"Music is never forgotten," Philip replied. "It lives in here." He touched his chest.
The guests began to speak all at once. Some pulled out their phones, looking up old videos of Philip on the internet. Others simply looked at him with admiration.
"You must return to playing," someone said.
"The world needs your music," added another.
But in all that bustle, one person remained completely silent. Catherine. She stood motionless in her place, a few yards from the piano. Her eyes were fixed on Philip, but she seemed to look right through him. Her face showed a storm of emotions: shock, shame, disbelief. Just a few minutes ago, she had humiliated this man in front of everyone, treated him as nothing, as someone inferior, and now she discovered he was a famous artist, someone her own friends had probably admired.
A young woman beside her whispered, "Catherine, did you hear? It's Philip Mercer."
Catherine did not answer. Her lips trembled slightly.
Arthur suddenly turned toward her, his eyes full of reproach. "Catherine, you made a promise in front of everyone. You said that if he played well, you would marry him."
The hall fell silent all at once. All eyes turned toward Catherine.
She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Her face turned bright red. "It was a joke," she finally murmured in a weak voice.
"A joke?" Arthur repeated in a serious tone. "A joke made to humiliate a man you didn't know?"
Other guests began to nod. The phones were still pointed toward Philip and Catherine; some were recording everything. An elderly woman shook her head in disapproval. "My dear, words have weight, especially when they are spoken publicly."
Catherine looked around desperately, searching for support, but the faces of her friends had changed. There was no more admiration; there was only judgment.
Philip looked Catherine straight in the eyes. His expression was calm, almost compassionate. There was no anger, no desire for revenge.
"Mrs. Radcliffe," he said in a clear voice, "may I say something?"
All eyes were on Philip. The hall was so silent that one could hear the breathing of the people. Catherine looked at him, her face a mask of tension and fear.