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