commissioning a print dealer to find you a print to hang on a particular wall.'
Mary shot me an annoyed look, for such rudeness was unlike me, but Colonel Birch laughed. 'As it happens, I
'Of course, sir!'
'You will have to ask her mother and brother for permission,' I said. 'It wouldn't be appropriate otherwise.' I couldn't hold back barbed comments.
'Oh, that don't matter--they'll say yes,' Mary put in.
'Of course I will speak to your family,' Colonel Birch said. 'You have nothing to fear from me, Mary--nor you, Miss--'
'Philpot.' Of course he assumed I was a spinster. Would a married lady be out on the beach, far from home, hunting for fossils? I stooped to pick up something from the sand. It was just a bit of beef shaped like one of the paddle bones of an ichthyosaurus, but I paid it more attention than it was due so that I wouldn't have to look at Colonel Birch.
'Let's go back and ask Mam now,' Mary suggested.
'Mary, we were going to Seatown, don't you remember?' I reminded her. 'To look for brittle stars and sea lilies. If you go back to Lyme we'll have to give up the day.'
Colonel Birch cut in. 'I could accompany you to Seatown. That's rather a long way for ladies to go on their own, isn't it?'
'Seven miles,' I snapped. 'We're certainly capable of walking that far. We do it all the time. We'll get the coach back at the end.'
'I shall see you to the coach,' Colonel Birch declared. 'I would not want it on my conscience to leave you two ladies undefended.'
'We don't need--'
'Oh, thank you, Colonel Birch, sir!' Mary interrupted.
'Sea lilies, did you say?' Colonel Birch said. 'I have some lovely specimens of pentacrinites myself. I'll show you sometime, if you like. They're back at my hotel in Charmouth.'
I frowned at the impropriety of his suggestion. Mary's judgement, however, had fallen away. 'I'd like to see them,' she said. 'And I've other crinoids back home you be welcome to look at, sir. Crinoids and ammos, and bits of croc- ichthyosaurus, and all sorts.' The girl was enamoured with him already. I shook my head and stalked off down the beach, my head lowered, pretending to hunt, though I was walking too fast to find anything. After a moment they followed.
'What is a brittle star?' Colonel Birch asked. 'I have not heard of such a thing.'
'It's shaped like a star, sir,' Mary explained. 'The centre is marked with the outline of a flower with five petals, and a long, wavy leg extends off each petal. It's hard to find one with all five legs intact. I've had a collector ask specially for one that's not broken. That's why we've come this far. Normally I stay between Lyme and Charmouth, by Black Ven and off the ledges by town.'
'Is that where you have found the ichthyosauri?'
'There, and one along Monmouth Beach, just to the west of Lyme. But there might be some along here. I just haven't looked here for them. Have you seen an ichthyosaurus, sir?'
'No, but I've read about them, and seen drawings.'
I
snorted.
'I am here for the summer to expand my fossil collection, Mary, and I hope you will be able to help--There!' Colonel Birch stopped. I turned to look. He reached down and picked up a bit of crinoid.
'Very good, sir,' Mary said. 'I was just going to have a look at that, but you beat me to it.'
He held it out to her. 'It is for you, Mary. I would not deprive you of such a lovely specimen. It is my gift to you.'
