22
Next morning, breakfast came and went with no sign of Stefan. By mid-morning, even Anton, who thought he understood why Stefan needed time alone, was becoming anxious. Maud was unable to reassure anyone in the family without giving away what she had done and on balance, she thought that would be counterproductive.
Finally, an hour before noon, Stefan shoved up his window and yelled down at Javier, who was crossing the back yard. “Send Mum and Dad up, will you?”
Javier shot into the inn with a big smile on his face. “Mum, Dad, quick! Upstairs now! He wants to see you.”
With no thought of standing on their pride or objecting to being ordered about, Vera and Ivan wiped their hands on their respective aprons and rushed up the stairs. Stefan was waiting for them at the door of his room a
