And on this night of the ball I prepared to enjoy myself.

Sir Ralph and Lady Bodrean stood at the head of the great staircase to receive their guests. Naturally I did not present myself. But what fun it was to mingle with the guests who were so numerous that I was sure I could escape Lady Bodrean's eye. In any case she would hardly recognize me in my finery.

I danced with Hadrian who said it was rather like some of the tricks we used to get up to in our youth.

"We were always the allies," he said, "you and I, Judith."

It was true.

"I'm sorry," said Hadrian, "that it's my aunt you have to work for."

"Not more sorry than I. Yet it gives me a chance to be at Keverall."

"You love the old house, don't you?"

"It seems like part of my life. Don't forget I was here almost every day."

"I feel the same. Theodosia's lucky. It'll be hers one day."

"You sound envious."

"I sound as I feel then. You see I'm a bit of a charity boy myself."

"Oh, no, Hadrian. You're Sir Ralph's nephew, almost a son."

"Not quite."

"Then, I tell you what you should do," I said lightly, "marry Theodosia."

"My cousin!"

"Why not? Cousins marry often. It's a very useful way of keeping the property well within the family."

"You don't think she'd have me, do you? I fancy now her gaze is fixed in another direction."

"Is that so?"

"Have you noticed her being eagerly intent every time anyone mentions the subject?"

"What subject?"

"Archaeology. She's so excited about this expedition. You'd think she was going on it."

"Trying to impress someone. Perhaps it's you! After all it is your subject."

"Oh no. Nothing of the sort. I'm not the chosen one."

I couldn't bear to talk of Theodosia and Tybalt so I said quickly: "Don't you wish you were going out to Egypt with the party?"

"I'd enjoy it in a way. I hear that Sir Edward is very much a lone wolf. He keeps his team in the dark. It's the way some people work. I was talking to Evan about it. We should have been flattered if we'd been asked to join the party of course. But at our stage it would only be in a minor capacity."

"And Tybalt?"

"Well, he's the great man's son. I daresay he won't be kept entirely in the dark."

"I suppose one day he'll be as great as his father."

"He has the same passionate absorption."

"I saw him dancing with Theodosia but I didn't see Sir Edward."

"He'll probably look in later."

The band had stopped; the dance was over. Hadrian led me to a seat sheltered by pots of palms.

"I feel like a fox in his lair," I said.

"You mean a vixen," corrected Hadrian.

"I admit to a kindred spirit with that creature on certain occasions but at the moment I'm far too mellow."

Evan came up with Theodosia and sat down with us. Theodosia looked at me in my green dress with great pleasure.

"You are enjoying the ball, Judith?" she asked anxiously.

I assured her I was.

Then Tybalt appeared. I thought he had come to claim Theodosia but instead he sat down. He did not seem the least bit surprised to see me.

Evan then said that he believed Theodosia had promised him this dance. They went off and Hadrian said he had a partner to find; that left Tybalt and myself alone.

"Are you enjoying the dance?" I asked.

"It's not much in my line, you know."

"I saw you dancing a little while ago."

"Most ungracefully."

"Adequately," I assured him. "You will be gone very soon," I went on. "How you must be longing to set out."

"It's a most exciting project of course."

"Tell me about it."

"You really are interested, aren't you?"

"Enormously."

"We'll go by ship to Port Said and overland to Cairo. We shall stay for a while and then make our way towards the ancient site of Thebes."

I clasped my hands ecstatically.

"Do tell me more about it. You're going to the tombs, aren't you?"

He nodded. "My father has been preparing for this project for some time. He was out there several years ago and he's always had the impression that he was on the verge of some great discovery. It's been in his mind for years. Now he's going to satisfy himself."

"It'll be wonderful," I cried.

"I think it's the most exciting project that I've ever undertaken."

"You have been there before?"

"Yes, with my father. I was very inexperienced then and it was a great concession for me to be there at all. My father's party discovered one of the tombs which must have been prepared for a great nobleman. It had been robbed, thousands of years ago. It was very disappointing as you can imagine. All the hard work, the excavating, the probing, the hopes . . . and then to find that the tomb has been so completely cleared that there is nothing left which would help to reconstruct the customs of this fascinating country. I'm getting carried away with my enthusiasm, but it's your fault, Miss Osmond. You seem so interested."

"I am, tremendously so."

"So few people outside our little world understand a thing."

"I don't feel myself to be exactly outside it. I was very fortunate. I took lessons at Keverall Court and as you know Sir Ralph has always been interested in archaeology."

"Fortunately, yes. He is helping us a great deal."

"It was he who engaged Evan Callum to give us lessons. Then, of course, there was what was going on at Carter's Meadow. I sometimes gave a hand there ... in a very unprofessional way, as you can guess."

"But you caught the fascination, didn't you? I can hear it in your voice and see it in your face. And I remember how excited you were when you came to the house for books. And I do believe, Miss Osmond, that you are not one of those ridiculously romantic people who believe that this is all digging and finding wonderful jewels and the remains of old palaces."

"I know such finds are few."

"It's true. But I am sure you would like to dance. So if you don't mind a little discomfort?"

I laughed and said: "I'll bear it."

And there I was, dancing with Tybalt. It was like a dream come true.

I loved him all the more because he kept putting his feet in the wrong places. He apologized and I wanted to cry: Your treading on my toes is bliss.,

I was so happy. Alison and Dorcas had said that I had the gift of shutting out everything but the moment and enjoying it to the full. I was glad of it on that night. I would not go beyond this glorious moment when Tybalt's arms were about me and I was closer to him than I had ever been.

I longed for the music to go on and on but it stopped of course and we returned to our alcove where Theodosia was seated with Evan.

I danced with Evan who said how glad he was to see me there. I told him about how I had found the dress in my cupboard and Sir Ralph had wished me to come to the ball.

We laughed and talked about the old days and later we went to supper and were joined there by Theodosia, Hadrian, and Tybalt.

How gay I could be on such an occasion. I sparkled and made sure that the conversation circled about me. Theodosia was very gentle and did not mind, any more than she had in the schoolroom, the fact that I drew attention from her.

Tybalt was naturally a little aloof from our frivolous chatter. He was more mature than the rest of us and I could not help noticing how insignificant Hadrian and Evan were in comparison. When Tybalt was talking of archaeology he glowed with an intense and single-minded passion which I was sure only a man who could feel deeply would experience. I believed then that if ever Tybalt loved a woman it would be with the same unswerving devotion which he gave to his profession. Because I wanted to see Tybalt animated, glowing with that enthusiasm which thrilled and excited me, I introduced the subject of archaeology and almost immediately he was the center of a fascinated audience.

When we paused Theodosia said: "Oh, you are all so clever . . . even Judith! But don't you think this salmon is delicious?"

Hadrian then told us a story of a fishing expedition he had enjoyed on the Spey, in the Scottish Highlands, where, he said, the best salmon in the world was caught. He was explaining how he had plunged into the river and pulled in the struggling fish, showing us the size of it at which we all laughingly expressed disbelief, when Lady Bodrean walked past our table in the company of several of the guests.

I was saying: "Of course, you know that all fishermen double the size of their catch and it wouldn't surprise me if Hadrian trebled his."

And there she was, her eyebrows raised in astonishment as slowly her outraged feelings were visible in the expression on her face.

There was a silence which seemed to go on for a long time; then she took a step towards our table. The men rose, but she stared incredulously at me. I attempted to put on a calm smile.

One of her guests said: "Oh, it's Mr. Travers, I believe."

Tybalt said yes it was; and then Lady Bodrean recovered herself. She made introductions, leaving me until last and then: "Miss Osmond," she said, almost making my name sound obscene.

Nobody noticed and there were a few moments of polite conversation, and then Lady Bodrean and her party passed on.

"Oh dear!" said Theodosia, very distressed.

"I somehow felt it would happen," I added, trying to pretend that I was not really perturbed.

"Well," said Hadrian, "Sir Ralph has to answer for his guests."