been there. He wondered if it had been Hester's idea, then dismissed the thought forcibly. The rest of the room was filled with her suggestions. Why not this, and what did it matter if it were?
Monk waved to him to sit down. "Is this professional?" he asked, standing by the fire and looking down at Rathbone.
Rathbone leaned back and crossed his legs, to show how at ease he was.
"Of course it is. I don't make social calls at this hour."
"You must have an appalling case." Monk was still amused, but now he was also interested.
Rathbone wanted to make sure Monk understood it was professional, and not that he wanted to find Hester for personal motives. For him to believe that would be intolerable. In his own way he would never allow Rathbone to forget it.
"I have," he said candidly. "I am out of my depth, because of the nature of it, and I know I am being lied to. I need a sound judgment on it, one from a very different point of view." He saw Monk's interest increase.
"If I can be of help," Monk offered. "What is the case? Tell me about it. What is your client accused of? Murder?"
"Breach of promise."
"What?" Monk could hardly believe it. "Breach of promise? To marry?" He laughed in spite of himself. "And you don't understand it?" It was not quite contempt in his voice, but almost.
"That's right," Rathbone agreed. He was a past master at keeping his temper. Better men, more skilled at these tactics than Monk, had tried to provoke him and failed. "My client stands to forfeit not only money but his professional reputation if he loses. And he has a brilliant career. Some might even say he has genius."
The humor vanished from Monk's face. He stared at Rathbone with gravity, and the curiosity returned.
"So why did he court someone and then break the engagement?" he asked. "What did he discover about her?"
"He says there was nothing," Rathbone replied. Now that it had come to it, he might as well hear Monk's opinion as well. Whatever his emotions towards Monk, and they were wildly varied, he respected Monk's intelligence and his judgment. They had fought too many issues side by side, embraced too many causes together passionately, at any cost, not to know each other in a way few people are privileged to share.
"Then either he is lying," Monk responded, watching Rathbone closely, "or there is something about himself he is not telling you."
"Precisely," Rathbone agreed. "But I have no idea which it is or what the something may be."
"Are you employing me to find out... against your own client?" Monk asked. "He'll hardly pay you for that! Or thank you, either."
"No, I'm not," Rathbone said sharply. "I would like a woman's judgment on the situation. Callandra is in Scotland. I want to ask Hester." He searched Monk's face and saw his eyes widen very slightly but no more. Whatever Monk thought, he kept it concealed. "I don't know her present case. I thought you might."
"No, I don't," Monk answered without a flicker. "But I know how to find out. If you wish I shall do so." He glanced at the clock. "I assume it is urgent?"
"Are you expecting someone?" Rathbone misunderstood deliberately.
Monk shrugged very slightly and stepped forward from the mantel. The half smile touched his lips again. "Not for breakfast," he answered, crossing the room. He managed to move with the grace of suppressed energy. Always, even when weary or seeming beaten, he gave the air of one who might be dangerous to antagonize. Rathbone had never tested his physical strength, but he knew that not even the despair or the defeats of the past, the close and terrible personal danger which had plumbed the bottom of his emotional power, had broken him. The last dreadful moments of the affair in Mecklenburg Square must have come close. Hester had seen the worst extreme, but she had not betrayed it, and he knew she never would-just as she would never have told Monk anything about the moments between herself and Rathbone.
"I suppose you have eaten?" Monk asked with assumption of the answer in his voice. "I haven't. If you want to join me for at least a cup of tea, you're welcome. Tell me a little bit more about this life-and-death case of yours... for breach of promise, hurt feelings and questioned reputation. Business must be hard for you to be reduced to this!"
It was nearly noon before Monk