But Sabina was not quite ready for the evening to end.

“Matthew,” she whispered, “come with me!”

With a look to his father as if to say, I’ll be back in a minute or two… I think! he followed Sabina down the corridor to the right, past the guest rooms. He followed as Sabina climbed the library stairs.

Emerging next to the armory, she led the way along the silent darkened hallways into the mysterious east wing. As the corridors narrowed, he fell into step dose behind her. Neither said a word. In a few moments, Matthew knew exactly where they were.

Sabina stopped.

She turned and faced Matthew. The small light she held in her hand was just barely enough that they could see one another’s faces.

“This is one of my favorite times and favorite places,” she said. “I’ve come here alone so many times, but have never had anyone to share it with. But now… I can’t think of anyone I would rather share it with… than you.”

“I am honored,” said Matthew seriously, looking deeply into the eyes he could only barely make out in the darkness. It was perhaps good that there was not more light, for both of their hearts were pounding inside them, and the expressions on their faces would probably have revealed more than either knew they wanted to tell.

Already Matthew suspected why they were here, for he could hear an occasional peal of thunder behind the door in front of which Sabina stood.

Just a moment more she stood gazing into his face, then she turned and opened the door.

The sudden rush of the stormy midnight greeted them with all its windy fury.

They stepped out onto the balcony.

The storm had continued its westward move, but occasional lingering flashes of lightning, followed now by distant rumbling, continued. The wind was fierce, and huge pellets of rain slammed down onto the stone floor of the balcony with such force as to be audible.

“Stand here!” shouted Sabina above the din. “With your back up to the wall on the side of the door. See, you won’t get wet!”

Matthew obeyed. They stood side by side for perhaps five minutes, saying nothing, enjoying the fierce display of the elements.

“But the storm is moving toward us,” said Matthew all at once. “Why is the wall protecting us against the rain? The wind should be blowing the other direction.”

“I asked Papa that once,” returned Sabina. “It is something about the circular motion of the wind within the storm blowing one direction on the ground, while higher up in the atmosphere the whole storm is moving in the opposite direction. I don’t understand it, but here it is… whatever the reason—we’re dry like this!”

Again they stood, side by side, both their hands beside them.