*Tristan* “How long have you lived there?” Stephan asks. We are in his well-appointed library. He is sitting on the edge of his desk, Raphael lounges in a nearby chair, and I lean against the fireplace. We each hold a glass of whiskey. “Three years longer than you have lived here”. I shrug. “It allowed me to keep a watch over Uncle”. “Why didn’t you tell us ? Everyone is of the belief that Alpha Loudon lives there, although he has not been to town in years from what I understand”. “I didn’t want Uncle to know I was there, so Loudon and I handled the transaction very quietly. I pay him a yearly sum to maintain that he still owns it. The fact that he doesn’t come to town means that no one calls, so no one learns differently”. Although now I suppose I can dispense with paying the man. “

