"You're very happy, Theodosia?"

"Oh . . . blissfully. That's why I'm so . . ." She stopped.

"Grateful to me for marrying Tybalt and making it all work out smoothly. I can assure you I didn't marry him for that reason."

Sabina joined us.

"Isn't this fun. The three of us together. And now we're all married. Judith, do you like the flowers? Miss Crewe arranged them. Most of them came from her garden. Green fingers, you know. And she always makes such a success of the decorations in the church. And here we all are together. Do you remember how we used to talk in the schoolroom? Of course dramatic things would happen to Judith. They always did, didn't they? Or perhaps you made it sound dramatic and then you did turn out to be Sir Ralph's daughter ... Wrong side of the blanket of course . . . but that makes it more exciting. And now you've got Tybalt. Doesn't he look wonderful? Like a Roman god or something . . . He was always different from everybody else . . . and so are you, Judith . . . in a way. But we're sisters now, Judith. And you're Theodosia's sister. As I say it is wonderful!"

She gazed at Tybalt with that adoration I had seen so many times before.

"Fancy Tybalt's being a bridegroom! We always thought he would never marry! He's married to all that nonsense, Nanny Tester says. 'Like your father ought to have been.' I used to point out to her that if Papa had married all that nonsense I wouldn't have been here nor would Tybalt because archaeology, wonderful as Papa and Tybalt seem to find it, does not produce people, living ones anyway. Only mummies perhaps. Oh, do you remember the day when you dressed up as a mummy? What a day that was! We thought you'd killed Theodosia."

They were all laughing. I knew that Sabina would restore my spirits.

"And you said Tybalt stooped and wore spectacles and when you saw him you were struck dumb. You adored him from that moment. Oh yes you did, you can't deny it."

"I'm making no attempt to," I said.

"And now you're married to him. Your dreams have come true. Isn't that a wonderful fairy tale ending?"

"It's not an ending," said Theodosia soberly. "It's really a beginning. Evan is so pleased because he's been invited to join the expedition."

"Has he really?" cried Sabina. "That's a great honor. When he's away you must come and stay."

"I'm going with him," declared Theodosia fiercely. "You don't think I'd let Evan go without me."

"Has Tybalt said you may? Papa never liked wives around. He said they cluttered and distracted, unless they were workers themselves and quite a lot of them are . . . but you're not, Theodosia. So Tybalt has said you may! I daresay that as he's now a married man himself he has sympathy for others. You'll be company for Judith. Tabitha's going. Of course she's very knowledgeable. There she is talking to Tybalt now. I'll bet you anything you like they're talking about Egypt. Tabitha's beautiful, don't you think? She always seems to wear the right things. Elegance I suppose. Different from me. That silver grey now . . . It's just right! You'll have to be careful, Judith," she added playfully. "I was surprised that you allowed Tybalt to go off with her to Dorset. Oh I know you had to stay behind, but she's young really. About a year, possibly two years older than Tybalt, that's all. Of course she is always so quiet, so restrained, but it's the quiet ones you have to be wary of, so they say. Oh, Judith, what a way to talk to a bride on her wedding day.

You're quite disturbed, I believe. As if I meant it. Tybalt will be the most faithful husband in the world! He's too busy anyway to be anything else. The wonder is that he married at all. I'm sure you're going to be wonderfully happy. Your being interested in his world and all that and quite rich so there won't be money problems and Sir Ralph leaving all that money to archaeological research. Wasn't that wonderful! You've married the most wonderful man in the world with one exception of course. But even darling Oliver isn't grand and distinguished like Tybalt . . . although he's more comfortable and I wouldn't change him for anyone in the world . . ."

"Oh doesn't she run on," I said to Theodosia. "No one else gets a chance."

"It's revenge for your domineering attitude in the schoolroom and you're only so silent because it's your wedding day. If you weren't thinking of Tybalt, you would never have allowed me to have the floor for so long."

"Trust you to make the most of your opportunities. Look, here's Hadrian."

"Hello," said Hadrian. "A family gathering. I must join it."

"We were talking about the expedition," said Sabina. "Among other things."

"Who isn't?"

"Did you know Evan and Theodosia are coming?" I asked.

"I had heard there was a possibility. We shall all be together ... all except you, Sabina, and your Oliver."

"Oliver has the church and parish . . . besides, he's a parson not an archaeologist."

"So you're going too, Hadrian."

"It's a great concession. Gives me a chance to escape my creditors."

"You are always talking about money."

"I've told you before I'm not rich enough to ignore it."

"Nonsense," I said.

"And now, Judith, you've joined the band of plutocrats. Well, it will be good experience for us, Tybalt tells me. We'll have to keep together in case this irate god rises from his lair to strike us."

"Do gods have lairs?" asked Sabina. "I thought that was foxes. There's a big red one raiding Brent's Farm. Farmer Brent lies in wait with a shot gun."

"Stop her someone," said Hadrian, "before she flies off at a tangent."

"Yes," I said, "we don't want to hear about foxes. The expedition is of much greater interest. I'm so looking forward to it. It'll soon be time to leave for Egypt."

"Which is the reason for the hasty wedding," said Hadrian. "What did you think of the weird character in the porch?"

"It was only old Pegger."

"Talk about a prophet of doom. He couldn't have appeared at a less appropriate moment ... or from his point of view I suppose a more appropriate one. He seemed so delighted to be the harbinger of misfortune."

"I wish everyone would stop hinting at misfortune," I complained. "It's most unsuitable."

"Of course it is," agreed Hadrian, "and here comes your reverend husband, Sabina. He'll probably say a blessing or exorcise the evil spirits conjured up by that old ghoul in the porch."

"He'll do no such thing," said Sabina, slipping her arm through Oliver's as he came up.

"Just in time," said Hadrian, "to prevent this inconsequential wife of yours from giving a dissertation on the duties of a parish priest and where that might lead to Heaven— and Sabina—only knows. I'm going to take the bride away from you for a cozy tete-a-tete."

We stood alone in a corner and he looked at me shaking his head. "Well, well, Judith, this is so sudden."

"Not you too," I protested.

"Oh I don't mean it as old Pegger did. I mean coming into a fortune and marrying at the batting of an eyelid or the twinkling of an eye—to keep the metaphors facial."

I laughed at him. Hadrian always restored my spirits.

"Had I known that you had inherited a fortune I would have married you myself."

"What a lost opportunity!" I mocked.

"My life is full of them. Seriously, who would have thought that the old man would have left you half his fortune. My pittance was a bit of a blow."

"Why, Hadrian, it's a pleasant income, and is in addition to what you will earn in your profession."

"Affluence!" he murmured. "Tybalt is a lucky devil. You and all that money. And there's what my uncle left to the Cause."

"How I wish I could stop people talking about money for a few moments."

"It's money that makes the world go round ... or is that love? And lucky Judith to have both!"

"I can see my aunts making frantic signs."

"I suppose it's time for you to depart."

"Why yes, the carriage will be taking us to the station in less than an hour. And I have to change."

Dorcas came hurrying up. "Judith, do you realize what the time is?"

"I was just mentioning it to Hadrian."

"I think it is time you changed."

I slipped away with Dorcas and Alison and we went to the room which Sabina had set aside for me. There hung my silver grey grosgrain coat and the skirt of the same material and the white blouse with many frills and the little grey velvet bow at the neck.

Silver grey. So elegant. Yes, when worn by a woman like Tabitha.

"You look lovely," cooed Dorcas.

"That's because you see me through the eyes of love," I said.

"There'll be someone else who will be looking at you in the same way," said Alison quickly. There was an almost imperceptible pause before she added: "We hope."

I went out to the porch. The carriage was there and Tybalt was waiting for me.

Everyone crowded round; the horse was whipped up. Tybalt and I had started on our honeymoon.

What shall I say of my honeymoon? That it fell short of my expectations? At first it was wonderful and the wonder lasted for two nights and a day. Then Tybalt was all mine. We were very close during that time. We had broken our journey to Dorset and spent the night, the following day and the next night at a little inn in the heart of the Moor.

"Before we join the Dig," he told me, "I thought we should have this little respite."

"It's a wonderful idea," I told him.