The reader’s patience will be rewarded in Chapter 22, which finally breaks the ice.
In a half-dream, Archduchess Marianne stumbles upon an insight buried deep within her subconscious and allows herself to be carried away by its thrilling force. Already agitated, she then receives a letter from Mademoiselle Leontine. An unimaginable, breathtaking announcement suddenly lends the seemingly simple and rather foolish semi-folkloric tale about Princess Schwarzenberg a set of unexpected, hidden layers. And the source of this renewed storyline is none other than the “auntie” the reader may recall – the ancient Countess Thürheim, spiteful and mean but supremely well-informed. We shall meet this omniscient lady in person in a later chapter – be warned!
No wonder, then, that Marianne’s hands begin to tremble as she reads the message. Our investigative Archduchess finds herself in an entirely new situation. Yet the major difference now is that she is more experienced, more self-confident, and far better prepared for the utterly transformed nature of the case she is about to confront.
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