71. The Don Introspects

Lucien

He sat at his desk, nursing a drink brooding. It was late evening now but he had begun to drink almost immediately after breakfast to deaden the unfamiliar feeling of guilt that seemed to be raising its head within him.

Breakfast had been unusual but Lucien admitted, delicious. The warm Indian pancakes were something that he had been eating for the first time. Ria, who sat at his elbow, kept instructing him on how to eat them, much to his amusement. Soft and fluffy, they seemed to practically melt in his mouth and he relished the taste of the light, exotic curry that accompanied it. He also noticed that his wife seemed to be eating more than she had been doing until then.

He had also given up his habit of having a drink along with his food. His little daughter had put her foot down firmly when he had tried to have a tipple one afternoon at lunch. With a straight face, she had turned importantly to his man, Gustav, who had brought it in.

“Take away,plee.’ she commanded, lisping