The banquet had none of Shard's acquaintances, so he did not stay, carrying his wine glass and heading straight into what was originally the second-floor dining room.
This was the larger auction hall for tonight's charity auction. There were 10 items per session, with a 15-minute break between each session, and it was now precisely the rest time after the session had ended. Shard had just entered the door when a middle-aged woman dressed in a lady's clerical uniform approached him:
"Are you Mr. Hamilton, representing Miss Galina at the next auction?"
She asked softly. Shard nodded, aware that the ordinary person before him was also someone Miss Galina had arranged to be here in advance. The Duchess was worried Shard might encounter some mishaps, as he had never attended such an auction.
