Page 111 of Weighed in the Balance (William Monk 7)

“After dinner we played games,” Zorah answered with a half smile.

“Games? Card games? Billiards? Charades?”

The judge was looking at Zorah, frowning.

Zorah’s mouth tightened. “No, Sir Oliver, rather more physical than that. I cannot recall every game, but I know we played blindman’s buff. We blindfolded each of the gentlemen in turn. We all fell over rather often and ended on couches or on the floor together.”

Harvester rose to his feet.

“Yes, yes,” the judge agreed. “The point of all this, Sir Oliver? Young people do play games which to some of us are of a bawdy and somewhat questionable nature.”

He was trying to rescue the situation, even to rescue Rathbone from himself, and he knew it.

For a moment Rathbone hesitated. Escape was still possible, and with it defeat, not only for Zorah but for the truth.

“There is a point, my lord,” he said quickly. “The rest of the evening, if you please, Countess Rostova.”

“We played hunt the thimble,” she went on obediently. “It was hidden in some extremely indiscreet places …”

“Did anyone object?”

“I don’t think so. Brigitte didn’t play, nor, I think, did Rolf. Brigitte was rather conspicuous by remaining sober. By about midnight or a little after we were playing horse races.”

“Horse races?” the judge inquired, nonplussed.

“The men were on hands and knees, my lord,” Zorah explained. “And the ladies rode astride them.”

“They raced in that manner?” The judge was surprised.

“Not to any effect, my lord,” she said. “That was not really the purpose. There was a great deal of laughter, perhaps a little hysterical by then. We fell over rather often.”

“I see.” The look of distaste on his face made it apparent that he did indeed see.

“And Princess Gisela joined in with this entertainment?” Rathbone persisted. “And Prince Friedrich?”

“Of course.”

“So Gisela was in high spirits? She was totally happy?”

Zorah frowned very slightly, as if thinking before she answered.

“I don’t think so.”

“But you have said she was involved in the … fun!” Rathbone protested.

“She was … she rode Florent … and fell off.”

There was an outburst from the gallery

, almost instantly choked off.

“Was Prince Friedrich annoyed or distressed by the attention that was paid to her?” Rathbone asked with dry lips.

“No,” Zorah replied. “He loved to see her the center of laughter and admiration. He had no jealousy over her, and if you are thinking he feared she might respond too willingly to anyone’s advances, you are mistaken. She never did. Never have I seen her respond unbecomingly to any other man, nor have I heard from anyone else that she did. They were always together, always speaking to each other. Often he would sit so close to her he would reach out and touch her hand.”

There was conspicuous movement in the gallery now.

The judge looked totally confused. Harvester was openly perplexed.