He began again. "It must be tempting to use the power of such beauty, nonetheless, in a young girl with no experience, no maturity to fall back upon." He must not forget that Mrs. Waterson was certainly the wrong side of thirty-five.

"Of course," she agreed.

He waited expectantly, ignoring the young woman three or four yards away gazing at him with bright eyes full of laughter and invitation, obviously bored with her very correct and rather callow partner.

"Perhaps she did not succumb to the temptation?" he said sententiously.

"Oh, I'm afraid she did," Mrs. Waterson explained instantly, and with satisfaction. "One could not help but be aware that she was brought up to regard beauty as of the utmost importance, and therefore she would have been less than human not to have tested its power. And quite naturally it was greater than she expected—or was able to deal with gracefully." She waited to see Monk's reaction. Would he think unkindly of her if she seemed critical?

"How very understanding of you, Mrs. Waterson," he said, biting his tongue. "You speak with the sympathy of one who knows it at firsthand." He said it with a perfectly straight face. Without an ability to act one could not be a successful detective, and he had every intention of being successful.

"Well ..." She debated whether to be modest or not, and threw caution to the winds. The orchestra was playing with rhythm and gaiety. She had drunk several glasses of champagne, and all she usually indulged in was lemonade. There was laughter and color and movement all around her. Light from chandeliers glittered on jewels and hair and bare necks and arms. Mr. Waterson was very agreeable, but he had far too little imagination. He took things for granted. "In my younger days, before I was married, of course, I did have one or two adventures," she conceded. "Perhaps I was not always wise."

"No more than to make you interesting, I am sure," Monk said with a smile. "Was Miss Lambert as ... wise?"

She bridled a little. It was not becoming to appear uncharitable.

"Well... possibly not. She set more store by beauty than I ever did. I always considered good character to be of more lasting worth, and a certain intelligence to stand one in greater service."

"How right you are. And so it has." He accepted a dish of sweetmeats from a passing waiter and offered it to her.