"To come straight to the point," he said slowly, smiling, but with a quiver in his voice; "to begin right in the middle—have you been in love lately, Miss Victoria?"
For a few seconds there was dead silence; all three could hear their hearts beating. Camilla put in timidly:
"Of course Victoria is in love with her fiancé. She is just engaged, don't you know that?"
The doors to the dining-room were thrown open.
Johannes found his place and was standing by it. The whole table heaved up and down before his eyes, he saw a crowd of people and heard a buzz of voices.
"Yes, that's right, that is your place," said the hostess kindly. "If only everybody would sit down."
"Excuse me!" said Victoria suddenly, just behind him.
He stepped aside.
She took his card and moved it several places down, seven places down, beside an old man who had once been tutor at the Castle and who was supposed to drink. She brought back another card and sat down.