The Blue Afternoon

He soon saw the Palace ahead, the gardens down to the river bright with Chinese lanterns and the wide arches on its ground- and first-floor facade picked out with strings of red and yellow electric lights. They disembarked and moved through the surprising number of people to the receiving line. Governor and Mrs Taft stood on a small dais beneath a flapping sailcloth canopy. To one side the constabulary band was seated in a semicircle energetically playing a gavotte and just beyond them, laid over some lawn te

He shook Taft's hand. The man looked grotesque in his evening wear, more obese than ever. His bulging face was pink and shiny with sweat but he greeted everybody with unchanging geniality, shaking their hands vigorously and repeating 'pleased to meet you, very pleased to meet you', in the American ma

'My absolute favourite,' he said, seemingly directing the remark to Carriscant, though he appeared to be looking into the middle distance.

'What? I'm sorry, I -'

'Such a pretty tune. Always cheers me up.'

'Indeed.'

To his relief A

He strolled with A

'Good evening, Dr Carriscant.'

His blood stopped and he felt his i

She stood a few yards away, in a long slate-blue dress with a tightly cinched waist. She carried a slim ebony cane with a silver handle. Her hair was piled high on her head in a style he had not seen before, curled and wild. Her eyes were clear and smiling, and the low frilled front of her dress showed her collarbones and the freckled paleness of her chest.

A

'My dear, I don't think you've met Mrs Sieverance.' He presented A

'Mrs Sieverance, I'm glad to see you looking so well.'

'Ah, thanks only to your husband, Mrs Carriscant.'

There was a hellish silence.

'What… I mean, no. Ah, no discomfort? No difficulties in any -'

'Don't worry, Doctor,' she said, smiling. 'The cane, I must confess, is a bit of a luxury. One hates to abandon such a dashing accessory.'

'Yes,' he said, stupidly, seeing her glance at A

'Is your husband here?' A

'He's in Mindanao. They're having trouble, I believe, with the insurrectos.'

He felt he was about to collapse. 'If you'll excuse me, I think I see Chief Bobby there.' He gave a small bow and marched off, leaving them talking. He had not seen Bobby but he made directly for a crowd of people around a buffet table where he drank two more cupfuls of punch and tried to regain his composure. He filled a plate with savoury biscuits shaped in stars to take back to A

'What're these?'

'I thought you might be hungry.'

'No thank you.'

He handed the plate to a passing waiter.

'Very much the Gibson Girl,' A

'Who?'

'Your Mrs Sieverance. She's certainly "got right there" as they say. Must have six inches of hair pads. At least.'

'She's made an excellent recovery.'

'I think that all that untidy hair makes them look like shop girls.'

'To be out and about after an operation of that seriousness is-'

'Vulgar. So American.'

Later, when A

'Hello again, Dr Carriscant.'

He turned to face her. He felt tears sting his eyes. Beyond her he noticed the others glancing over.

'Would you like a-? Can I offer you -?'

She seemed so calm, so controlled. They stood two feet apart. He handed her the punch cup. His hand was trembling and the liquid slopped over the rim.

'You didn't tell me your wife was so attractive. She was very… polite, I thought.'

'It doesn't matter,' he said thickly. 'It's not important. There's nothing between us, nothing, I told you.'

'I was a bit surprised, I must say.'

'I've missed you,' he said in a low voice, trying to look like he was engaged in superficial chitchat. 'I have to see you again. Can you come to the hospital?'

'No. Come to the house, the day after tomorrow. Three in the afternoon. Return my book.'

'I love you,' he said. 'I adore you.'

'I know.' She looked at him, that way, then raised her voice. 'I'll bear that in mind, Dr Carriscant. Thank you.'

He looked round. Paton Bobby, beaming, was striding across the lawn towards them.

'Evening, Doctor, you look almost distinguished. Almost. Evening, Mrs Sieverance.'

They shook hands. It was clear, much to Carriscant's surprise, that Bobby knew her fairly well. Bobby made an appointment to see him the next day and they chatted a while about the situation in Mindanao. After a minute Bobby moved on.

'I must go now,' she said, her eyes big with secret messages.

'Yes,' he said lamely. He felt a thick-tongued dullard. A Cruz semi-mute.

She turned away and sauntered back to her friends. The trembling in Carriscant's legs forced him to move quickly to the low wall that marked the edge of the garden, where he sat down. It was five minutes before he felt able to go and find A