Then, just as he neared the open French door, he slowed and seemed to deliberately unwind himself, straightening to his full height as he took in a deep breath, his expression clearing to one of urbane blandness before he passed into the ballroom.

She gave him just enough time to cross to the centre of the room before stepping inside behind him, determined to steal in unnoticed on the heels of his arrival. Jemimah reached her seat as Sonja met her debonair brother with an expression of delight and a light embrace and was settled back in her place before he turned to greet the women gathered around the table.

The whole atmosphere of the room had tangibly changed with his entrance, as though his presence had electrified the very air. All of the women seemed to glow brighter, speak more boldly, laugh more loudly.

If Jemimah hadn't seen Derek outside, she would have been convinced he was a man without a care in the world by the way he instantly owned the room with sparkling charisma and assured confidence.

"You know almost everyone," Sonja included the room in her comment. "However, Jemimah Parker is new to the working party and new to the Plains -- she's a friend of Angie's; Jemimah, my brother Derek as I'm sure you've guessed," she nodded first to Jemimah then gestured towards the young woman opposite, "and I'm not sure if you've already met Natasha at church?"

Derek had glanced toward Jemimah for the merest moment before turning his attention toward Natasha, who visibly bloomed in response to his greeting. Jemimah sighed and subsided back into her chair, not sure if she felt relief or disappointment to have her invisibility so clearly confirmed. Relief, she decided firmly as she watched the rest of the ladies vying for Derek's attention, she was sure she was relieved that it made no difference to anyone whether she was back inside the room or not. No wonder Michael would never notice me in that way either...

After several more minutes of general banter which reminded Jemimah of the noisy tables at restaurants that she was never part of, Sonja commandeered the group to finalise the lists of calls to be made. As the papers were collected up and final notes made, Jemimah looked up just as Sonja turned to her brother and spoke quietly to him under cover of the general din.

"Have you confirmed with Yolanda?"

Anger flashed across Derek's cold blue eyes and blazed for just a moment before it was swiftly erased and replaced by an icily sweet smile, and he replied to his sister with an equally controlled tone. "I can confirm that Yolanda will not be joining us at Minningford again. It transpires that she has other ... commitments."

In that brief moment of unguarded response Jemimah recognised the bitter emotion that had been smouldering in Derek's eyes outside as he'd crossed the courtyard.

Sonja raised her eyebrows and Jemimah saw the wordless comprehension pass between her and her brother as her lips pursed in a silent and sympathetic "O".

Embarrassed to have witnessed this interchange Jemimah quickly dropped her gaze to the table in front of her. Whether Yolanda merely had higher priorities than attending the ball with Derek, or -- as Jemimah suspected from the murderous expression that accompanied his carefully neutral statement -- someone else had become Yolanda's highest priority, he clearly felt the rejection strongly.

Her own heart freshly raw and stinging from her disillusionment over Michael, Jemimah felt deeply sorry for Derek Winslow, no matter how admired and successful he might be. Sonja might have been joking earlier about the awkwardness of finding herself publicly stood up by her date at the Minningford Ball, but this was obviously no laughing matter for her brother. From Angie's description of Yolanda's previous involvement with the balls theirs had not been a short-term relationship either.

"Well, that turns out very providentially," Sonja said brightly and loudly enough to be heard above the other conversations, "I was desperate for a way to have Jemimah join us now that all the tickets are spoken for -- but with Yolanda unavailable on the night and you now free to partner her ..."

A wave of shock and panic crashed over Jemimah. Surely Sonja hadn't spoken her name!

Derek met his sister's outrageous proposal with the blandest acquiescence. "Providential indeed. I'm delighted my change of circumstances can be of service to you."

Alternate waves of hot and cold flooded through Jemimah, Derek's subtle but ironic undertone adding to her horror.

Oblivious to the previous sotto voce exchange between Sonja and Derek, Angie elbowed Jemimah, jolting her out of her frozen shock. "That's great! Did you hear what Sonja just said -- you'll be able to take Yolanda's place and come to the ball after all! And with Derek!"

Jemimah's gaze involuntarily flew up toward Derek, but he had not even turned in her direction. He couldn't possibly want to partner her to the ball.

But Angie was already plotting to make the most of the "providential" circumstance. "We'll have to make sure we're seated together and find a dress for you and --"

Jemimah shook her head at Angie. "No - I'm sure he doesn't mean it," she whispered. "He just isn't saying so in front of everyone."

Derek had obviously just done as she had when Jack had put her on the spot about not wanting to go spotlighting with Jamie. Despite the undercurrent of sarcasm Derek had had the manners and presence of mind to shield Jemimah from the embarrassment of publicly refusing his sister's proposal, and she was grateful to him for that.

She let out a slow breath. Derek however, she was sure, would also have more presence of mind than she'd had in going through with nightmare of spotlighting. Undoubtedly, he would find a quiet way to arrange an honourable escape from this sham arrangement.

"Don't be silly -- he won't back out now!" Angie hissed back, obviously unfazed by the possibility he'd been unwillingly maneuvered into agreeing. "And don't you either! This is going to be so much fun. Imagine sitting at the centre table with Derek and Sonja!"

Jemimah looked up nervously before continuing, assuring herself that in the distraction of another round of drinks being arranged none of the others were listening to their whispered conversation.

"But ... but even if he was serious, I couldn't possibly go as his date."

"Why not?" Angie glared at her incredulously.

"I -- I don't even know him ... how could I --"

Angie rolled her eyes at Jemimah, understanding her meaning. "Don't take everything so seriously. It's not like you're 'going out' with Derek or anything -- it's only being his partner to the ball! The guy I'm going with is just an acquaintance of Sonja's from Sydney that she's lined me up with. For that matter, look at Sonja and Michael. They're not a couple or anything, but they've gone together to the Minningford Ball since it started. They just team up for the event so they have someone to sit with and dance with who won't get the wrong idea."

Angie's words about Michael and Sonja's arrangement fell like a shower of soothing rain on the still smouldering embers of Jemimah's earlier humiliation. Hope, however tenuous, rose in misty threads to cloud her apprehension about Derek and the ball.

Not a couple, Angie had said of Michael and Sonia, but only an arrangement of convenience.

"This way Derek has a partner for the night, " Angie went on, "and since everyone knows he's only taking you because you're on the committee Yolanda won't have a reason to get upset. I mean, he could hardly ask anyone else without risking giving them the wrong impression that he was interested in them. Truly, you'd be doing him a favour."

From the glint in her friend's eyes, Jemimah had a good idea she'd be doing Angie a favour by drawing them into Derek's immediate circle on the night -- not that it was actually going to happen.

She imagined reality playing out with a message from Derek reaching her well after today's committee had gone their separate ways, apologising for a change in plans but hoping she'd understand etcetera etcetera.

But imagine if it didn't play out that way and she was at the ball, dressed up like any one of these beautiful women and partnered by the host himself? The fantasy flickered at the corner of her mind ... of Michael Turnbull seeing her in an entirely different light ... grown up and beautiful and --

Sonja's melodious laugh broke through her daydream and Jemimah glanced up at her, inwardly shaking her head. No, even if there was any chance Derek really would take her to the ball, there was no way she could ever compare to Sonja, or any of these women. Or inspire any feelings other than brotherly interest from Michael.

But still, just being there on the night ...

Jemimah looked up as Sonja handed her a cup of tea that she hadn't even asked for and took a grateful sip. It was perfect -- just the way Michael made it.

The rest of the drinks were handed around and the ball preparations moved forward with surprising swiftness now that Derek was among them. If Sonja was a natural at organising people, Derek had an incredible flair for numbers and details that kept everything in tight order and his utter confidence in decision making inspired enthusiastic agreement across the board.

They did not stop for lunch but worked on as they helped themselves from platters of subs that were brought out from the kitchen accompanied by a few bottles of wine and jugs of fruit-infused sparkling water for the non-drinkers.

Somehow over the next several hours Jemimah found herself volunteered to do the calligraphy for all the place name cards and the seating plan after Angie's testifying "she has such beautiful writing"; folding a hundred serviettes into decorative roses: "you should see the crafts Jemimah does with her class," as well as collating and binding the same amount of menus with matching satin ribbon. And quite surprisingly her own shy suggestion of floating tea lights in small jars of water in the courtyard and around the fountain had been eagerly taken up by the others.

That would be beautiful to see, Jemimah thought wistfully, imaging the play of candlelight on warm sandstone as she quietly gathered up plates and dishes while the others nailed down the final details of the order of events. It was getting late in the afternoon, and long shadows were entering through the French doors and sliding across the glowing floorboards as she carried an armful of crockery through to the kitchen.

She was glad to step out of the noisy room for a while, especially as the business of the day wound up and the conversation moved into a social sphere she was no part of. She was rinsing the cups when she heard Derek's voice in the ballroom within earshot of the kitchen.

"Here, I'll take those," he was saying, the clink of crockery following his words. "Now that girl you tried to finagle me into taking --"

"Jemimah," Sonja's voice supplied in a quiet but masterful tone, "Jemimah Parker. Now be nice -- she is the sweetest little thing."

"Be nice? Aren't I always?" came his mocking rejoinder.

Jemimah turned the taps on harder as she heard his footsteps approach the kitchen so he wouldn't suspect she'd inadvertently heard that exchange with his sister.

Here it comes, she braced herself, heart pounding. A little sooner than expected but probably better to get it over with. Derek had done well to find an opportunity to let her down in private, though that had been the last thing on her mind when she'd escaped with the dishes.

"My apologies, but I've brought you some more," Derek announced his entry into the room, a smile in his voice.

Mastering the desire to keep her back to him, Jemimah forced herself to turn around and face him bravely. He was tall, significantly taller than Michael, and the contrast made her feel even smaller and less mature than usual.

"Thank you," she said with a tiny smile, taking the crockery from his hands and adding it to the sink.

"And you're Jemimah, aren't you?"

"Yes." Another nervous glance up at him, worried that the suspense was going to kill her.

"I just wanted to apologise to you for my sister putting you on the spot about accompanying me to the ball," he began, his dark ink-blue eyes appearing to soften with sincerity.

He is smooth, Jemimah thought, her admiration of his adroit handling of the awkward situation slightly lessening her embarrassment.

"She's a very fond sister and was trying to do me a favour, but it was not fair for you to be pressured into this arrangement."

"Thank you, that is very kind," another shy smile and a nod and she turned back to the sink, not entirely sure if it the interview was nearly over or not. Somehow, he had turned uninviting her into an act of generous consideration, but she sincerely wished he'd hurry up with the coup de grâce.

"While I would naturally be honoured by your company, I would feel dreadful for you being made at all uncomfortable on the evening. I'm not sure you if are aware but this event is not a ball in name only; it is very much a traditional ball in which the focus is on the ballroom dancing and-"

Really? Her own sense of irony tickled, Jemimah was unable to resist peeping over her shoulder at him. "I kind of got that impression from the program ..."

"Of course," Derek acknowledged her point with a tilt of his head. After all, the group had been discussing the order of the night’s events for the last hour. He recovered smoothly. "Then you understand you'd need to be very confident with quite a variety of dances. Have you much experience with ballroom dancing?"

Faced with a direct question in one of her very few areas of competency, Jemimah answered without thinking, "Oh, yes."

He raised his black eyebrows, an inscrutable smile on his lips. "That's settled then -- I'll look forward to seeing you on the night," he paused momentarily as though trying to recall something, then added, "Jemimah."

And, before Jemimah quite realised what had just happened, he was gone.