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This illustration was made at the ball by a local French artist whom the French Consul had employed to make a record of the night's celebration for the ball. Seated at the far end are the British Ambassador and Mrs Charles Worthington.Evening of the 20th, 1900 hours
Later that evening, the Corps' officers were invited by the French Consul to a ball in honour of Anglo-French relations. All of French and British Alexandrian society were there , as well as a smattering of Egyptian government officials, judiciary and wealthier merchants. Among the latter I noted a couple of familiar faces from my little sojourn earlier in the day.
I was introduced by Major-General Basilworth to the niece of the British Ambassador and Mrs Charles Worthington, a Miss Leonara Godaire, who was sailing on another vessel, from the Orient Line, currently docked in Alexandria. She was on her way to Australia and her uncle and aunt were escorting her there to take up residence in the town of Katoomba, in a region west of Sydney known as the Blue Mountains.
Intrigued by her ravishing beauty, I requested a number of dances on her dance card, even though I had not been prepared to admit that I had scant knowledge of some of the dance styles. Fortunately for me, Miss Godaire was a very popular partner for the night and, by chance, had saved for me those dances of which I was a master bar none. Perhaps still dreaming a little of the ghawarzee from Cafe Masmoudi, I proceeded to elegantly twirl the lady around the floor to an arousingly magical Strauss waltz, as I engaged her in light conversation about my plans for camel breeding once I retired from the Royal Camel Corps. She seemed to be exceedingly amused by my arguments for manually applied insemination of the female.
However, having noticed in her purse a small bottle labelled Ether, I enquired of her as to what might be its purpose. She whispered in my ear that she had been prescribed its use, to help her 'moods', by her Swiss private physician. But she said that she sometimes took too large a dose, as was now probably the case.
In light of this, I pondered this revelation for the rest of the night, having been thrown into confusion as to the true nature of her previous converse. The ball's gaiety faded into the night and we bid our farewells to new friends and old. I thanked the Ambassador and his wife for the privilege of escorting their lovely niece around the ballroom floor. I bowed to a mutedly giggling Miss Godaire, who proceeded to exclaim loudly that she would save all her dance card spots for me should I ever come to Katoomba. I blushed as the Ambassador glared reprimandingly at me probably thinking of all the possible breaches of etiquette regarding his niece's virtue that may have occurred during the evening. I quickly realised that his understanding of the true effects of his ward's medicinal prescription was severely limited. Aware thus, I acceded a very reserved "Perhaps!" to the lady as I backed slowly out the door.
