HIS MUSE
d as to why he
asked, "have I co
might as well get it over with.I've
she squeaked.Then she followed th
the antique pine table.He straightened slowly,seeing shock and di
sed to swirl in a string when he was a kid,whi
er instantly,the d
" he said formally,moving his hand round the co
the hand in hers,liking the s
ight,the unrevealing slate-grey eyes set over high cheekbones,hi
t the tenor of her thoughts an
re quickly than polite, "The danc
a danc
al,the name on the prog
odie said,and did not ask if had liked the perform
he five days that had passed since the recital his dreams had been haunted by this woman,ev
have gone the re
e opportunity to decline the
ance re
recital" Ben replied wi
eadband,running his fingers
never been to a dance re
ill be a new experience for you,but Susannah's cooking d
favorite,as both Ben an
or dinner,then clean up the dishe
in with a bland smile,
was fit and tanned, his crop of silver hair and luxuriant white moustache look
ncing?",Willia
two years ago,to take over as artistic director of Oceans Dance.According to Su
usannah thinks this young woman and I have
ard his wife gave up trying to influence W
well as you know-and not that there was ever much to influence" Ben said crisply. "
re two people he loved in this world,one was Ben and the other Susa
All right,I'll drop the subject.
a small shoosh of air
ecital is at eight
then headed for the men's changing room,loosening the black belt knotte
d then it was the turn of the unimaginative named Jodie Scott-Davies.By now,Williams was cu
re in centre stage.The music started,something subtle and impressionistic,w
nt.And Williams,who had come prepared to be thoroughly bore
d skin,while her copper-coloured hair bore a coronet if leaves.In a series of
the slow,tangled crash of the severed trunk to the forest floor.The sap bled.The tree died.She lay stretched out on the floor,all motion frozen,all vitality gone. The spotlight faded,lea
-clad figure that was just only a woman,a woman bowing