There were cigarettes and matches on the night table and she lit one.
The acrid smoke bit into her lungs as the door opened.
An attractive dark-haired woman came into the room. She paused when she saw Rina sitting up in bed. A smile came to her lips.
She came over to the bed.
"Ah, you are awake, ma cherie," she said softly, bending and kissing Rina on the mouth.
Rina stared up at her, her eyes wide. "Who are you?"
"Ah, my love, you do not remember me?"
Rina shook her head.
"Maybe this will refresh your memory, my darling," the woman said, dropping her gown and pressing Rina's head to her naked full bosom. "There now, do you remember how much we loved each other?"
Her hand caressed Rina's face. Angrily Rina pushed it away.
The door opened again and a man came in.
He held a bottle of champagne in one hand and was completely nude.
He smiled at them.
"Ah," he said. "We are all awake once again.
The party was getting dull."
He crossed the room and held the champagne bottle out to Rina.
"Have some wine, darling," he said.
"The trouble is – one wakes up with such a terrible thirst, no?"
Rina held her hands to her temples. She felt the throbbing pulse beneath her fingers.
It was a nightmare. This wasn't real. It couldn't be.
The man stroked her head solicitously.
"A headache, no?
I will bring some aspirin." He turned and left the room.
Terrified, Rina looked up at the woman.
"Please," she begged. "I think I'm going out of my mind.
Where are we?"
"In Zurich, of course, at Philippe's place."
"In Zurich?" Rina questioned.
"Philippe?" She looked up at the woman. "Was that Philippe?"
"Mais non, of course not.
That was Karl, my husband.
Don't you remember?"
Rina shook her head. "I don't remember anything."
"We met at the races three weeks ago in Paris," the woman said. "You were alone in the box next to Philippe's. Your friend could not come, remember?"
Rina closed her eyes. She was beginning to remember.
She had placed a bet on the beautiful red roan and the man in the adjoining box had leaned over.
"A very wise choice," he had said.
"That is my horse.
I am Le Comte de Chaen."
"The count in the next box!" Rina exclaimed.
The woman nodded. She smiled again.
"You remember," she said in a pleased voice.
"The party began in Paris but it was too warm there, so we drove here to Philippe's chalet.
That was almost two weeks ago."
"Two weeks?"
The woman nodded. "It has been a wonderful party," she said. She sat down on the bed next to Rina. "You're a very beautiful girl."
Rina stared at her, speechless.
The door opened again and Karl came in, a bottle of aspirin in one hand, the champagne in the other.
A tall blond man wearing a dressing robe followed him.
He threw some photographs down on the bed.