The father, realizing that the lyrics were over, took the situation into his own hands. My mother and sisters were politely but firmly assigned to supervise the collection of my belongings and the selection of a maid who would go "into exile" with me. Jeremy's old butler was sent for his father's bodyguard, Nick Holsten. Leonard, no less politely, was asked to explain why he had come after all, and to go home.

- I thought you would understand me, - the viscount declared with some bitterness, - where does she go to some southern province? It's still unknown with whom...

But dad, an old warrior, did not succumb to...