The Conte had no qualms leaving Hugo and Beatrice in each others company. He knew that they would look after each other, and the journey would most likely do the rest. The Conte chuckled to himself as he quickly lost himself in the crowds milling around the port.

He had had to delay their departure from Marseilles, while he concluded his business affairs. Now he had one last, but very important meeting, and then they could continue their journey north.

As he made his way through the now familiar narrow back streets, he found himself whistling an old folk song he had learnt half a lifetime ago when he had been a young man in Istanbul.

The address he had been given took him to a very inconspicuous door. He hesitated, smiled, and entered the building, carefully closing the door behind him. An unlit small hallway, took him to another door. He knocked gently and went in.

In a small office a very, pretty young woman was busy working at a ledger. At his entrance she looks up and fixes him with gentle amber eyes.

Can I help you, Sir? She asks, rising from her chair.

I have an appointment with Grigore Mihai Vlastos. He is expecting me, I think.

And who shall I tell my father wishes to see him?

Please tell him that Fillipe Foscari is here to see him. Are you Loukia Vlastos?

For a moment the young woman hesitates at the sound of the now unfamiliar name.

Yes I am. Have we met, Sir?

In a way The Conte smiles But I dont expect you to remember. It was a very long time ago, in another place, and you were just a baby.

I will go and tell my Father you are here. Loukia smiles sweetly, bobs a quick curtsey and disappears through a curtain. She reappears a second later. Please go through. Loukia bobs another curtsey and holds the curtain aside for the Conte.

And there, is his old friend, surrounded by the tools of his trade.

At the sound of the Contes footsteps Grigore turns around. The two Men embrace each other.

My dear Grigo it has been so many years The Conte says looking at his old companion.

Too many years have passed, since we were young men, running about the Phanar from party to party, while our fathers were too busy with government matters to keep a close watch on us! Grigore laughs.

Grigore takes a dusty bottle from one of his shelves, along with two glasses.

Here Fillipe, this will remind you of those far of days of our youth. He fills the glasses with liquid from the bottle and hand one of the glasses to the Conte. Both Men clink their glasses together and take a sip.

Ahh yes, it certainly reminds me of too many nights in the tavern. The Conte smiles at the memory. It was a great surprise to receive your letter after all this time, Grigo, a very pleasant surprise. The Conte continues.

So you are a Conte now? Grigore chuckles How did that happen?

Yes it seems I am. The Conte smiles It was my reward for doing the Austrian Empress a favour.

What about your Father? I cant imagine he was pleased. How is the old fellow these days?

I dont think my Father has ever completely forgiven me. To a certain extent it has caused an everlasting rift between us. He still thinks of me as a traitor. Apart from that, he is his usual workaholic self. They just gave him the post of deputy to pias causas for a second time, and he still holds his positions as the administrator on hospitals and charitable institutions, and as the administrator on municipal Heritage. He is pretty inexhaustible. He did, however, decline the post of Ambassador in ST Petersburg in 82, but sent my brother Ferigo instead.

Im impressed! He must be over 80. Grigore pours another measure of liquid into their glasses.

He will be 82 in December, but what about you Grigo. How did you end up in Marseille?

Ahh, I have been here nearly 12 years now. The war with the Russians in 68 did little to improve trade for the family. So the Vlastos Family gave up the fur trade and got involved in other trades. As you know we are a versatile Family, and spread all over Europe.

So given my penchant for Chemistry I was encouraged by the Uncles to transfer here to Marseilles. This region of France boasts a great variety of flowers, and the French court is crying out for perfumes. So trade is very brisk. Its all I can do to keep up with demands. This. Grigore encompasses the room with his hand ..is where I experiment with new scents and concoctions, which are then made up in Volume at afactory I have in a small place called Grasse, some days ride further along the coast.

My wife, Raluca, died back in 71, and we had no other children apart from Loukia. She was still very young, and missed her mother, so it seemed a very good moment to start afresh, somewhere new.

It was a shock to see Loukia all grown up. The last times I saw her she was just a Baby. Ahh how time has slipped away The Conte sighs and takes another sip.

Lucie. Here in this land she goes by the name of Lucie. Your Elena must also be grown up. Grigore ventures Is she married with children of her own? Are you a grandfather? Grigore laughs.

Not Yet, Elena shows no inclination in that direction, which sometimes worries me. She seems happy to travel the courts of Europe as my representative. She is a very independent soul.

Just like her Mother. Grigore smiles. I will never forget my Fathers face when she broke with all conventions, andinformed us at dinner that she had broken of her engagement to our cousin, Gheorghe, and was now engaged to you. I thought my Father would have a fit, his face was so red! Grigore laughs. Then when he calmed down he saw the advantages of having a daughter married to the son of the Ambassador Extraordinary of Venice, and the Vlastos family always have plenty of other girls to marry their cousins, and you know how we like to marry well, usually to our cousins, so you really were an exception. However, Father didnt let me off so lightly, I was always blamed for allowing the two of you to meet in the first place. Grigore chuckles.

Tell me Fillipe, does Elena know the truth? Grigore asks in a more serious tone.

No she doesnt. She was so tiny, when we left Istanbul, I doubt she remembers anything before our return to Venice, and Giovanna Mocellini was a good woman and accepted Elena as her own, and Venetian Society pays little attention to female children, until they are ready to marry. Elena has always believed herself to be Giovannas daughter. Giovanna also died a few years ago and Elena grieved for her as her Mother. I didnt want her to grieve twice and thought it best to let sleeping dogs lie. The Conte looks wistful and takes another sip from his glass. Both men sip their drinks in silence, lost in though and memories. After a while the Conte takes out a gold pocket watch, with an enamelled miniature of a dark haired girl on one side.

Im afraid, my dear friend that I must take my leave of you. I do hope to see you on my return journey. The Conte says getting up.

Grigore notices the watch, but says nothing. Before you go, I have a copy of the book you asked me to find, and a letter from Chios. May God watch over you, until next we meet.Grigore hands The Conte a book, with a worn leather cover and a sealed letter.