“But how do you do these trips and keep up with your businesses?” I was really thinking about my father, who had much, much smaller responsibilities than Garland did and took almost no holidays.

“Good managers. Although I’m away, it doesn’t mean I don’t keep track of things. Besides, most of my investments take care of themselves. Cash cows, my accountant and I call them. Moo, moo,” he added, and laughed.

Although I didn’t think it was all that funny imagining a cow being milked for dollars, I laughed, too, but at this point, I felt I might laugh at anything. It was truly like doors opening and restraints weakening. I felt so light that I thought I might just start to float.

He poured me a little more limoncello when he saw my glass was almost empty.

“You do like it, don’t you?” he asked when I hesitated. He sounded like it would break his heart if I said otherwise. He waited anxiously for my answer.

“Oh yes, it’s . . . quite wonderful. Like you said, ‘It’s like drinking a spring day.’ ”

He stared at me a moment, holding his smile.

“What?” I asked.

“You don’t forget anything I say. Perhaps you’ll write my autobiography,” he added.

“I doubt it. I have enough trouble trying to write my diary.”

“Oh, I’d like to have a look at that.”

“Never,” I said, and he laughed.

“Am I in it yet?”

“Maybe.”

That obviously pleased him.

He continued to talk about his trips, describing a recent one to England on business. I was listening, but his words were beginning to flow together, and I was hearing the cadence of his voice more than I was hearing what he was actually saying.

Suddenly, he paused, his eyes so fixed on mine I couldn’t look away. I had heard about hypnotism but had never seen it performed or met anyone who claimed to have been hypnotized. However, from the way I felt myself drifting, swimming, in his strong focus, I thought it might just be happening to me right now. I wasn’t panicked or afraid. The warmth that came with every sip of the lemon drink was washing through my body. It made every part of me feel like it was softening. I liked the feeling, but soon the room began to spin. I felt myself sway and turned quickly to lie on my back and close my eyes.

As I did so, he took the glass of limoncello from my hand before I spilled it on myself and the rug.

“Can’t waste a drop of this,” he said with a laugh.