The pool of St Branok

"Let's make a foursome for supper," said Gervaise Mandeville. "You go and dance with Miss Hanson's friend. She's very much in demand so be quick. Let's hope she's free now. Come along, we'll take you over and introduce you."

We went back to the group. "Excellent," said Gervaise. "She's free."

Philip Martin was introduced. He was a rather colorless young man, but he had a pleasant manner and all the usual cliches were exchanged.

He asked Morwenna to dance. There was a look of relief on Helena's face as they started off. Gervaise and I followed them into the dance.

I liked him for that. In fact I was liking him more and more with every minute. He had an ebullient personality, and a way of turning the most faintly amusing subject into a hilarious joke. He laughed a great deal; and when he was not laughing his eyes were alight with amusement.

I spent almost the whole evening with him.

We met Morwenna and Philip Martin in the supper room; we sat at a table for four, eating delicious cold salmon washed down with champagne. I could see that Morwenna was enjoying the ball and I was grateful to Gervaise for that; and there was a great deal of laughter at the table.

We arranged that we should all take a ride in the Row the next day; and I was delighted that I was going to see Gervaise again so soon.

Riding home in the carriage we were rather subdued. I could see that they were all very pleased at the way in which the evening had gone.

I thought it was all thanks to Gervaise, who had certainly made it enjoyable for me ... and for Morwenna. But for his timely introduction of Philip Martin Morwenna might have sat for the whole evening, uninvited except by the middle-aged gentlemen whose duty it was to ask the neglected for the occasional dance.

"He is a very charming young man," said Helena of Gervaise.

"It was nice that we knew him," commented my mother. "It is always pleasant at such affairs to come upon people one knows. He's an archaeologist, I believe."

"He isn't now," I said. "He gave it up."

"The parties and balls get more interesting as the season goes along," said Helena. "That is when you all get to know each other. At first quite a number are strangers to each other."

"Gervaise Mandeville and Philip Martin are calling for us tomorrow," I said. "We are going riding in Rotten Row."

I was well aware of the significant glances between our elders. This was how these affairs were supposed to go. I daresay there would be a great deal of discussion among our elders about Gervaise Mandeville and Philip Martin.

Morwenna and I were too excited to sleep. We lay in our beds and talked about the evening.

"I think Gervaise is very interested in you," said Morwenna.

"Oh, it is just because he stayed at Cador once."

"I think it is more than that."

"He came down with Jonnie. They were digging together."

"Yes. I know. By Branok Pool."

Still the mention of the place made me feel as though I had been doused in cold water.

"That's why he picked me out," I explained. "He recognized me."

"Well, he needn't have attached himself to you for the whole evening. He liked you. He liked you a lot. I could see that."

"And Philip liked you."

"I don't think so. He was just doing what he felt he had to. He told me Gervaise had given him a tip."

"A tip?"

"Yes ... advised him about some horse race and he won two hundred pounds. He said he was very grateful to Gervaise. I think that was why he was dancing with me because Gervaise wanted him to. Did you ask him to?"

"What nonsense!" I lied. "Really, Morwenna, you have to stop thinking like this. You get the notion that nobody wants you for yourself ... and you make it so obvious that if you are not careful people will begin to think you are right."

"You certainly don't think like that."

"No, my dear Morwenna, I never think about it. If people like me that's fine ... if they don't ... well, I won't like them either. We always like people who like us. I think it will be fun riding tomorrow. Gervaise is amusing, isn't he?"

"Yes," said Morwenna.

"Are you sleepy? Good night."

"Good night," said Morwenna.

I could not sleep. It had been an exciting evening. I had loved the glitter, the ballroom, the splendid dresses, the flowers and meeting Gervaise. But over it all had been the shadow of the past. I could not think of Gervaise without seeing him digging at the pool and remembering the fears that had aroused in me.

I supposed it would always be like that.

My friendship with Gervaise grew apace. He had visited the house frequently. We met at parties and he always arranged that we should be together there. Philip Martin had dropped out. I supposed he felt he had repaid his obligations to Gervaise for the "tip." So we were no longer a quartet. Poor Morwenna, she accepted her fate stoically. It was all working out just as she had expected it would.