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Table of Contents | Printable Version The next day Dick is let off in front of the villa by a taxi. He tells Nicole that he went off to see if Rosemary had anything to offer, but he says he is not interested in her, for she is too immature. Although he attempts to tell the truth, he still lies to Nicole about what has happened, for Rosemary no longer has an interest in Dick. Nicole, now surer of herself, does not break down at Dick’s news. Instead, she lies herself and tells him that she has gone “dancing” with Tommy Barban; Dick is not interested in hearing about it. When the phone rings, Dick escapes and Nicole answers it. Tommy is on the other end; he wants Nicole to say that she loves him. She, however, only says that she will call or write him later. She finds herself feeling a bit remorseful about Tommy and a bit sorry for Dick. Nicole goes and finds her husband, trying to talk to him and be loving. He totally rejects her attempts and says some awful things about her. She claims he is a coward, blaming her for his own failures. She walks away, crying. Nicole finally accepts that it is all over between her and Dick. In the middle of the night the phone rings. The police have Lady Caroline and Mary di Minghetti in custody. The old helpful Dick swings into action. He picks up Gausse, his friend from the hotel, and they go down to the police station. Apparently the two women dressed as men and coaxed some women into a hotel room, where there was an ugly scene. Lady Caroline and Mary were then arrested. Now Caroline is indignant, claiming she has done nothing wrong. Mary just wants Dick to pay whatever is necessary to get them released before her husband finds out. When Dick discovers that the women had no identity cards with them, he tells the police a fabulous story about who the women are; he them pays the officers off, and the women are freed.
Dick spends his last day at the villa with his children, promising that they will come to see him soon in America. He then has an emotional good-bye with various staff members and leaves Nicole a short note. He goes to the beach for a last look and final good-bye. Nicole and Baby Warren watch as Dick goes off into the distance. When Baby makes disparaging remarks about him, Nicole says he was a good husband for six of their years together. Dick goes to the hotel to have a drink. He talks to Mary on the terrace; she tells him frankly that he drinks too much and is rude and insulting to people. For a moment, Dick imagines himself having a fling with Mary and then dismisses it as ridiculous. Before departing from the hotel and Tarmes, he raises his hand to bless the beach. From a distance, Nicole watches her husband; she wants to go to him, but Tommy holds her back. Even after marrying Tommy, Nicole tries to keep in touch with Dick for some time, largely for the sake of the children. He first moved to Buffalo, New York, where he opened a psychiatry practice that did not work for him. He then went into general medical practice somewhere else in New York; he was doing well until he became involved in a scandal with a young woman that resulted in a lawsuit and forced him to move again. He next settled in Geneva, New York, but that did not last long either. The next card comes from another place, as Dick roams from one small town to another. Before long, he does not even try to contact the children. Table of Contents | Printable Version |