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He turned to ask me； and told Yorkshire at the same time。 'No one yet has invented anything you've found actually unbearable； have they； Sid？'
I didn't answer。
Yorkshire protested； 'But he's only …'
'Don't say only；' Ellis interrupted； his voice hard and loud。 'Don't you understand it yet？ What do you think he's doing here？ How did he get here？ What does he know？ He's not going to tell you。 His nickname's tungsten carbide…that's the hardest of all metals and it saws through steel。 I know him。 I've almost loved him。 You have no idea what you're dealing with； and we've got to decide what to do with him。 How many people know he's here？'
'My bodyguards；' Yorkshire said。 'They brought him up。'
It was Lord Tilepit who gave him the real bad news。 'It was a TV crew who told Owen that Sid Halley was in the building。'
'A TV crew！'
'They wanted to interview him。 Mrs Dove said she would tell them he'd gone。'
'Mrs Dove！'
If Ellis had met Mrs Dove he would know； as I did； that she wouldn't lie for Yorkshire。 Mrs Dove had seen me； and she would say so。
Ellis asked furiously； 'Did Mrs Dove see him tied in that chair？'
'Yes；' Tilepit said faintly。
'You stupid 。 。 。' Words failed Ellis； but for only a few short seconds。 'Then；' he said flatly； 'you can't kill him here。'
'Kill him？' Tilepit couldn't believe what he'd heard。 His whole large face blushed pink。 'I'm not 。。。 are you talking about murder？'
'Oh yes； my lord；' I said dryly； 'they are。 They're thinking of putting your lordship behind bars as an accessory。 You'll love it in the slammer。'
I'd meant only to get Tilepit to see the enormity of what Ellis was proposing； but in doing so I'd made the mistake of unleashing Yorkshire's rage。
He took two paces and kicked my unscrewed hand with such force that it flew across the room and crashed against the wall。 Then he realised the wrench was still in his hand and swung it at my head。
I saw the blow ing but couldn't get my head back far enough to avoid it altogether。 The wrench's heavy screw connected with my moving cheekbone and tore the skin； but didn't this time knock me silly。
In Owen Yorkshire； the half…slipping brakes came wholly off。 Perhaps the very sight of me； left…handless and bleeding and unable to retaliate； was all it took。 He raised his arm and the wrench again； and I saw the spite in his face and the implacably murderous intention and I thought of nothing much at all； which afterwards seemed odd。
It was Ellis who stopped him。 Ellis caught the descending arm and yanked Owen Yorkshire round sideways； so that although the heavy weapon swept on downwards； it missed me altogether。
'You're brainless；' Ellis shouted。 'I said not in here。 You're a raving lunatic。 Too many people know he came here。 Do you want to splatter his blood and brains all over your new carpet？ You might as well go and shout from the rooftops。 Get a grip on that frigging temper and find a tissue。'
'A what？'
'Something to stop him bleeding。 Are you terminally insane？ When he doesn't turn up wherever he's expected； you're going to get the police in here looking for him。 TV crew！ Mrs Dove！ The whole frigging county！ You get one drop of his blood on anything in here； you're looking at twenty…five years。'
Yorkshire； bewildered by Ellis's attack and turning sullen； said there weren't any tissues。 Verney Tilepit tentatively produced a handkerchief； white； clean and embroidered with a coronet。 Ellis snatched it from him and slapped it on my cheek； and I wondered if ever； in any circumstances； I could； to save myself； deliberately kill him； and didn't think so。
Ellis took the handkerchief away briefly； looked at the scarlet staining the white； and put it back； pressing。
Yorkshire strode about； waving the wrench as if jerked by strings。 Tilepit looked extremely unhappy。 I considered my probable future with gloom and Ellis； taking the handkerchief away again and watching my cheek critically； declared that the worst of the bleeding had stopped。
He gave the handkerchief back to Tilepit； who put it squeamishly in his pocket； and he snatched the wrench away from Yorkshire and told him to cool down and plan。
Planning took them both out of the office； the door closing behind them。 Verney Tilepit didn't in the least appreciate being left alone with me and went to look out of the window； to look anywhere except at me。
'Untie me；' I said with force。
No chance。 He didn't even show he'd heard。
I asked； 'How did you get yourself into this mess？'
No answer。
I tried again。 I said； 'If I walk out of here free； I'll forget I ever saw you。'
He turned round； but he had his back to the light and I couldn't see his eyes clearly behind the spectacles。
'You really are in deep trouble；' I said。
'Nothing will happen。'
I wished I believed him。 I said； 'It must have seemed pretty harmless to you； just to use your paper to ridicule someone week after week。 What did Yorkshire tell you？ To save Ellis at all costs。 Well； it is going to cost you。'
'You don't understand。 Ellis is blameless。'
'I understand that you're up to your noble neck in shit。'
'I can't do anything。' He was worried； unhappy and congenitally helpless。
'Untie me；' I said again； with urgency。
'It wouldn't help。 I couldn't get you out。'
'Untie me；' I said。 'I'll do the rest。'
He dithered。 If he had been capable of reasoned decisions he wouldn't have let himself be used by Yorkshire； but he wasn't the first or last rich man to stumble blindly into a quagmire。 He couldn't make up his mind to attempt saving himself by letting me free and； inevitably； the opportunity passed。
Ellis and Yorkshire came back； and neither of them would meet my eyes。
Bad sign。
Ellis； looking at his watch； said；'We wait。'
'What for？' Tilepit asked uncertainly。
Yorkshire answered； to Ellis's irritation； 'The TV people are on the point of leaving。 Everyone will be gone in fifteen minutes。'
Tilepit looked at me； his anxieties showing plainly。 'Let Halley go；' he begged。
Ellis said fortingly； 'Sure； in a while。'
Yorkshire smiled。 His anger was preferable； on the whole。
Verney Tilepit wanted desperately to be reassured； but even he could see that if freeing me was the intention； why did we have to wait。
Ellis still held the wrench。 He wouldn't get it wrong； I thought。 He wouldn't spill my blood。 I would probably not know much about it。 I might not consciously learn the reciprocal answer to my self…searching question： could he personally kill me； to save himself？ How deep did friendship go？ Did it ever have absolute taboos？ Had I already； by accusing him of evil； melted his innermost restraints？ He wanted to get even。 He would wound me any way he could。 But kill 。。。 I didn't know。
He walked round behind me。
Time； in a way； stood still。 It was a moment in which to plead； but I couldn't。 The decision； whatever I said； would be his。
He came eventually round to my right…hand side and murmured； 'Tungsten；' under his breath。
Water； I thought； I had water in my veins。
He reached down suddenly and clamped his hand round my right wrist； pulling fiercely upwar