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your “ darling ” in front of a few dozen people? ’ she asked.
    ‘ Oh, that! Just a figure of speech. Anyway, I wasn ’ t suggesting a trip to Gretna Green, you know. Or did you think I was? ’
    ‘ I know you weren ’ t. Anything so impulsive as Gretna Green isn ’ t in your line, is it ?’ Verity broke off as a girl with shoulder-length black hair and wearing diamante wing-framed glasses touched Max on the shoulder.
    ‘ Sorry for deserting you, Max. But you don ’ t seem to have missed me too much. ’ Her glance at Verity asked for an introduction, and as Daniel Wyatt stepped again to Verity ’ s elbow she had to introduce him too.
    On hearing Max ’ s name he said he remembered seeing it in the previous term ’ s staff list. ‘ You were on locum terms at Clere, I believe? Where are you moving to next? ’ he asked.
    To an Outward Bound school in Cumberland, Max told him, and the four talked generally until the interval bell sounded. Then the girl named Lola took repossession of Max.
    ‘ Come along, ’ she said firmly with an air of terminating his parole, and Max went. But not before he had had his revenge on Verity for her snub. Tweaking her cheek between finger and thumb, he dropped a butterfly kiss there. ‘ Bye, Verity dear. Nice to have met up again. Too bad I couldn ’ t oblige over Gretna. Meanwhile, good luck and ’ — his eyes narrowed on her companion— ‘ next time, better hunting !’
    If she had needed curing of Max, of hoping they would ever meet again, the malice of that would have done it. Her cheeks flaming, conscious only of her chagrin, she went ahead of Daniel Wyatt into the hall, waiting for whatever comment he might make and, when he made none, feeling cheated of her chance to laugh Max off as a joke.
    Darling! Gretna! That empty kiss — What would a stranger have made of that ? She could only hope Max was enough involved with his Lola to have to explain that away! Raging, she did not recover her poise until the sonorous, repetitive insistence of the second movement of her favourite symphony was under way.
    On the journey home it was evident that Daniel had learned all he wanted of Max during their brief exchange. For his name wasn ’ t mentioned, though they discussed most other aspects of the evening.
    It was while they were halted at a closed level crossing that Daniel half turned in his seat, crooking an arm over the steering wheel.
    ‘ Don ’ t you care much for Beethoven? The items before the interval seemed to be captivating you more, ’ he commented.
    ‘ What makes you think that? ’
    ‘ I was watching you. You caught me at it, you may recall, and it was good to see you concentrating and enjoying for all you were worth. Later, you weren ’ t. ’
    ‘ You ’ re very observant —’
    ‘ Yes. But as I ’ ve mentioned, you ’ re rather transparent too. For instance, when I dictate or pass memos to you, I can always tell whether or not you approve of the subject matter. ’
    ‘ Oh dear. How? I ’ ve never said anything —’
    No, but you draw down the corner s of your mouth when you disapprove, and you don ’ t look me in the eye. Take my letter to the staff, cutting short their holiday—that went against the grain, didn ’ t it? ’
    ‘ I only thought that if they had made arrangements for any of those last three days they mightn ’ t see the necessity for it. ’
    ‘ You underestimate your colleagues. I found them very co-operative and there weren ’ t any truants. ’ Ignorant of her role as peacemaker with the rebels, he went on,
    ‘ Then there was my memo to them that there should be no promotions from West House to North until after half-term; that is, until after I ’ ve taken my own measure of the candidates for upstairs You didn ’ t like that either, did you? ’
    Verity moved uncomfortably, remembering her shock at a decision which had cut across the age long rule that promotion to North and automatic prefecthood took place at the age