Vorpal Blade by Colin Forbes

time.'
    As he was escorted to his table at the head of the room Straub first toured it, shaking the hand of each guest as nearly everyone stood up. The sole exception was Roman Arbogast, who simply twisted round in his chair to accept the hand clasp. Straub bent down, said something to him, Arbogast merely nodded. Then at long last he sat down, with Sophie on his right. He handed her a parcel he took from a bodyguard, a present wrapped in the Stars and Stripes.
    'Very subtle,' Newman said.
    'I couldn't agree more,' added Paula's companion on her left. She had been taken aback when she first saw the name card in front of the tall handsome man next to her. Black Jack Diamond. 'Should have been the Union Jack,' he continued, 'but what can you expect from an ignorant politician.'
    'Hear, hear,' called out Marienetta seated opposite, chuckling. 'I see Chicken Maryland is on the menu. Let's hope it's fresh, coming all that way.' She chuckled again, joined by Newman and Black Jack.
    'Won't have been in the fridge more than six months,' Black Jack responded. 'The Americans are very proud of their giant fridges. That's where they store politicians who have got beyond it - their version of Madame Tussaud's.'
    Newman was drinking wine and nearly choked when he heard Black Jack's comment. Paula was feeling embar rassed, penned between two such rednecks - as she described them to herself. Marienetta had sensed her reaction and when the man on her right apologized for slipping away, saying he felt unwell, she beckoned to Paula, tapping the empty chair beside her.
    They had finished two courses and in long intervals guests walked through between folded back doors into another room where there was dancing. The band was playing a quick foxtrot. Paula stood up to join Marienetta, and Black Jack stood up at the same moment, clasping her by the arm.
    'Please do me the honour,' he suggested. 'It would give me great pleasure to dance with such an attractive and clever woman.'
    Paula hesitated for a second. She was wearing a black knee-length dress and her shoulders were bare. Unfortu nately Marienetta was clad in a jet-black dress with full sleeves and a high collar. She decided she couldn't refuse but she had noticed Black Jack had consumed a great quantity of wine. As they stepped onto the dance floor he took hold of her, one hand on her bare shoulder, the other wrapped round her waist. He pulled her close to his body.
    As they moved round the dance floor she studied him. He had the figure of a male model, but his craggy face did not fit in with that impression. He had thick fair hair, long at the back, a well-shaped forehead, a prominent nose below oddly large eyes which seemed depthless. His lips were thick and she thought they could be cruel. His hand caressed her bare shoulder with growing enthusiasm. She smiled.
    'I hope you don't mind but I have sensitive skin and your hand is gripping it tightly.'
    He relaxed the hand immediately, moved his face close to hers. 'Later on I'll remember that, be gentle as a lamb.'
    'Later on?'
    'Thish place ish becoming a bore,' he replied, slurring his words slightly. 'There's a rear exit over there. Come and have a memorable evening with me at my little flat in Eaton Square.'
    'I don't think so. I like it here.'
    'Tell you a shecret. I've been offered ten thousand poundsh to knock out a man called Tweed. He'sh your boss. Right? You're some kind of a secretary to him.'
    'You could say that. What's this joke about knocking out Tweed?'
    'He'sh getting in the way of some important people. He won't be able to walk for three months when I've had a few wordsh with him. Be a pal, point him out to me when we go back into the beanfeasht.'
    Paula had drunk only one glass of wine and she was shaking inside. Her alert brain spun round. How to handle this crazy situation? Did he mean it? She saw the odd eyes gazing into hers, assessing her reaction.
    'I'll do what I can,' she said.
    Shortly afterwards they returned to