The Marquis thought that the beer and the cider had certainly contributed to the gaiety of the evening.
There was no sign of Flora.
He walked down as far as the swings but the smaller children were not there. He thought that she must have taken them into one of the tents.
Slowly he began to retrace his steps.
Then there was a whizz and a bang and the first firework shed a hundred shining stars over the lake.
It was followed by another and yet another.
Now the children were shouting with delight and even some of the older people were joining in. This was what they had been waiting for.
The Marquis thought that with the moon shining above and the sky full of stars nothing could look more glamorous.
However he still could not find Flora. He looked into both the tents which were now em
