“But it wasn’t tied back now, this hair. No, it was a wealth of gorgeous waves and curls, tumbled down over the stranger’s shoulders. And it was perfectly obvious from the taut cut of the mysterious stranger’s black satin vest that the mysterious stranger had large full breasts. But the rest of the black tie ensemble of dinner jacket and trousers indicated a man’s body, and indeed the mysterious stranger, despite having glowing skin and rouged lips, was about six feet tall and did have a rather firm jaw.

“Was this a man? Was this a woman? I had no idea.

“And whatever it was, it sat there—sideways on the chair, with its right arm on the high back and its long legs comfortably in front of it and its left hand in its lap—challenging me with its silence, with its sly smile, as Aunt Queen reached for that slack hand, saying:

“ ‘Quinn darling, come here and meet Petronia. She’s brought me the most exquisite cameos, and she made them herself.’

“Shock. Heart-pounding shock. Fury and delirium combined in me as never before.

“ ‘The pleasure’s all mine, Petronia,’ I said. I felt all the liquor I’d drunk rising in me again. ‘But you are very beautiful, let me be so bold as to tell you. Having seen you twice or thrice by moonlight, before this moment, I could only guess.’

“ ‘How generous of you,’ she answered me, and I heard exactly the voice I’d heard in my ear last night, hushed and soft. Of course it was female. Or was it? ‘And you, just come from your red-haired vixen,’ she went on. ‘One would have expected to find you quite blinded by her light.’

“ ‘She’s not a vixen in any sense,’ I declared, my face burning. ‘But don’t let me be wearisome defending her. It’s a pleasure that you and I are now properly introduced.’

“She turned, laughing under her breath to Aunt Queen.

“ ‘He is quite the versatile gentleman,’ she said. She looked back at me, the eyes flashing. ‘I rather thought I would like you if we came to really know each other. And do stop trying to determine if I am a man or a woman. The fact is I’m a good part both and therefore neither one. I was just explaining to your Aunt Queen. I was born endowed with the finest traits of both sexes and I drift this way and that as I choose.’

“Nash had brought a chair for me to join the circle. Jasmine had poured the champagne in my tulip glass. I sat down across from this spectacle, this creature, and I felt Goblin take hold of my shoulder.

“ ‘Caution, Quinn,’ he said to me. And well he might because I was dangerously feverish of mind and soul and once again drunk. I was appalled by what was happening and monstrously exhilarated.