The Pac Ocean conservatory football field overlooked the ocean. Instead of hot dog stands, there were white linen clothed tables arrayed with miniature sandwiches: prosciutto, triple cream cheese, garnished bay shrimp, grilled mushrooms. Bottles of wine from the school's vineyards. Mira waved to the Pacific Ocean Coach. Looking up into the visiting team stands, where Mira and Caydance sat together, he waved back. "You know the Conservatory football coach?"

"We had a brief go-round when Durango took too long to propose. At the time, the Conservatory Coach was a Baroque music grad student in the Cal Music Department. But he did his undergrad work in Iowa where he played Center for the football team."

Caydance looked across the well-manicured grass to the man who returned Mira's wave. "Ummm, I can see how that might have happened," she remarked. Suddenly her eye was drawn to a woman sitting a few seats above the coach. She was wearing black leather boots and a coat too expensive to wear to a football game. Her shoulder length hair was smooth as silk. "Do you know who that woman is?"

arrow "Anne Merry Lafitte St. Denis", Mira replied "She and her wealthy husband contribute a substantial amount to my school."