The music seemed to have affected my feet. I don’t know what came over me that night. It was as though some spirit of daring had entered into my body, but I could not resist the strains of the Blue Danube Waltz.

I danced towards Alvean. I waltzed as I used to in those ballrooms to which I went accompanied by Aunt Adelaide, but I was sure that I never danced as I did that night in the solarium.

Alvean cried out with pleasure; I heard Gilly laugh too.

Alvean cried: ” Go on. Miss. Don’t stop. Miss. You do it well.”

So I went on dancing with an imaginary partner, dancing down the moonlit solarium with the lopsided moon smiling in at me. And when I reached the end of the room a figure moved towards me and I was no longer dancing alone.

” You’re exquisite,” said a voice, and there was Peter Nansellock in his elegant evening dress, and he was holding me as it was the custom to hold a partner in the waltz.

My feet faltered. He said: ” No … no. Listen, the children are protesting. You must dance with me, Miss Leigh, as you were meant to dance with me.”

We went on dancing. It was as though my feet, having begun would not stop.

But I said : ” This is most unorthodox.”

” It is most delightful,” he answered.

” You should be with the guests.”

” It is more fun to be with you.”

“You forget ” ” That you are a governess? I could, if you would allow me to.”

” There is no earthly reason why you should forget.”

” Only that I think you would be happier if we could all forget it.

How exquisitely you dance! “

” It is my only drawing room accomplishment.”

” I am sure it is one of many that you are forced to squander on this empty room.”

” Mr. Nansellock, do you not think this little jest has been played out?”

” It is no jest.”

” I shall now rejoin the children.” We had come dose to them and I saw little Gilly’s face enrapt, and I saw the admiration in Alvean’s. If I stopped dancing I should revert to my old position; while I went on dancing I was an exalted being.

I thought how ridiculous were the thoughts I was entertaining ; but tonight I wanted to be ridiculous, I wanted to be frivolous.

” So here he is.”

To my horror I saw that several people had come into the solarium, and my apprehension did not lessen when I saw the flame-coloured gown of Lady Treslyn among them, for I was sure that wherever that name-coloured dress was there Connan TreMellyn would be.

Somebody started to clap; others took it up. Then The Blue “Danube ended.

I put my hand to my hair in my acute embarrassment. I knew that dandng had loosened the pins.

I thought: I shall be dismissed tomorrow for my irresponsibility, and perhaps I deserve it.

” What an excellent idea,” said someone. ” Dandng in moonlight. What could be more agreeable? And one can hear the music up here almost as well as down there.”

Someone else said : ” This is a beautiful ballroom, Connan.”

” Then let us use it for that purpose,” he answered.

He went to the peep and shouted through it: ” Once more-The Beautiful Blue Danube.” Then the music started. I turned to Alvean and I gripped Gilly by the hand.

People were already beginning to dance. They were talking together and they did not bother to lower their voices. Why should they? I was only the governess. I heard a voice: ” The governess. Alvean’s, you know.”

” Forward creature! I suppose another of Peter’s light ladies.”

“I’m sorry for the poor-things. Life must be dull for them.”

” But in broad moonlight! What could be more depraved?”

” The last one had to be dismissed, I believe.”

” This one’s turn will come.”

I was blushing hotly. I wanted to face them all, to tell them that my conduct was very likely less depraved than that of some of them.

I was furiously angry and a little frightened. I was aware of Connan’s face in moonlight for he was standing near to me, looking at me, I feared, in a manner signifying the utmost disapproval, which I was sure he was feeling.

” Alvean,” he said, ” go to your room and take Gillyflower with you.”

She dared not disobey when he spoke in those tones.

I said as coolly as I could : ” Yes, let us go.”

But as I was about to follow the children I found my arm gripped and Connan had come a little closer to me.

He said : ” You dance extremely well. Miss Leigh. I could never resist a good dancer. Perhaps it is because I scarcely excel in the art myself.”

” Thank you,” I said. But he still held my arm. ” I am sure,” he went on, ” that The Blue Danube is a favourite of yours. You looked … enraptured.” And with that be swung me into his arms and I found that I was dancing with him among his guests . I in my lavender cotton and my turquoise brooch, they in their chiffons and velvets, their emeralds and diamonds.

I was glad of the moonlight. I was so overcome with shame, for I believed that he was angry and that his intention was to shame me even further.

My feet caught the rhythm and I thought to myself : Always in future The Blue Danube will mean to me a fantastic dance in the solarium with Connan TreMellyn as my partner.

” I apologise. Miss Leigh,” he said, ” for my guests’ bad manners.”

” It is what I must expect and no doubt what I deserve.”

” What nonsense,” he said, and I told myself that I was dreaming, for his voice which was dose to my ear sounded tender.

We had come to the end of the room and, to my complete astonishment, he had whirled me through the curtains and out of the door. We were on a small landing between two flights of stone stairs in a part of the house which I had not seen before.

We stopped dancing, but he still kept his arms about me. On the wall a paraffin lamp of green Jade burned; its light was only enough to show me his face. It looked a little brutal I thought.

” Miss Leigh,” he said, ” you are very charming when you abandon your severity.”

I caught my breath with dismay for he was forcing me against the wall and kissing me.

I was horrified as much by my own emotions as by what was happening. I knew what that kiss meant: You are not averse to a mild flirtation with Peter Nansellock; therefore why not with me?

My anger was so great that it was beyond my control. With all my might I pushed him from me and he was so taken by surprise that he reeled backwards. I lifted my skirts and began to run as fast as I could down the stairs.

I did not know where I was but I went on running blindly and eventually found the gallery and so made my way back to my own room.

There I threw myself on to my bed and lay there until I recovered my breath.

There is only one thing I can do, I told myself, and that is get away from this house with all speed. He has now made his intentions dear to me. I have no doubt at all that Miss Jansen was dismissed because she refused to accept his attentions. The man is a monster. He appeared to think that anyone whom he employed belonged to him completely. Did he imagine he was an eastern pasha? How dared he treat me in such a way!

There was a constricted feeling in my throat which made me feel as though I were going to choke. I was more desperately unhappy that I had ever been in my life. It was due to him. I would not face the truth, but I really cared more deeply than I had about anything else that he should regard me with such contempt.

These were the danger signals.

I had need now of my common sense.

I rose from my bed and locked my door. I must make sure that my door was locked during the last night I would spend in this house. The only other way to my room would be through Alvean’s room and the schoolroom, and I knew he would not attempt to come that way.

Nevertheless I felt unsafe.

Nonsense, I said to myself, you can protect yourself. If he should dare enter your room you could pull the bell rope immediately.

The first thing I would do would be to write to Phillida. I sat down and tried to do this but my hands were trembling and my handwriting was so shaky that the note looked ridiculous.

I could start packing.

I did this.

I went to the cupboard and pulled open the door. For a moment I thought someone was standing there, and I cried out in alarm; which showed the nervous state to which I had been reduced. I saw what it was almost immediately: The riding habit which Alvean bad procured for me. She must have hung it in my wardrobe herself. I had forgotten all about this afternoon’s little adventure for what had happened in the solarium and after had temporarily obliterated everything else.

I packed my trunk in a very short time, for my possessions were not many. Then, as I was more composed, I sat down and wrote the letter to Phillida.

When I had finished writing I heard the sound of voices below and I went to my window. Some of the guests had come out on to the lawn, and I saw them dancing down there. More came out.

I heard someone say: ” It’s such a heavenly night. That moon is too good to miss.”

I stood back in the shadows watching, and eventually I saw what I had been waiting for. There was Connan. He was dancing with Lady Treslyn; his head was dose to hers. I imagined the sort of things he was saying to her.

Then I turned angrily from the window and tried to tell myself that the pain I felt within me was disgust.

I undressed and went to bed. I lay sleepless for a long time and when I did sleep I had jumbled dreams that were of Connan, myself and Lady Treslyn. And always in the background of these dreams was that shadowy figure who had haunted my thoughts since the day I had come here.