His throat rumbles and his head bobs in agreement. "Most people in this world are like that. It's only the old blood who focus so wholeheartedly on tradition. It keeps them special, you know. These days anyone can be rich, or own land, or get a pretty title."

"Spend some time with her and you might change your mind," he chuckles. "But, to be fair, she had fair warning. Eccentric or unexpected behaviour is hardly strange in this family. Oh I get sudden visions, Marie spontaneously hollers about spirits, Viatorus walks into other worlds... Every patron and spouse has a handful really."