Chapter ThreeThe horror in Daniela’s voice was very evident and after a moment the Marquis commented quietly,
“At least that is something you can refuse to do.”
“How can – I be – certain?” she asked. “After all Papa was – married and had – no idea it had – happened until he – woke up next morning to find that she was – his wife!”
That was something the Marquis had momentarily forgotten.
He realised that, if Esmé Blanc, and it was difficult to think of her by any other name, had pulled the trick off once she might certainly try to do so again.
Because it all seemed so incredible, after several seconds of silence he asked,
“Can you be absolutely sure that this is her intention?”
“I thought when we – first came to – Baden-Baden that is what my stepmother – intended,” Daniela replied,
