In the darkened hush of the museum, Dexter suddenly heard a scuffling. He looked up quickly and caught a glimpse of a girl, vaguely familiar, disappearing towards the upper galleries. His attention was drawn by the fact that in spite of the warmth of an early spring she was wrapped in a heavy looking coat - possibly this was why she had an uncomfortable and harried expression. After a moment he made the connection; she was the girl from Annabel’s Sandwich Shop who’d unaccountably caught the attention of Rob Croft – they’d seemed pretty much inseparable for the last year or so, but no one in the MCR knew if they were actually going out. She was a funny girl, stand-offish and sarcastic – probably out of her depth in the Keble social scene. Presumably she had a name, but if he’d been told it, he hadn’t taken note.
As it happened, Dexter had more important things to occupy him. Across the hall, a fair-haired, serious looking girl was making notes on a collection of Inuit costumes and artefacts. As she looked up, narrowing her eyes in contemplation, Dexter caught her gaze and then quickly looked away, feigning interest in a collection of antique ivories. A little later, as the girl snapped her notebook shut and walked briskly towards the exit, Dexter too wandered out, and quietly, cat-like, followed her down the road towards the University Parks.

Once through the gates, he took the path in the opposite direction, keeping her in sight across lawns scattered with small groups sitting in the sunshine or playing impromptu three-a-side football. Eventually, as she swung in towards the centre of the park, he mirrored her, and after a minute or two they came face to face in the middle of the path. Dexter faltered and paused, his expression a picture of surprised pleasure, but, oddly, the answering look of surprise was absent from the pale girl’s face. She raised an eyebrow.

‘You were just in the Pitt Rivers. I saw you skulking about like a restless exhibit.’

‘Yes,’ said Dexter cheerfully, ‘What an amazing coincidence – I noticed you too. Inuits, terribly interesting – and such a sadly oppressed people. I’m Dexter, by the way.’

‘Nice to meet you, Dexter,’ replied the girl, smiling faintly. ‘I’m Eleanor. Perhaps you’d like to buy me a drink?’

 

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