“I saw her once

Hop forty paces through the public street;

And having lost her breath, she spoke, and panted,

That she did make defect perfection, And, breathless, power breathe forth.”

‘That’s why I’ve made her fall off her horse and come hopping up the lane.’

‘Was he sort of kinky?’

‘Certainly not,’ Marcus interrupted.

‘Well, I only wondered. Gloves and everything.’

‘Listen, darling. Here you are. Laughing and out of breath –’

‘And hopping. Honestly!’

‘All right,’ said Marcus. ‘We know what you mean but listen. You’re marvellous. Your colour’s coming and going and your bosom’s heaving. He has an entirely normal reaction, Destiny darling. You send him. You do see, don’t you? You send me.’

‘With my hopping?’

‘Yes,’ he said irritably. ‘That and all the rest of it. Come on, darling, do. Make your entrance to me.’

‘Yes, Destiny,’ Peregrine said. ‘Destiny, listen. You’re in a velvet habit with your bosom exposed, a little plumed hat and soft little boots and you’re lovely, lovely, lovely. And young Dr Hall has gone out to help you and is supporting you. Charles – come and support her. Yes: like that. Leave her as free as possible. Now: the door opens and we see you. Fabulous. You’re in a shaft of sunlight. And he sees you. Shakespeare does. And you speak. Right? Right, Destiny? You say – Go on, dear.’

‘Here I come upon your privacy, Master Shakespeare, hopping over your doorstep like a starling.’

‘Yes, and at once, at that very moment you know you’ve limed him.’

‘Limed?’

‘Caught.’

‘Am I keen?’

‘Yes. You’re pleased. You know he’s famous. And you want to show him off to W. H. You come forward, Marco, under compulsion, and offer your help. Staring at her. And you go to him, Destiny, and skip and half-fall and fetch up laughing and clinging to him. He’s terribly, terribly still. Oh, yes, Marco, yes. Dead right. Wonderful. And Destiny, darling, that’s right. You know? It’s right. It’s what we want.’

‘Can I sit down or do I keep going indefinitely panting away on his chest?’

‘Look into his face. Give him the whole job. Laugh. No, not that sort of laugh, dear. Not loud. Deep down in your throat!’

‘More sexy?’

‘Yes,’ Peregrine said and ran his hands through his hair. ‘That’s right. More sexy.’

‘And then I sit down?’

‘Yes. He helps you down. Centre. Hall pushes the chair forward. Charles?’

‘Could it,’ Marcus intervened, ‘be left-of-centre, dear boy? I mean I only suggest it because it’ll be easier for Dessy and I think it’ll make a better picture,’ Marcus said. ‘I can then put her down. Like this.’ He did so with infinite grace and himself occupied the centre stage.

‘I think I like it better the other way, Marco, darling. Could we try it the other way, Perry? This feels false, a bit, to me.’