He smiled at her as if she was being childish.
She walked ahead of him out of the sitting room and up the stairs.
Both of them knew that it would be a grave mistake to speak. Voices carried and it would be a disaster if one of the servants came to investigate who was moving about in the house.
Zela led the way into the Comtesse’s bedroom and she was aware that the Marquis knew where it was.
But she did not want to think about that.
There were two oil lamps left burning by the bed for the Comtesse when she returned.
Also there was a little gold candelabrum with three candles on the dressing table.
Zela saw that the Marquis was now looking round the room with rather a perplexed expression on his face.
Having closed the door gently so that they could not be overheard, she said,
“You
