Colin’s mother only stayed with them for a moment, after suggesting they try the trifle which she said was lovely, as the strawberries were fresh, and “Be sure,” she added softly, “to add extra whipped cream. I’m so happy,” she added, “that Colin has found two friends.” And then she bustled off, leaving behind the slightest scent of a light perfume, as she walked back into the living room where the dancing was in full swing.

The trifle was delicious and so were the chocolates and the butterscotch candy that Colin made Tess try, even though she was quite full. Colin didn’t eat anything, at all, saying he’d had dinner earlier in the kitchen.

He led them into the living room, too, where Tess had a lovely view of the dancers, who were wild and skilled and elegant at the same time, effortlessly performing back dips and over the shoulder moves, one young gentleman lifting his partner and practically tossing her over his shoulder and then sliding her back, gracefully onto the ground, which required both to perform their moves in perfect step with one another. There was a little bit of tap dancing here and there. Some of the dancers seemed as if they were trained. It occurred to Tess that maybe everyone in England took dancing lessons when they were a kid.

Colin introduced them to his sister, too, whose name was Elizabeth and who was eight. And, as the music crescendoed at exactly that moment, Colin playfully took Elizabeth’s hand and gave her a tiny bit of a dance spin in the room, which despite her age she pulled off rather elegantly. And then laughing, Colin took Tess’s hand and gave her a spin, too, which she executed brilliantly. But he was a very good dancer. It only lasted a minute, as the music ended.

On the other side of the dance floor, there was a line of people waiting to talk to a young woman who was seated behind a table. She, too, had pin curls and she was wearing white satin ballet slippers and a lovely, white satin dress with sleeves that puffed like a princess’s. Her eyes were dark and she was sitting in a wing-backed chair in front of a small mahogany side table that had been placed in front of her. On the other side of the table was another chair that was presently occupied by a tall young gentleman, who was holding his right hand out, palm up for the young woman to see.

“That’s Adele,” said Colin quietly. “She’s a ‘seer.’” And then he added almost in a whisper, “My mother believes in ‘seers’ and so do most of her friends.”