The Cruelty of Salvation — Chapter 17

I APOLOGIZE, OLIVIA.

I'D HOPED TO PROTECT YOU FROM ANY SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, BUT IT SEEMS I WASN'T CAUTIOUS ENOUGH.

I WOULD LIKE NOTHING MORE THAN TO MAKE THE PEOPLE WHO DID THIS TO YOU APOLOGIZE...

BUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES DIDN'T ALLOW IT.

N-NO, YOUR HIGHNESS.

THAT IS, I...

HUH...?

I WANTED YOU TO HAVE A WONDERFUL LAST NIGHT IN HEROD. I'M SORRY THINGS TURNED OUT THIS WAY.

NO, YOUR HIGHNESS. IT WAS TRULY WONDERFUL.

IT WAS WONDERFUL, AND I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO FORGET IT.

I MEAN IT.

HOW DID YOU GET OUT OF THAT MAZE?

IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN EASY TO FIND YOUR WAY OUT ALONE ON YOUR FIRST TIME...

OH, WELL ACTUALLY...

IS THAT TRUE, NOAH?

YES, IT'S TRUE.

I THOUGHT JUST MAYBE THERE WAS SOMETHING MORE, BUT HE SEEMS INDIFFERENT.

PERHAPS I DIDN’T NEED TO BRING THIS UP.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING HER IN MY PLACE.

I JUST HAPPENED TO COME ACROSS HER BY CHANCE.

OH, RIGHT. NOAH.

PRINCESS MARGUERITE AND OLIVIA ARE LEAVING TOMORROW MORNING.

WE'RE PLANNING TO SEE THEM OFF AT THE PALACE. WHAT ABOUT YOU?

I APOLOGIZE, BUT I HAVE TO GO TO THE NAVY RESIDENCE AT THAT HOUR.

I'VE ALREADY GIVEN MY REGARDS TO AUNT MARGUERITE.

IS THAT SO...?

ALL RIGHT. YOU SHOULD GET GOING NOW. YOU MUST BE TIRED, TOO.

...YES, MOTHER.

W A A H

BE CAREFUL ON YOUR WAY BACK.

IT WAS NICE MEETING YOU.

DON'T CRY, LUCY!

HEAVENS...

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KINDNESS DURING MY STAY, YOUR HIGHNESS.

THIS ISN'T MUCH, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU THIS IN RETURN FOR THE HAIRPIN.

LIV...

YOU CAN ALWAYS SEND WORD IF YOU WANT TO COME TO HEROD!

YOU MEAN WHEN SHE WANTS TO DO AN INTERVIEW?

NAGGING UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE! OFF WITH YOU, MARGOT!

IT WAS NICE TO MEET YOU, OLIVIA.

I'LL SEND MY REGARDS THROUGH PRINCESS MARGUERITE FROM TIME TO TIME.

TAKE CARE.

...I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN PRINCE NOAH WOULDN'T COME.

I WAS TRULY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR HOSPITALITY.

DID YOU HAVE A GOOD TIME?

I DID.

SO MUCH THAT I ALMOST THOUGHT...

...IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A DREAM.

THAT'S A RELIEF. I WAS WORRIED YOU MIGHT REMEMBER IT AS A GRUELING CRAWL OF INTERVIEWS AND PRESS EVENTS.

I WAS REALLY OKAY WITH THOSE.

I GET THE FEELING THAT I WILL REMEMBER THIS TRIP FOR A LONG TIME.

THE PALACE...

...AND...

YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO READ WHILE YOU'RE ON DUTY.

COLONEL?!

I APOLOGIZE!

BUT IS SOMETHING THE MATTER?

I CAME TO HAVE A SMOKE.

UH...

HERE, SIR?

YOU CAME ALL THE WAY UP THE STAIRS OF DEATH FOR THAT?

SIR, IT'S DANGEROUS TO LEAN THERE LIKE THAT!

HUH? WHAT IS THAT THING?

OH, RIGHT. IT'S NOT AS IF THIS IS THE ONLY THING I DON'T KNOW, HUH?

I'M GOING.

YOU REALLY CAME UP HERE JUST TO SMOKE?!

REALLY?

GEEZ...

WAS THERE SOMETHING OUT AT SEA?

I DON'T SEE ANYTHING.

A YEAR LATER

POLDER

DELIVERY!

IS ANYONE HOME?

A MOMENT, PLEASE!

COMING!