Gerda Charles

The Destiny Waltz

Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1971.

Regent's Park was only a stone's throw away. Thoroughly urban, only really at home with bricks and paving stones, the only park or open space he had ever liked, indeed not actively disliked was Regent's Park; perhaps because of its entirely civilized, urbane quality. Even now, at this low point of the year horticulturally speaking the park was entirely charming, as elegant as a duchess in the delicate, grey chiffon air of the bland February afternoon. There was something about it wonderfully reminiscent of old postcards of Edwardian spa life, of ladies in swathed, ankle-length skirts strolling in warm twilights to music from round band-stands. Entranced, Jimmy walked and walked, keeping all the time the presence of Michele at his side to whom he talked and talked

The sudden realization that he is in love has brought Jimmy Marchant into the park to think things over.

She might have been made to order for him, he thought, sitting on a bench and gazing across the dreaming, misty lake - like the silken simplicity of a Chinese painting - to the vista beyond

Musing on their contrasting circumstances, doubts creep in and 'he sank into a resentful questioning pain;' but not for long. 'He opened his eyes and gradually the grey, pure February afternoon and the calm charm of the peaceful lake smoothed him back to his previous condition of marvelling, happy discovery of Michele and what she meant to him'.