopelessly. With a toss, he replaced the useless manual and threw a leg over the recliner's remaining arm, turning to stare out a broken window at the setting sun. He was quickly lost in a haze of confused thoughts and feelings.       "You should let Peter do that, or Jennifer."       Will looked up, shaken from his privacy by the silky voice behind him. He stood to see Amy in the open doorway leading back into the house. Back to where his exhausted wife and newborn son lie sleeping, recovering from the ordeal of childbirth. He moved back a step to lean against a counter. If Amy noticed that he kept the chair in between them, she showed no sign.