One thing he did know was that he had a terrible headache. "Nothing a good country breakfast can’t fix." he thought.
After breakfast Chris decided to go for a walk in the castle grounds to clear his head. He took his lute with and picked on the strings as he walked. As though some kind of magic had befallen him, the tune started to fall into place. In his head he could hear the words forming. It seemed as though the dream had done some good after all!
By lunchtime he was sure he could write his song and it would be a good one, too. A real epic tale. He couldn’t wait to put it on paper and once back at the castle he immediately phoned Pat to tell him the good news.
All afternoon he was writing the notes and trying the tune, fitting the words and singing the melody until it was done. He was exhausted from concentration and mental exertion.
"Christopher, you need to unwind properly," his mother said, finding him in the drawing room having a glass of wine with his father. "There’s a dance in the village tonight. Maybe you’d like to go and see if you meet any of your old friends. You haven’t seen them since you left high school."
"Yes, I think that’s a good idea, mum. I’ll go and get cleaned up so long."
After a lovely home-cooked supper, Chris made his way to the village to the dance. It would be nice to see some of his old friends again. He thought back to his school days, when they went fishing after school together or having fun on the beach in the holidays. Sometimes he really missed those days...
It was really full in the town hall. There were so many people; it was as though the whole district was there. Chris went in and tried to make his way through the crowd to the bar to get something to drink. He didn’t see anyone he knew. Most probably his old friends had all left and gone to the cities like he did, to study or work.
As he approached the bar, he saw a lovely looking girl standing with her back toward him chatting to a whole group of guys. They seemed to be hanging onto her every word, as though they were looking for a little romance, given half a chance. He was intrigued. So he leaned forward gently and spoke softly in her ear, "can I buy you a drink?"
She swung around and her beauty took his breath away! "Certainly," she said, "I could do with one."
So Chris ordered himself a whisky and for her a glass of wine and they looked for an empty space so they could talk.
Chris said, "You’re not from Wexford, are you? I mean, I haven’t seen you before, such a beautiful lady I would surely remember."
"Why sir, you flatter me," she laughed, "yes, I did live here, but I’m studying French at university at the moment. I just came home to visit my father, felt I needed a break from the city life, and you know how it is, nothing ever happens round here."
"Oh, yes, I know the feeling, I needed a break, too. Say, my name is Chris, well, Christopher really, but only my mother calls me that. Is there nowhere we can walk to, you seem to be the only one here I can talk to, and I don’t even know your name...?" he said, smiling.
She laughed again, "It’s Christina Diane Howard. My friends call me Diane. And yes, let’s go, let’s get out ..."
He couldn’t believe his ears when he heard her name. The name from his dream! Was this destiny? How could this be possible?
They made their way through the crowd and out into the fresh night air. For ages they strolled through the old town and talked and laughed and time just seemed to stand still. It was as though Chris and Diane were just meant to be together. They appeared to have so much in common.
(Tess was suddenly forgotten. He would have to break it to her gently when he got back.)
Chris took Diane to his parents’ castle and they sat in the drawing room in front of the open fireplace, watching the flames crackle, sipping wine, enveloped in conversation, and gradually falling in love...
"It will be morning soon, you must be tired," she said. "No, I’m not tired," Chris replied, "my heart is spinning like a wheel. I have never had such a feeling..."
"Oh, Chris, I could never have dreamt that I would fall in love tonight, and it would be with you, must be destiny..."
And so, in the last moments of the dawn, before the day began, Chris and Diane kissed...
Chris brought Diane home and then returned to the castle to crawl into bed and fall into a long, soft and beautiful sleep, dreaming only of his new love, Diane.
When he awoke it was almost lunchtime already. He stumbled out of his room, almost bumping into his mother. "My, you must have had a late night, son! It’s half noon already. Did you sleep well? And how was the dance? Did you see anyone you know?"
"Mum, mum, slow down...The most amazing thing happened to me last night. Do you remember the dream I told you about? It helped inspire me to finish off my new song. Well, I met the most beautiful girl last night. I will never forget the way she looked last night. She has the same name as the girl in my dream, well, almost the same, but do you think it could be destiny? We sat here by the fire until dawn broke and ... and... I think I’m in love, mum...what am I going to do?"
"Oh, Christopher, but that’s wonderful! Who is she? Tell me about her. Only, ... what about Tess? You cannot betray her. You will have to tell her the truth. You know what I always say, follow your feelings, my boy."
Chris continued, "But that’s not all, mum. My head is just full of words, and tunes. I think Diane is inspiring me to write more songs, about my feelings. I must phone Pat and tell him. But I can’t bear the thought of going now and leaving Diane. I feel as though I need her, by my side. I think I should call her and see if she feels the same way, too. Oh, I feel so...so... "
