“No, I didn’t actually, but he thinks I did. His father announced the engagement at dinner tonight, so I could hardly leap to my feet and make a scene in front of all those people, could I?”

Darcy was scowling now. “What on earth gave Siegfried the idea that you were going to marry him?”

“I suppose I gave him too much encouragement last night.”

“You encouraged him?”

“I had to find a way to keep him from going up to visit Marshal Pirin,” I said. “So I begged him to dance with me. Then he said something to me this evening, but Matty was talking at the same time and I didn’t quite hear what he said so I smiled and nodded.” I looked up at him hopelessly. “What am I going to do, Darcy? I have to get out of it without causing an international incident.”

“For now you’d better go along with it, I suppose,” Darcy said. “Don’t worry. We’ll sort it all out somehow. At least you don’t have to worry about Siegfried trying to slink into your bedroom at night. So what about the other matters? You say you’ve found out that the poison wasn’t intended for Pirin?”

I nodded and told him about the glass. His face was grave. “So it was intended for Nicholas. Have you mentioned this to anyone else?”

“To Nicholas himself. I thought he had a right to know and to be extra vigilant. I don’t know if he’s told anyone else. He might have told Matty for all I know.”

“That would have been a mistake. It may be all around the castle by now.”

“At least the poisoner is warned that we know the truth. He’ll hardly dare try it twice.”

“But he may try something else instead. It’s all too easy to dispose of a person in a place like this.”

“I know,” I said. “My maid has disappeared too. I’m so worried about her. I can’t think where she’s gone.”

“And you said the secret police attempted to plant evidence on you?”

“What appeared to be the vial of cyanide showed up in my trunk.”

“That idiot Patrascue, I suppose.” Darcy scowled again.

“You know about him?”

“Oh, yes. We’ve met before.”

“He was so angry that you’d managed to escape with the body. He was rather horrible, Darcy. He threatened me with prison.”

“What on earth would have made him suspect you? I know he’s not very bright, but—”

“I think he was just trying to frighten me into implicating Dragomir,” I said.

“That makes sense. It sounds like his modus operandi.”

“But I didn’t allow him to intimidate me. I think he was rather miffed.”

Darcy was staring into the firelight. “I wonder if he has anything to do with the disappearance of your maid, then. He’s taken her as a bargaining chip, maybe?”