'For a living?' He shrugged. 'Landed gentry, I expect. Why do you ask?'

'Just wondering.'

We entered the large, dark-panelled room and I saw many familiar faces among the diners, but my attention was instantly arrested by the liberal sprinkling of women in glittery evening dress scattered among the tables. It was Ladies Night-the Old Stag hosted them on occasion – consequently, there were fewer tables available than usual, and most of them sported lighted candles. I spied a small empty table near the sideboard, and made my way to it. Some of the older members were already at the cheese.

I made to seat myself, whereupon Angus took one look at my selection, and said, 'Won't do, I'm afraid. Won't do at all. Let's try this one over here.'

He moved to a nearby table-set for four and with unlighted candles. 'This one is reserved,' I pointed out as he drew out his chair.

'It is, yes,' he agreed, sitting down. 'For us.'

'You reserved a table for us?'

'I did, yes. I have a surprise for you.' He gawked around the room. 'I hope it hasn't got hung up somewhere.'

'I'm intrigued,' I said. 'Tell me more.'

'All in good time.'

A white-jacketed waiter appeared to inform us of the evening's selections and then departed, leaving us to our contemplation of the club's estimable and extensive wine list.

'You know, there was something else,' I said, leaning forward conspiratorially.

'Something else? What are you babbling about?'

'You said you had been waiting for a cab for half an hour. That's not the kind of thing anyone else could know about, is it?'

'Not unless they were with me, naturally.'

'Naturally,' I conceded. 'But Pemberton knew. He also knew I was waiting for you.'

'You must have told him.'

'On the contrary. He told me. "You are a friend of young McTavot, I believe." He said it just like that, and I said I was waiting for you.'

'There you are, you see?'

'And then he informed me that you would be detained a few minutes, and that we might as well have a chat.'

'Well, you said yourself you were waiting for me. Anyone could see I was delayed.'

'Not delayed? I told him firmly. 'Detained-that was the exact word. It made me think that he had… well, arranged it somehow.'

'Nonsense,' he scoffed. 'I was waiting for a cab, and trying-'

'Yes? Trying to what?'

'Never you mind,' he said evasively. 'Anyway, why would old Pemberton wish to detain me?'

'So he and I could talk.'

'He could talk to you anytime he wanted,' Angus laughed. 'He didn't have to arrange anything. You must have taken it all the wrong way.'

'Possibly,' I conceded, 'although I don't see why he -

Before I could finish, Angus shot out of his chair and stood to rigid attention, beaming like a cherub. I turned to see what he was looking at and saw two absolutely stunning young women entering the dining room. Led by the head waiter, they were causing conversations to hush and heads to turn as they passed: one dark haired and slim, the other with long auburn locks, slightly taller, and with a fuller, more rounded figure, they were gorgeous in glimmering satin. Moreover, they were making right for us.

Angus intercepted the dark-haired one in two bounds, thanking the waiter and guiding her towards the table in one sweeping motion. 'Libby, darling! You look ravishing.'

So this was Libby. I had heard the name often enough-Angus was perpetually writing to this certain someone on the continent-but I had no idea she had returned from her travels, nor imagined that Angus might have known anyone of such dazzling description.

Turning to me, he said, 'May I present to you, my fiance, Elizabeth Gowan, and her cousin, Caitlin Charmody.' He smiled as the auburn lovely offered her hand to me. 'Ladies, I give you my oldest and dearest friend, Gordon Murray.'

He made it sound as if we had known one another for several lifetimes, but if the slight exaggeration secured the benefit of the alluring creatures' company even for a moment, who was I to complain? 'Ladies, I am charmed.' Raising the young woman's hand, I brushed it gallantly with my lips. 'I am very happy to meet you, Miss Charmody.'

'I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Mister Murray,' she purred in a low, melodious voice.

'Allow me.' Leaning close, I withdrew her chair. Her delicate perfume filled my senses with delicious hints of exotic nectar, and I instantly wondered what it would be like to kiss her. 'Angus said he had a surprise for me, and I am delighted to say it is indeed a surprise – and of the most agreeable kind.'

That was probably the last rational thing I said that night, I fear. For, at the ladies' appearance, the waiter produced a bucket of chilled champagne and we all drank a toast to the public announcement of Angus and Elizabeth's wedding engagement, much to the amusement of all the members looking on.

Thus the evening passed in a brilliant haze of candlelight, perfume, wine and laughter. When we rose to leave, the dining room was dark and everyone else, including the waiters, had long ago departed. We walked along the river then, we four, and we must have walked for hours. I cannot think what I said, but the russet-haired beauty on my arm seemed to hang on every word, so I spoke just to keep her there, dreading the moment when we would part. I talked like a blithering fool to forestall the impending disaster.

But the moment would not be held off forever, and we said good-night, and then Angus bundled the ladies into a carriage, paid the driver, and sent them off. I stood in the street, bereft, watching the love of my life fade into the foggy mist. I felt as if life itself- at least any life hereafter worth living-had been cruelly torn from me. To make matters worse, it suddenly occurred to me that I had allowed her to leave without arranging to call on her again, or securing even a fragment of her address.

Angus, awash in love and benevolence, took one look at my face and said, 'Cheer up, old son. You'll see her again.'

'When?' I said, my voice a miserable bleat in the night.

'Why, tomorrow, I should think. We're all going out to Queen's Ferry for a Sunday picnic. It's all arranged. Have you forgotten?'

'All of us? You mean-I thought it was just you and Lizzy -'

'Libby.'

'All of us? Really? I thought… but that's just fantastic. It's tremendous!'

'Steady on.' He laid a hand to my arm. 'Come along, then.' He started off down the street. 'Let's see if we can find one more damned elusive cab.'

Thus, the two most significant events of my life occurred on the same evening. Within moments of each other, two meetings took place-Pemberton, and Miss Caitlin Charmody-meetings which were to alter the entire course of my life, the first no less than the second.