“Now keep out of sight,” he warned. “Otherwise we’ll be in trouble, and Miss Rundall wouldn’t like that at all, would she? I’d be in the doghouse, I can tell you.”

We came round to the front of the house and Thomas leaped down to make sure that no one helped Olivia into the carriage but himself. Rosie stood at the door watching, all dressed in her night-out finery, and ready to set off for the frying of that fish she had mentioned. Olivia hurried into the carriage, nearly dropping her oranges, overcome as she was with excitement and nervousness.

Then we were trotting along to the Massinghams’.

Theirs was a large, imposing residence backing onto the Park, and carriages were already lining up at the door while their masked occupants alighted. Passers-by watched with amusement as we went into the house.

There was no formal greeting for the whole idea was that nobody knew who anyone else was.

“Ten minutes to midnight,” said Olivia warningly, as we left the carriage. “No later, Thomas.”

Thomas touched his cap. “I know, Miss Olivia. Before they take off their masks, eh? Wouldn’t do for anyone to see who’s who.” He was overcome with amusement.

“That’s the idea, Thomas,” I said.

“Well, ladies, I hope you enjoy it. You can rely on old Thomas to get you back.”

He went off chuckling and Olivia and I went to the ball.

The salon was on the first floor and it made a sizeable ballroom. It looked very grand decorated with flowers, and the musicians were playing as we entered. From the windows I could see the garden below— looking very romantic in moonlight. White chairs and tables had been set up down there, and beyond, the Park looked like a mysterious forest. I caught a glimpse of silver through the trees and guessed that to be the Serpentine.

I kept close to Olivia. Two men came up. One was dressed as a Saxon in a tunic and cross-over laces about his legs, and the other was a very elaborate gentleman from a long-ago Court of France.

“Good evening, lovely ladies,” said one of them.

We returned their greeting. One had taken my arm, the other Olivia’s.

“Let’s dance,” said one.

I had the Saxon and Olivia went into a waltz with Richelieu or whoever he was supposed to be.

The Saxon’s arm tightened about me. “What a crowd!”

“What did you expect?” I asked.

“I shouldn’t be surprised if there are some uninvited guests here tonight.”

I felt myself go cold with fear. He knows! I thought. But how? Then I calmed my fears. He was just making conversation.

“It would not be difficult to walk in,” I said.

“Easiest thing possible. I assure you / received my invitation from Lady Massingham.”

“I am sure you did,” I said.

It was difficult to dance, so crowded was the floor. He said: “Let us sit down.”

So we did, at a table in a corner among some green palms.

“I thought it would be fairly easy to discover who people were,” he said. “After all we do meet often, don’t we? The same crowd all the time. This ball … that occasion … and out come all the young ladies to meet the elected young gentlemen—all carefully vetted by cautious mammas.”

“I suppose that is inevitable in a small community.”

“You call this a small community?”

“The accepted social circle is not very large.”

“Are you surprised when you consider the qualifications one must have to enter it?”

“I didn’t say I was surprised. I was merely offering an explanation.”

“Have you guessed who I am?”

“No.”

“Nor have I guessed you. I know the young lady you were with though. I’ve met her before.”

“You mean …”

“Didn’t you know? I thought you came together. But I suppose you just met on the way. She was Olivia Tressidor. I’m sure of it.”

“How can you be sure? She was heavily masked like the rest of us.”

He laughed. “I’m still puzzling over you. I intend to discover before masks off.”

A man had come over to us.

“Cedric the Saxon,” he said, “are you being tiresome to the noble Queen?”

We laughed.

“I was trying to probe her disguise.”

The other sat down with us and leaned his elbows on the table looking at me intently. He was dressed as a cavalier. There were several cavaliers present.

“That’s part of the game is it not?” said the cavalier. “To guess who’s who before the final revelation?”

“I wagered Tom Crosby that I would discover the identity of more of our young ladies than he does,” said the Saxon.

“At least,” I put in, “we now know you are not Tom Crosby. You have betrayed that much.”

“Ah, my dear and most gracious Queen, how do you know that I did not say that to deceive you? What if I am Tom Crosby?”

“Anyone would know you were not Tom Crosby,” said the cavalier. “I wish you luck with your gamble. Why don’t we dance?”

He had bowed to me and I stood up. I was rather glad to escape from Cedric the Saxon who had probed Olivia’s disguise so quickly. I thought he was too inquisitive and I wondered whether he had an idea that I was not one of the circle.

The cavalier was a good dancer. I was quite good too, for a great deal of time had been devoted to that social grace at the finishing school.

We danced in silence. In any case there was too much noise and much suppressed laughter. I glanced at a Japanese lady far too large for a kimono; she was fluttering her fan in a very coquettish manner towards a portly Henry the Eighth. My companion followed my gaze and laughed. “A rather incongruous combination,” he said. “I wonder how the geisha girl strayed into the Tudor Court.”

We had stopped dancing and were close to a window.

“It looks inviting in the garden,” he said.

I agreed that it did.

“Let’s go,” he said.

So we slipped away. It was certainly very pleasant out of doors. He led me to one of the white tables and we sat down.

“You puzzle me,” he said. “I don’t believe I have ever met you before.”

“You probably did not notice me.”

“That’s what puzzles me. I am sure I should have noticed you.”

“I don’t know why.”

“Come, that’s scarcely worthy of the serpent of old Nile. You look the part to perfection, by the way.”

I sat back in my chair. I was beginning to feel a great excitement. It was the atmosphere; the people in their masks; the balmy evening; the moonlight on the Park; the soft music which was coming from the salon. And perhaps the fact that I was not supposed to be here. It made the evening such an adventure.

I felt bold. These young men must discuss the girls whom they all knew because they were invited to every social function. I could imagine that Cedric the Saxon was not the only one who made bets about the girls. I was amused. None would guess who I was for the simple reason that none of them had ever met me before.

I said: “Your companions in arms are here in force tonight.”

“Rallying against those despicable Roundheads.”

“I saw only one of those among all the cavaliers. Who are you? Rupert of the Rhine?”

“I didn’t aspire so high,” he said. “I’m just an ordinary servant of the King, ready to defend him against the Parliament. Is it not pleasant here, Your Highness? I am not quite sure whether that is the right way to address a Queen of Egypt.”

“Highness will do until you find out.”

“Had I known I was to meet you I should have come as Mark Antony. Or perhaps Julius Caesar.”

“I daresay Caesar will appear sometime tonight.”

“I shall have to be careful then. What chance would a mere cavalier have against him?”

“It would depend on the cavalier,” I said pertly.

Some couples had already begun to dance in the garden.

“Shall we?” he said. “Did you not find our steps fitted perfectly?”

“I thought we performed quite well together.”

“How glad I am that I discovered you and rescued you from that boring Saxon.”

“I was not finding him boring—probing rather.”

“The Saxons were very crude. Didn’t they paint their faces with woad?”

“No, that was the ancient Britons.”

“The Saxons were almost as bad. Not refined in their tastes as the cavaliers were. I’m surprised at James Eliot coming as a Saxon. I thought he would have wanted to be something more grand—the Great Cham or Marco Polo or something, wouldn’t you?”

“Oh … I don’t know.”

“I recognized him at once, didn’t you?”

“N … no.”

“You didn’t! I’m surprised. I thought it was obvious. At an affair like this you can guess most people. Their voices … the way they stand, the way they walk. I suppose it is because we all meet so frequently. But you, my dear gracious Queen, are the enigma. I don’t think we can have met before. I am wondering if you will be very kind and lift the edge of your mask.”

“I shall do no such thing. I shall cower behind it until the moment I take it off.”

“How cruel! I grow more and more intrigued with every passing moment.” He had drawn me towards the garden wall. We leaned out, looking across the Park.

“What a beautiful night!” I said.

“I am finding it more delightful every moment.”

This was flirtation, I recognized. I quite enjoyed it, and I had to confess that I was finding the cavalier’s company very stimulating.

He said suddenly: “You are different … from the other girls.”

“Every human being is different from every other,” I replied. “That is one of the wonders of nature.”

“Is that so? I find a rather boring similarity in many of the young ladies I am called upon to escort.”

“Perhaps that is due to your own lack of vision.”

“I wish it could serve me better tonight. I should like to look behind the mask. Still, I intend to possess my soul in patience. I shall discover on the stroke of midnight when I am determined to be at your side.”

A faint tremor of uneasiness swept over me, but I dismissed it. It was early and I had not yet had the fun I intended to have this evening. I wondered fleetingly how Olivia was faring.

“You are a very mysterious lady,” he went on.

“Well, is not mystery the theme of this gathering? It is intriguing to talk with people and not know who they are. It should make one very cautious.”

“It is supposed to have the opposite effect of making us all careless, throwing off our inhibitions. What does it matter what I do tonight? No one will know who I am … until midnight.”

“Unless, like Cedric the Saxon, we make discoveries.”

“Oh, some are obvious. Did you see Marie Antoinette? I’d be ready to swear she is Lady Massingham. I thought to myself the lady has acquired a little avoirdupois—and after her stay in the Conciergerie! And the gentleman who is our host … who is he? It is harder to guess who he is supposed to be than who he really is. Is it Dr. Johnson? Or Robespierre? Surely one should be able to tell the difference between these two gentlemen—but I’m dashed if I can. You dance divinely.”

“And you pay empty compliments. It is quite impossible to know how one dances in a crowd like this.”

“Please, dear enchanting Queen of Egypt, whisper your name.”

“It is against the rules.”

“Do you always obey rules?”

I hesitated. “Ah,” he said quickly. “You do not. You are a rebel. Just as I am. How far do you rebel against the laws of society?”

“You would not expect me to admit my indiscretions to you, would you?”

“Why not? I don’t know who you are, and do you know me?”

“One should never admit to indiscretions even to people one does not know.”

“Oh, you are very profound. Perhaps when you know me better".

“Tonight I cannot be anyone but Cleopatra and you are Rupert of the Rhine.”

“I have a feeling that tonight is only a beginning.” He gripped my hand suddenly and brought his face close to mine. I was aware of light blue eyes glittering through the mask; they studied me intently.

“Dear Serpent of the Nile,” he said, “I have a feeling that you and I are going to know each other very well.” For a moment I thought he was going to kiss me and I half wanted him to. I was reckless on this night. I certainly was enjoying the world of romantic glamour into which Olivia had the right to enter, while I was an intruder.

He touched the necklace at my throat. “What a clever touch to bring your asp. I hope you don’t decide to carry your interpretation too far. Oh … I believe I have seen that asp before. It’s really rather unusual. I remember seeing it on the neck of a young lady. Ah … yes, I have it. It was Lady Jane Grey … in other words Moira Massingham. And you are not Moira Massingham, are you? A clue! You are a great friend of that young lady and she has lent you her necklace. Collusion, dear Queen. Conspiracy. Who is Miss Massingham’s friend of the moment? I fancied it was Miss Olivia Tressidor. I saw you come in together. I noticed you at once. In spite of your mask you looked excited, ready to enjoy every moment. None of that blase indifference which so many young ladies affect. You came in with Miss Olivia Tressidor when you were accosted by the crude Saxon. I was watching you, you know.”