And so it proved. One of Mrs. Halim’s guests, a grey-haired, stately woman whose name he had forgotten, leaned a little forward and said to him in a low voice: ‘Since you are here, Mr. Savast, you must satisfy our curiosity on a very particular point.’
‘I shall do my best to oblige,’ Konrad murmured.
‘Your ball, last night!’ she gushed. ‘Wonderful evening. Especially for the young people. It was immensely enjoyed by all; I hear of it everywhere.’
That made Konrad feel a little more uncomfortable. She had been at his ball, and he could not remember her name? How shocking of him. He really ought to make more of an effort.
‘Now,’ she said, lowering her voice still further — for no apparent reason, since she must be overheard; perhaps to heighten the sense of drama. ‘I have heard it said t
