Ms Beverley Cooper-Flynn sat shoulder to shoulder with Mr James Howard's five daughters as the verdict was announced. When the jury's answer to question one on the issue paper was announced, the Howards' expressions turned blank.
When questions number two and three were announced, Ms Cooper-Flynn's turned even blanker.
You could have been forgiven for wondering if there were any winners in the case at all, were it not for the fact that Charlie Bird and George Lee were clasping each other in an emotional (but manly) bear-hug nearby. It was the only display of feeling in the courtroom. Apart, perhaps, from the relief among the jurors as the judge announced that, after adjudicating on the longest libel case in the history of the State, they were excused further jury service for life.
As Ms Cooper-Flynn walked cooly away to the consulting rooms, the Howards stayed behind. Shoulders slumped now, they entered into a huddle with lawyers to have the result interpreted. Then the party moved towards the exit, putting on brave faces.
"Everyone smile," said one of the sisters as they approached the phalanx of cameras outside. And before you could say "Howards Way," they were gone.
Mr Bird had had a quiet word with the family before they left, and the RTE celebrations were notably restrained. Standing alongside Mr Lee on the Four Courts' steps, Ireland's best known journalist looked forward to going back to work, and said he would be "at his desk" on Monday morning. After two decades of watching him report live from outside Leinster House, and outside anywhere else there was a crisis, it may come as a shock to many to learn he has a desk.
Ms Cooper-Flynn was last to leave, smiling now even as she admitted that it was "hard to see the good side of this". She ignored a question about whether the result had implications for her political career. However, there had been an uncomfortable omen earlier when, during the rush into the courtroom for the jury's return, she temporarily lost her usual seat.
Four of the neighbouring Howard sisters were wearing Daffodil Day emblems but if the Mayo TD felt lonely as a cloud she didn't betray it. She shed tears on several occasions during the case, most recently during the judge's summary on Thursday night. There was none yesterday, however.
During a lighter moment in the day's proceedings, the judge evoked a certain quiz show when he invited comments from the lawyers and, none forthcoming, asked: "Is that your final answer?"
This case too came down to a set of multiple-choice questions and a large sum of money, although in this case the sum could be nearer to £2 million than £1 million.
The twist here was that the lawyers had already won it and the issue was who would pay. The court did not reach this $64,000 question yesterday, deferring it to the week after next. Viewers will have to tune in then to see what happens.