“You clearly have utterly no understanding of a Firenz husband, just wed or wed for forty years,” he shared with strained patience. “That is a prejudice of ignorance that does not matter at this juncture. What matters at this juncture is that I do not have to say my marriage is not your concern. What I will make very clear is that your daughter’s marriage is not your concern.”

“I…it would seem there’s been a misunderstanding,” Vanka tried.

“There’s been no misunderstanding,” Mars retorted. “Another prejudice is that you think my people are savage. Uneducated. Dimwitted. We eat, sleep, fuck and war. This is not true. You and your husband have underestimated your daughter her entire life. You underestimating me comes as no surprise. Though, to bring matters in hand, it’s important you know that you have. And last, before you leave, you must know that Silence and I will be having a long conversation about what part you play in her future. Once we come to an understanding, you and your husband will be informed of our decision. Until then, neither of us will see you, and if Silence does not convince me to allow her to keep you a part of her life, you will never see her again, is that understood?”

“But—” Vanka started, no color in her face, none at all.

However, as far as he was concerned, for the moment, this matter was concluded.

“You may now leave, and if you don’t, I’ll have my men remove you.”

With that, he took hold of his wife and moved her into the drawing room.

Once there, he shut the door.

It took a moment before Silence spoke, and when she did, it was in a careful tone.

“Perhaps you could have allowed her to have her say?”

“And what do you think she would say, piccolina?” he demanded, crossing his arms on his chest.

Silence, her head tipped far back to keep hold on his eyes, pressed her lips tight.

She knew what her mother would have to say and that was nothing good, for it might be a surprise the maids were spying on them and reporting back to her father, but it was not a surprise why they’d been chosen and what they’d preliminarily been asked to achieve.

In fact, those three were such bloody awful maids, it would further not surprise Mars to learn they were not maids at all, and maybe they were even prostitutes, before they came to Cord Cottage.

“I wish you to be done with them and never see them again,” Mars shared his thoughts on the matter of her parents. “However, they are not my mother and father, so I will now listen to your feelings on the subject.”

She tipped her head to the side. “Is now a good time for us to discuss this?”