William Monk 09 - A Breach of Promise

were reflected on jewels and hair. The young men were all so dashing. Perhaps it was happiness which made everything seem so glamorous, but I don’t think so. I believe it was real. And Killian danced the wholeevening with Zillah. He barely spoke with anyone else at all. He sat a few dances out, but I swear I did not see him pay the slightest heed to any other lady, no matter how beautiful or how charming.” She gave a little shrug of her shoulders. “And there were many titled ladies there, and heiresses to considerable fortunes. On that particular occasion Lady—”
    Sacheverall held up his hand. “I am sure a great many people of note were there, Mrs. Lambert. What is important is that Mr. Melville paid very obvious court to your daughter, for everyone to see, and his intent could hardly be mistaken or misinterpreted. Now, madam, I must bring you to a far more painful area, for which I apologize. I most truly wish I could avoid it, but there is no way in which it is possible.”
    “I understand.” Delphine nodded, the light going from her face, her body seeming almost to shrink as she dismissed past happiness and faced the present icy disillusion. “Do what is necessary, Mr. Sacheverall.”
    “You have just told me how publicly and how obviously Mr. Melville courted your daughter. It must have been common knowledge among all your acquaintances, indeed in all society, that they were to be married?”
    “Of course.” She raised her beautiful eyebrows. “She did not hide her joy. What young girl does?”
    “Exactly.” Sacheverall took several paces to one side, then to the other. He moved elegantly, and he was aware of it. He stopped and faced her again. “When Mr. Melville suddenly, and for no reason that we may observe, broke off the engagement and refused to go through with the ceremony, what effect did this have upon Miss Lambert’s reputation, the way in which she is regarded by society, and her hopes for any future marriage?”
    “Of course it will ruin her!” The panic rose in Delphine’s voice. “How could it possibly do anything else? People will ask why, and when there is no answer, they will assume the worst. Everyone does, don’t they?”
    “Yes, Mrs. Lambert, I am afraid it is one of the less attractive characteristics of human nature,” Sacheverall said withardent sympathy. “Even when it is unjustified.” He smiled ruefully. “And beauty has its disadvantages in that it increases envy among those less fortunate.”
    Delphine looked on the verge of tears. “And she is innocent of everything!” she said desperately. “It is so unfair!” Her eyes swept across the jury and then back to Sacheverall. “How could he do this to her—to anyone? It is wicked beyond belief! I can hear them already, beginning to ask each other what can be wrong with her. What does he know about her that he is not saying?” She looked at him defiantly. “And there is nothing! Nothing at all! She is modest; clever enough, but not too clever; lovely but not too proud or self-obsessed; and as honorable as it is possible to be.” She gulped, and her voice dropped huskily. “And she was so in love with him. It is so wicked I just cannot imagine why he is doing it! You have to find out! You have to prove it is Killian Melville, not Zillah, who is evil and perverse.”
    “We shall do, Mrs. Lambert,” Sacheverall said gently. “We will prove to the court, and to society, that Miss Lambert has been wronged without cause. Her reputation shall be restored. It would be monstrous that she should have her entire future ruined because of one young man’s irresponsibility at best, dishonesty or immorality at worst. Will you be so good as to remain there in case Sir Oliver wishes to ask you anything? Thank you, Mrs. Lambert.” He turned to Rathbone invitingly.
    The expression of confidence in his face was sufficient warning. Rathbone knew he would get nothing from Delphine Lambert. Almost alone she had built the case. And she had done it without exaggeration. Such breaking of a betrothal after what seemed to everyone a natural love affair would suggest to even the well disposed that there was something profoundly wrong with Zillah Lambert but that Melville was too much of a gentleman to expose her.
    Rathbone rose to his feet. He dare not fail to speak to her. That would be an open admission of defeat.
    There was a rustle of anticipation in the room. The jurors were watching him.
    “We sympathize with you in