The Picnic (2)

Immediately all murmurs ceased and every woman including countess olivier stared wide-eyed at the woman who looked at them with a smile. Her lips were up as if she did not hear about the bad words that had been spoken about her.

''No, that's an obvious lie. I did expect myself to talk about by many people, but I did not expect highly reputed women as yourself to talk badly about me.'' Her piercing gaze went to all the shocked faces and each of them avoided her eyes, because their backs went cold at the icy intensity. For some reason, they felt immense pressure just by locking their gazes with hers.