"Marc!" the voice cried. Marc looked up to find Julie bending over him. He was relieved to note that she now appeared fully dressed. "Oh, can you ever forgive me?" Julie said. "It was Mario who suggested I take the jewels to the country--in case he needed them for the portrait. And when we were out by the stream this afternoon...." "Never mind," Marc said. "It's all over now, let's forget it. Will you help me up?" Taking his arm, Julie guided him to his feet. "Look, dear," she said, "couldn't you drive back to the country with me? A few days vacation wouldn't hurt too much, surely. You'd like to, wouldn't you?" "I'd love to," Marc said suddenly. He took her hand in his. "Let's go." "You poor dear," Julie murmured. "I wonder how you stood it, with everyone saying such awful things about you when you really hadn't done anything at all." Together, they left the court and started down the walk toward the convertible. As they left the city and started into the country, Marc pulled the car over to the side of the highway and gave his attention to the drama of the brilliant sunset. "Well," he sighed, "there it goes, the first day of spring." "Thank heavens," Julie said. "Now we can relax and enjoy it." But there was still a question nagging at the back of Marc's mind. "I was just thinking, dear," he said, "about your birthday...." "Birthday!" Julie said. "But that's months away yet!" "But, still," Marc said, "I was wondering what you'd like for a gift. I thought maybe some nice pink lace underwear...." "Pink lace underwear!" Julie said. She began to laugh. "What's so funny?" Marc asked suspiciously. "Darling," Julie said, "don't you remember the pink lace underwear mother gave me for Christmas and how I loathed it? Well, I brought it to the country where it wouldn't matter just so I could wear it out and get rid of it." Marc's relief came to the surface in a smile. "Then pink lace is out, huh?" "Definitely," Julie said. "But if you insist on lingerie, get me something wicked and black. No true siren would ever dream of letting herself be caught in pink." Marc reached across the seat and drew her close to him. "In the spring time," he said, "a young man's likely to get fancy." The sun, on the horizon, slid conveniently out of sight and was gone. As it did, a breeze blew lightly through the car and somewhere, it seemed, there was laughter.