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"Yes, very good choice, not too formal and yet not too casual. You have the right instincts. I knew it. All right. I'll step out and you put it on. Then, you will hear the doorbell ring. You come out to let me in and we'll begin the exercise:' he said. "I'll give you a little time should you want to do something with makeup, hair. I imagine you would," he added, gazed around the room, sighed and then left.

I was standing there, holding the dress on its hanger, looking after him, my mouth still open. Never in my wildest imaginings after first meeting Greatuncle Richard could I envision this. Why would such a successful and respected man need these fantasies? I couldn't help being curious as to how far this makebelieve would go, and yet I was also quite tempted to simply run out of the cottage and not look back.

"You want to make a good impression," he called from the other room, "but try not to be too obvious. Obvious women are usually not taken seriously. My mother used to tell me that

understatement was the best statement, the most powerful statement. How are you doing?"

"All right," I called back and held the dress up against me. Should I really try to put this on? I suppose I have to, I thought.

I took off my skirt and blouse and stepped into it. As I suspected, it was snug at the hips and tight ar

ound my bosom. I could get the side zipper up only a little more than halfway. I thought I looked absolutely ridiculous. The moment he saw me, he would certainly realize it, laugh and put an end to all this, I hopefully concluded.

"It's just as I told you," I called.

"Don't tell me anything. We're beginning. Both of us have to step into character. ring the doorbell," he added, opened the door, stepped out and did so.

Now what? I asked myself as I walked to the door. He rang the bell again. I felt like I was in the second grade playing with some of my friends. Nevertheless, I opened the door and he beamed as if he was looking in at the Queen of England.

"Oh my dear, you look absolutely radiant. Just as I expected," he said, winked and nodded. "Just as Constance does in the first act of my new play. I'd love you to read for the part. May I come in?"

"What? Oh, yes," I said. Couldn't he see the left side of the dress was hanging ridiculously over the unzipped portion and I was moving like someone in a straitjacket?

"What a quaint flat you have," he said looking around. "It's actually just as I pictured it would be."

I noticed he had some papers in his left hand.

"I've brought the script with me," he said. "I'd like you to read some of the dialogue, Constance's dialogue, of course. The lead," he added, widening his eyes and raising his brow into little folds.

He put his hand over his mouth and turned it so he could whisper out of the other side.

"Now you ask me if I'd like something to drink."

"Would you like something to drink?"

"Oh, just a glass of white wine if you'll join me," he said.

He leaned over, hand on his mouth again.

"Go into the kitchen. It's on the counter. You know how to open a bottle of wine, right?"

"Yes," I said. Was this pretend too? I expected so; however, when I went into the kitchen, there really was a bottle of wine, two glasses and a corkscrew.

"What a nice view you have. You're very lucky to have found this flat."

"Thank you," I said with a giggle. I couldn't help it. I thought I was only inches from falling into a pool of hysterical laughter. I opened the wine and poured two glasses, tasting it and smiling. It was good. Then I brought it out.

"You should bring some napkins with it," he whispered.

"Oh, right."

"You'll find them in the small closet on the left where they always are."

"Right," I said, returned to the kitchen, found them and brought them back. He was seated on the two-seater settee, sipping his wine. I handed him a napkin. He thanked me and asked me to sit beside him. I did so and he shook his head.

"Remember," he whispered, "you're alone with a man you really don't know. Don't be so quick to do everything he says or suggests."

"Okay," I said, my eyes almost as wide as his were. He sat back.