Joachim studied the hand for a moment, and the fingers not occupied with holding the cane in place lifted to touch his brow. He felt out of sorts suddenly, as though a headache were about to grip him, and he rubbed his forehead distractedly before remembering his manners. A large dark hand closed around the smaller pale one.
"Mr. Alderdice." The strange feeling intensified as the handshake came and went, and the major returned to rubbing a spot over his left eye when it was concluded. Perhaps the lack of sleep was catching up to him? "I am Joachim Zahavi. Pleased to..."
A brief vertigo made the room tilt, and when it was over Joachim finished the sentence as if nothing had occurred. "...meet you." He looked down into his cup as if a solution for the peculiar sensation might reside there, but it was only an empty cup. He could still taste the punch.
He shook of the remnants of whatever had happened, then regarded the younger man again. "Will you cease your staring?" he said in a clipped voice, noticing that the brunette in the red dress still had most of Mr. Alderdice's attention. "She'll think you're soft-headed, you fool."