“You passed through Herrovosca yesterday.” He pronounced the H hard, almost like a K. “Did you, by any chance, learn of the events that were passing in the Cathedral Square?”
“We were there,” I said.
“Ah. And you recognised the new Queen?”
“No,” I said.
“No?” he crowded a good deal of disbelief into that word. “Ah,” he continued, “but per’aps you do not see this one-time American lady often?”
“No,” I said again.
“So. And per’aps she does not confide in you by letter?”
“I haven’t had a letter from her in a year,” I said.
“No? Then ’ow did you come so exactly to Herrovosca when you could be useful?”
“We started on a casual, friendly trip, and wrote to her that we were coming,” I said. “We had no idea that anything was about to happen, and unless you are accusing Countess von Waldek of participating in the assassination of King Bela I don’t see how you can imagine she knew.”