“But yes. As you know we are always prepared.”

“Good.”

“The Herr Graf was here a month ago.”

“So I heard. It is so good of him and you all to make us so welcome.”

“The Herr Graf would be angry if you did not make use of the lodge when you are hereabouts.”

“So I have been telling my companion.”

I said: “This is a most interesting place.”

“And comfortable, thanks to the good family Schwartz,” said Dr. Adair.

“Let me take you in. I’ll guess the fires are already lighted.”

He took my arm and drew me towards the hunting lodge.

“There,” he said.

“Are you satisfied? We are not gate crashing. And I am not playing some trick. This is indeed the hunting lodge of Graf von Spiegal, and it is a fact that he is a friend of mine and would take it as an insult if we were here and in need of lodging and went to an inn.”

“You are fortunate to have such friends.”

“You are right. I am.”

We went into a large hall. The fire was already alight and beginning to burn up.

“The bedrooms are ready. All they need is the application of the warming pans.”

“Is that what you call German efficiency?”

“It is certainly efficiency, and as we are now in Germany you may be right.”

A woman came into the hall; she was middle-aged, and rather plump, with rosy cheeks and a mass of flaxen hair.

“Ah, here is Else,” said Dr. Adair.

“Else, this is Miss Pleydell. You have come to look after us, I know.”

“We have hot soup and cold venison. Will that do, Herr Doktor?”

“It sounds just what we need.”

“And the rooms? The Oak and the …?” She hesitated and looked from him to me. I felt myself flush at the implication. Was she to prepare one room or two?

He was aware of my embarrassment and seemed amused.

He said: “The Oak Room … and the one next to it, please, Else. I think that would do very nicely. It is very good to be here. What an excellent idea of mine to remember this hunting lodge was so near.

This is much more comfortable than some wayside inn. ” He went on: ” Sit down. The food will be some little time, I dare say. “

“Half an hour, Herr Doktor,” said Else.

“Excellent. Perhaps in the meantime we could wash off the stains of the journey. Might we have some hot water?”

“I will get Frieda to bring it.”

“And Frieda is well?”

Else put her hands on her hips and looked sly.

“Expecting another,” said Dr. Adair.

“How old is young Fritz? Not more than two, I know.”

“Frieda is pleased.”

“And all goes well?”

“All is well, Herr Doktor.”

“Come and sit by the fire,” he said to me.

“You seem to know them very well.”

“I do. I have stayed here several times. The Graf is a most hospitable man.”

He was watching me closely.

“I fancy,” he said, ‘that you are a little uneasy. Let me guess. You are thinking that you are going to be alone with a man whose reputation you consider shady. Is that it? “

I said quickly: “Should I be thinking that?”

“Perhaps.”

“You are not the same as you were when we set out,” I said.

“You were cool … aloof almost.”

“And now I am warmer and a little intimate. Is that it?”

“Tell me why you have brought me here.”

“To give you a night’s shelter. It would not have been comfortable sleeping in the forest; and some of the inns hereabouts can be rather indifferent.”

“Did you know that we were coming here … I mean, when we set out?”

“I thought it a possibility. I had better make the situation clear.

The servants will be in their cottage. We shall have the lodge to ourselves. ” He was watching me closely.

“How do you feel about that?”

“I hardly think it is what the Head Deaconess expected.”

“Well, it is not her concern, is it? It is you and I who have to satisfy ourselves. How do you feel about it? There is no need to ask.

You have a very expressive face. You always had. I remember well seeing the hatred and contempt in your eyes . on occasions. Here are the facts: you and I will be in this place tonight. alone. It is a very romantic spot. A hunting lodge in the heart of the forest. You think I am not to be trusted. I am some monster in whose company no respectable woman should be alone. Perhaps you are right. But let me set your mind at rest. If you wish it, I will tell Hans and the rest of them that we are not staying here after all. We will go on and find an inn, or if that goes beyond the bounds of propriety we will ride through the night back to Kaiserwald. There. The decision is yours.”

“How could we go now? They are preparing everything for us.”

“We could say we had made a change of plans. They are good servants who never question the eccentric behaviour of those in command. “

Frieda appeared with two cans of hot water. He talked to her for a few moments about her children the one she had and the one she was expecting. I thought how charming he could be at times.

Then we went up the staircase.

“The Oak Room is the best room,” he said, ‘so I will leave that to you.”

It was certainly delightful, with the fire now crackling away and the leaping flames throwing shadows round the room. Candles had been lighted. There was a big fourposter bed and in an alcove was a ewer and basin.

I washed in the hot water and tidied my hair.

After a while there was a knock on my door. I called “Come in’ and he came in. He had discarded his jacket, which showed his white silk shirt and full bishop sleeves. It was open at the neck.

“Ah,” he said, ‘you are ready. You must be hungry. I believe the food is waiting for us. We will eat downstairs. They are very unobtrusive.

Quite the best servants to have. “

Downstairs in that hall with its high ceiling and trophies on the walls guns and spears which had presumably been used throughout the ages a table was laid, and on it stood a tureen of soup from which the steam was rising.

There was wine on the table.

Else was standing there. She ladled out the soup and served us. Then she poured out the wine.

“It is the Grafs … from his own vineyards,” said Dr. Adair.

“He would never allow any but the best to be served to his guests. He says his grapes have a special quality.”

Else remarked that everything except the soup was cold. She had brought in the venison and bread; and there was apple pie to follow, and as that was cold she would leave us to our meal.

“Just leave when you have finished,” she said.

“I will clear all I away … later … so as not to disturb.”

“How thoughtful of you. Good night. Else.”

I said goodnight, too.

I was beginning to feel slightly intoxicated by the turn of events. He had planned this. I knew it and I could not help myself but I was elated. I felt alive, as I had not done, I realized now, since I had last seen him. It was no use my pretending. I wanted to be with him. I did not want to be practical, as Eliza wished me to be. I wanted to live every moment and not concern myself with common sense and the future and what was best for me. This was what I wanted and no one could excite me as he did. Life had been dull and serene for too long.

I wanted to live no matter what the consequences were.

He held the chair while I sat down; then he took his place opposite me. He lifted his glass.

“To us … and this night.”

I drank with him.

“Let us try the soup. I am sure it is excellent. Else is a very good cook. I have so much to say to you but first we should eat.”

“I am eager to hear what it is you have to say.”

He looked at me across the table.

“Candlelight is charming, do you not agree? How silent it is. Sometimes during the night one hears the sounds of the forest … the birds, the animals of the night. It can be fascinating.”

I scarcely tasted the soup. I was too excited to pay attention to food. I was asking myself what his intentions were . and in my heart, I knew.

He stood up and took my plate.

“You are playing the servant. What an unusual role for you.”

“This,” he replied, ‘is an unusual night. The venison would come from the forest. I am sure you will enjoy it. “

“Thank you. Do you hunt when you are here?”

“I am not a hunter … of animals. It is not an occupation which appeals to me. You know something of my interests. They do not include hunting.”

“You hunt… for information. You search for knowledge.”

“Well, I am a doctor. I am very interested, as you know, in the methods used around the world. You could say that is my hunting-ground.”

“I know.”

“There is a good deal of prejudice in our profession. I am a man who does not like to run along on the lines laid down for me. It has brought me criticism. not only from the members of my profession.”

“You mean your unorthodox methods have not always been approved of.”

He nodded and filled my glass.

“The Grafwill want to know if we appreciated his wine. He would be displeased if we did not do justice to it.”

“I do not care to drink a great deal.”

“Nor I. It dulls the senses. And that I should not want. Tonight I want to savour every moment.”

“What were you going to say to me?”

“Something which I think you know already. I have made a discovery.”

Oh? What is that? “

He looked at me steadily.

“That my life is very dull without you.”

I stared at him.