The door opened and the maid informed him that Mrs. Penrose and Miss Gillespie would be delighted to receive him, if he would come to the withdrawing room.

He followed her obediently back across the hall again to another, larger room, but this time there was no opportunity to look about him. Julia Penrose was standing by the window in a rose-colored afternoon dress, and a young woman about eighteen or nineteen, whom he assumed to be Marianne, was sitting on the small sofa. She looked very pale in spite of her darker natural coloring, hair almost black and springing from her brow in a remarkable widow's peak. She also had a small mole high on her left cheekbone in what Monk thought the Regency dandies would have called the "gallant" position. Her eyes were very blue.

Julia came forward, smiling. "How do you do, Mr. Monk. How charming of you to call upon us," she said for the maid's benefit. "May we offer you some refreshment? Janet, please bring us some tea and cakes. You will have cakes, Mr. Monk?"

He accepted politely, but as soon as the maid was gone the charade fell away. Julia introduced him to Marianne and invited him to begin his task. She stood behind her sister's chair with her hand on the younger woman's shoulder as if she would give her of her own strength and resolve.

Monk had dealt with a case of assault upon a woman only once before. Rape was very seldom reported because of the shame and the scandal attached. He had given a great deal of thought how to begin, but still he was uncertain.

"Please tell me what you remember, Miss Gillespie," he said quietly. He was not sure whether to smile or not. She might take it as a lightness on his part, as if he had no sympathy with her. And yet if he did not, he knew his features were of a naturally grim cast.

She swallowed and cleared her throat, then cleared it again. Julia's hand tightened on her shoulder.