"Yes, the new embassy building is hideous, n'est-ce pas?" says the man with the French accent. "All this trendy architecture - the concrete, the metal, the ugly spikes. NΓ©anmoins, it is my duty as the ambassador to sit there every day and uphold the virtues of French architecture. Fortunately, from my office building I can only see the garden - so I must be very original, someone who is glad to be in a building just so he won't have to see it."
The other dinner guests titter politely. Then the beautiful woman sitting next to the ambassador - the hostess - turns and says: "Actually, you aren't being that original, I'm afraid, Ambassador. Isn't that similar to what Guy de Maupassant said about the Eiffel Tower? Je dΓ©teste la Tour Eiffel. J'y vais manger tous les jours, comme Γ§a, je ne la vois pas."
The ambassador stares for a second, surprised, then laughs. The woman takes a look at the man sitting across the table, who nods with a slight smile, in approval, as the ambassador leans forward and engages her in conversation in French, glimpsing briefly at her dΓ©colletage.
***
The hosts stand next to the door as the dinner guests file by. As the woman kisses a blonde socialite goodbye, a male guests shakes the host's hand, moves closer, and says cheerfully: "Congratulations, old chap. She's far too good for the likes of you."
The man smiles, taking a quick side look at his partner, who is being held for a few seconds too long by an elderly MP. "Oh, I'm well aware of that."
After most of the guests have left, the man grabs the woman and squeezes her bottom through the thin eau-de-Nil shift she is wearing.
"Did I do well?" asks the woman, slightly breathlessly, as she starts to be caught in her own arousal. "Did it go well?"
"Well? My dear, you just got us the contract with that look you threw at Williamson. And I think it's fair to say that we will be hearing from the French people soon, too."
The woman smiles radiantly, delighted like a little girl who is elated to be praised.
"I told some friends to stay for a whil" whispers the man, caressing her side and making her shudder. "Could you bring us some coffee up to the library, please? Five cups."
The woman smiles in pleasure and hurries to the kitchen, followed by his fond look.
When the coffee is ready, she carefully sets the cups and cutlery, the hot coffee in its pot, the milk jug, the sugar, the napkins, on a tray and carries them upstairs. She walks up to the library door, knocks, and enters.
The men are sitting around the room, chatting, and stand up as she comes in, helping her to place the tray on the desk. She pours the coffee for each of them, who thank her politely. Then her handler walks up to the door, closes it behind her, moves up to her, and the real meeting starts.
"Deep sleep now, anna."
***
"Can she hear us?"
"Of course she can hear us. She's hypnotised, not asleep."
"That's amazing."