“Oh, thank you, Colonel Birch, sir!” Mary interrupted ‘Sea lilies, did you say?” Colonel Birch said “I have some lovely specimens of pentacrinites myself I’ll show you sometime, if you like They’re back at my hotel in Charmouth.” I frowned at the impropriety of his suggestion Mary’s judgement, however, had fallen away “I’d like to see them,” she said “And I’ve other crinoids back home you be welcome to look at, sir Crinoids and ammos, and bits of crocichthyosaurus, and all sorts.” The girl was enamoured with him already I shook my head and stalked off down the beach, my head lowered, pretending to hunt, though I was walking too fast to find anything After a moment they followed “What is a brittle star?” Colonel Birch asked “I have not heard of such a thing.” “It’s shaped like a star, sir,” Mary explained “The centre is marked with the outline of a flower with five petals, and a long, wavy leg extends off each petal It’s hard to find one with all five legs intact I’ve had a collector ask specially for one that’s not broken That’s why we’ve come this far Normally I stay between Lyme and Charmouth, by Black Ven and off the ledges by town.” “Is that where you have found the ichthyosauri?” “There, and one along Monmouth Beach, just to the west of Lyme But there might be some along here I just haven’t looked here for them Have you seen an ichthyosaurus, sir?” “No, but I’ve read about them, and seen drawings.” I snorted “I am here for the summer to expand my fossil collection, Mary, and I hope you will be able to help—There!” Colonel Birch stopped I turned to look He reached down and picked up a bit of crinoid “Very good, sir,” Mary said “I was just going to have a look at that, but you beat me to it.” He held it out to her “It is for you, Mary I would not deprive you of such a lovely specimen It is my gift to you.” It was indeed a fine specimen, fanning out like the lily it was named for “Oh no, sir, it’s yours,” Mary said “You found it I could never take it from you.” Colonel Birch took her hand, laid the crinoid in it and closed her fingers around it “I insist, Mary.” He held his hand over her fist and looked at her “Did you know crinoids are not plants as they appear, but creatures?” “Really, sir?” Mary was staring into his eyes Of course she knew about crinoids I had taught her I stepped forward “Colonel Birch, I must ask you to show proper respect or