Chapter 7

In the morning, Helen made an appointment with a doctor the hotel recommended. Then she called Schellen, agreeing to meet at eleven. She dialed again.

"Rummy, he bit."

"When?"

"Got a voice mail last night. I meet him at eleven."

"Need me?"

"I don't think so. It's Friday, why don't you go home to Doris? I'll probably get a deal, and so I'll come to London tomorrow."

"Why not tonight? We could go together."

"Got a date."

"Okay, call me one way or another. I'll be home by, oh, say five."

She dressed carefully, knowing that the meeting would depend, to some degree, on one form or another of the 'subtlety' Hans Schellen had referred to.

'He's not after my body, ' she mused. 'But he wants to be able to see me as a woman, despite the fact that he knows I've been setting this deal up more professionally than any man he knows'

She chose a snug, ankle-length skirt, slit above the knee on both sides, with a matching, double-breasted suit jacket. Her blouse was again white silk, but where yesterday's had been tight and tailored, this one wrapped around her waist. With the jacket on and buttoned, she appeared to have no blouse on at all, although edges of it could be made to appear at will. Before the mirror, she paused briefly to move her shoulders and be certain exactly how much exposure resulted from each movement. Her suit jacket in place, she looked like a very attractive, very dangerous woman.

Schellen greeted her in the foyer, his eyes widening as he took in her stunning appearance. He, too, had dressed for a certain effect, and wore a double-breasted, navy wool jacket with silver buttons and grey trousers, all exquisitely tailored in the style made popular by European nobility. 'But I've got him out-gunned and out-maneuvered, ' she thought. He walked beside her to his office.

When they had settled in place at the coffee table, Helen accepted the offer of coffee and spent the requisite few minutes in idle chatter. Schellen's eyes took in her ensemble, not ignoring the narrow expanse of her chest he was allowed to see. Before long, Helen waved off the pleasantries and came to the point.

"M Schellen, your voice mail last night said you are willing to 'look more closely' at our alternate proposal. Yesterday I gave you and your staff a detailed analysis of that proposal, and since then I am sure you have gone over it quite carefully. I assume that today you are prepared to accept that proposal as submitted. Am I correct, or are there additional details you want to discuss?"