When Lucien woke up the next day, the sunlight was streaming into his bedroom. The light drapes at the French doors had been left open when he went to bed last night, and now he sat up slowly and blearily. Too much drink and a very late night had made him restless and he had finally fallen asleep at dawn.

The excited sounds of his children floated up and he curiously limped across to the windows facing the lawn. He was bare-chested, wearing his boxers and he became aware that the chill of winter was beginning to set in. Striding to the balcony, he looked down onto the lawns below...