Thea sat in her bedroom accompanied by candlelight and her diary as dusk arrived. With her fountain pen, she continued to scrawl her daily thoughts and feelings into a small red leather book with coarse paper. She found it helped her to do so. She wrote it roughly and concisely, unlike usual ladies' diaries, which were well-written and detailed. That evening, she wrote just one sentence: May have just met the Devil Incarnate.

"Are you decent, Madam?" she heard the gentle sound of her maid's voice calling from the door.

"Perfectly, Anna, do come in."

The girl smiled and placed a folded nightgown on the bed. "Here's your gown, Madam. It's the cooler one. All washed and prepared. It looks as though it's going to be particularly warm tonight."

"Isn't it every night?" Thea smirked.

Anna stepped tentatively to the dressing table where Thea sat and appeared discomforted, opening her mouth as if she wished to speak, but was unsure.

"What's the matter, Anna?"

"Oh nothing, Madam. It's just that, well, I heard a rumour earlier, downstairs. One of the kitchen maids talking to a footman."

"Oh?"

"They said that is was Mr. Raphael that you were venturing out with tonight."

"It is."

Anna's eyebrows raised and she appeared suddenly rather astonished. "Do you know where exactly he is taking you Madam?"

"Not yet. You seem shocked, Anna."

"Not shocked Madam," she responded quickly. "Just surprised that— oh never mind," she smiled.

Thea shrugged off her comment. "Why does everyone address him so informally? You called the son of a Lord 'Mr. Raphael' a moment ago. Is he not titled?"

"Well, no Madam, not if he is illegitimate."

"He's illegitimate?"

"Oh, I thought you would know, Madam, given that you are family. I assumed— oh I am sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Anna. It's of no consequence. I am far more liberal than people imagine upon meeting me," Thea smiled. "So, what exactly is his parentage?"

"I shouldn't say, Madam— it's not really my place," Anna smiled apologetically.

"Don't worry, my dear, I would not say I heard it from you. Anyhow, it does seem to be rather common knowledge."

"Yes, I suppose it is Madam. He is, I believe, the product of a brief dalliance with a young Moroccan maid following Lord LeGrange's arrival here twenty-eight years ago. The Lady LeGrange at the time was understandably upset, and was even more so when his Lordship decided to raise the boy properly in the household."

"Was she cold towards him? Raphael, I mean."

"Awfully so. I mean, I don't know for sure – I am younger than Mr. Raphael himself and I've only worked here since I was thirteen. I've heard everything from Mrs. Davies, the cook. But I'm rather sure the boy would have felt terribly unloved by all that happened to him. Things became so bad that they sent him away in the end. To a boarding school in England somewhere – to make a gentleman out of him. Things were never again rosy between his Lordship and the first Lady LeGrange, however. She died in '89 and he had married the present Lady LeGrange within a year."

"Goodness, what a story."

"Everything's very happy here now though, Madam," Anna smiled sweetly. "I'm sure there could not be a better match than that of the present Lord and Lady LeGrange. Though, I fear Mr. Raphael's exploits do bother them so at times," she said, before stopping herself, having realised she had said more than she had intended.

"His exploits?"

A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. Another maid shuffled in and announced that Mr. Raphael was ready and waiting for her in the parlour.

Leticia adjusted her step-son's necktie and furrowed her brow with concern. "Now, you will tell me where you are taking her, Raphael. I will not ask again. Where are you taking her?"

Raphael smirked. "Alright, alright. I'm taking her to Harold Mason's house. You know Harold Mason, Mama. His parents are more respectable than anyone else that you..."

"His parents are of no consequence, Raphael. Your father may not know what goes on amongst your little circle, but I do. I will ask you now, are there going to be any...any undesirable goings-on at that house tonight?"

"Mama, Mama, just trust me please. We're not in Paris, this is Morocco – you lose your hands over that sort of thing over here. Believe me, our sad and despondent little guest will come to no harm," he laughed mockingly.

She slapped him lightly across his temple. "Don't you dare speak of her so disrespectfully. It also disrespects my brother, and therefore me," she snapped sternly into his ear.

His smile disappeared and he looked away.

"Now you promise me, Raphael, that you will not subject her to anything along the lines of your usual idea of a party."

He nodded from side to side endearingly and held her elbows. "I promise you that she will enjoy herself, Mama," he said, kissing her on the cheek.

"Good, good," she replied.

Thea appeared at the foot of the stairs and smiled timidly toward Raphael. "Good evening," she said evenly.

"Ah! My dear Aunt Thea," he said, thrusting his arm underneath hers and leading her away to the door. "Come, I will show you all the treasures that a night in Marrakech can offer you."

The door was closed behind them and Leticia stood alone in the hallway, troubled by her thoughts and patting her hand softly on a side table. She saw the turn of a footman's head towards her and quickly adjusted her posture, eager to show nothing was amiss, before turning and strolling as leisurely as she could back to the parlour.