Remarkable Creatures

Mary hesitated. Perhaps if she'd realised I was watching she wouldn't have done what she did next. 'No, sir,' she said. 'Nothing. I just--' She let slip her hammer, which fell with a clang to rest. 'Sorry, sir, I've come over a little dizzy. It must be the sun. Could you fetch my hammer for me?'

'Of course.' Colonel Birch bent to pick it up, froze, then dropped to his knees. He glanced up at Mary, as if trying to read her face.

'Have you found something, sir?'

'Do you know, I think I have, Mary!'

'That's a dorsal vertebra, isn't it? See, sir, if you measure it you can tell how long your creature is. For every inch in diameter the ichie is five feet in length. This is about an inch and a half in diameter, so the creature would be about eight feet long. Look round and see if you can uncover other parts of it in the ledge. Here, use my hammer.'

She was giving the ichthyosaurus to him, and he knew it. I turned away, disgusted. While they excitedly traced the outline of the creature in the ledge, I busied myself knocking open random rocks, just to keep myself busy, until they called to me to come and see Colonel Birch's find. I could barely look at it, which was a shame, for it was perhaps the finest ichthyosaurus Mary ever found, and it is always an impressive sight to see one embedded in its natural environment before it is cut out of the stone.

However, I had to put on a civil face and congratulate him. 'Well done, Colonel Birch,' I said. 'It will make a fascinating addition to your collection.' I allowed the slightest hint of sarcasm into my voice, but it was lost on them both, for Colonel Birch had taken Mary into his arms and was swinging her about as if they were at an Assembly Rooms ball.

They spent the next two weeks having the Day brothers dig out the ichthyosaurus, and cleaning it back at the workshop, with Mary doing the delicate work to make it presentable. She worked so hard on it her eyes went red. I did not visit while she prepared it, for I did not want to be caught in the close quarters of the workshop with Colonel Birch. Indeed, I avoided him as best I could. Not well enough, however.

One afternoon Margaret convinced me to play cards at the Assembly Rooms. I did not go often, for it was full of young ladies and men courting, and mothers watching the proceedings. The select friends I had made in Lyme were of a more cerebral nature, like young Henry De La Beche or Doctor Carpenter and his wife. We usually met at one another's houses rather than at the Assembly Rooms. But Margaret wanted a partner, and insisted.

In the middle of a game Colonel Birch walked in. Of course I noticed him immediately, and he me--he caught my eye before I could look away, and came straight over. Trapped by my cards, I responded to his greeting with as little expression as possible, though that did not stop him from standing over me and chatting with onlookers. The other players looked at me with amused surprise, and I began to play badly. As soon as I was able I feigned a headache and got up from the table. I had hoped Colonel Birch would take my place, but instead he followed me to the bay window, where we both looked out to sea. A ship was sailing past, about to dock at the Cobb.

'That

is

the

Unity,' Colonel Birch said. 'I am having the ichthyosaurus shipped on it to London when it leaves tomorrow.'

Despite not wanting to engage in conversation, I could not help myself. 'Has Mary done with her work on the specimen, then?'

'It's set in its frame, and just this afternoon she put a plaster skim around it to finish it. It should be dry later, and she'll pack it up.'

'But you are not going on the Unity yourself?' I was not sure if I wanted him to stay or go, but I had to know.

'I will go up by coach, stopping first at Bath and Oxford to see friends.'

'Now that you have what you came for, I suppose there is no reason to stay on.'

Hard as I tried to keep it steady, my voice wavered. I did not add that his haste to depart after securing his treasure was in poor taste. Instead I kept my eyes on the waves that chopped and swayed under the window, for the tide was high. I could feel Colonel Birch's eyes on me, but I did not turn to face him. My cheeks were flushed.

'I have very much enjoyed our conversations, Miss Philpot,' he said. 'I shall miss them.'

I turned then and looked at him direct.

'Your eyes are very dark today,' he added. 'Dark and honest.'