Craig had opened the communicating door on his side quite easily without invoking the aid of a servant.
There were few doors that stayed locked to him after the years in which he had undertaken missions for the Marquis – and silently, with hardly a creak, the door had surrendered to his expert hands.
Once it was open he could hear quite clearly everything that was said in the next room.
He knew only a smattering of Russian, finding it a very difficult language, but he had learnt enough to know that the maid with what he thought was an impertinent presumption was asking the Countess questions about the evening and she was answering in monosyllables.
Only when she presumably was undressed and ready for bed had the maid left her, saying goodnight and closing the outer door noisily behind
