Canuk

Great chapter. This whole surrogacy thing I find troublesome,. Not the thing itself, perfectly happy from surrogate and donor'S perspective, but personally, and is shown (well, as I see it) in this chapter so so many issues! Personally scary! Thanks A

Two points: a writer who personally doesn't like something (in this case camping) but can describe it in glowing and loving terms is a good writer. Thank you Second. I grew up on a property 3 hours north of Melbourne , 6 hours west of Sydney. The night sky free of any light pollution, was one thing we enjoyed showing visitors. On my first visit to the northern hemisphere I did wonder what you mob had done to all your stars! On a clear light pollution free night in the Southern hemisphere about 50% more stars seem to be visible than on a comparable night north of the equator.

I am sure the scenery, sun rise, sun set, views etc are all worth it, but there is no way you're getting me camping, sleeping on air " mattresses" in sheets of thinned canvas, up at sparrow fart to watch a sunrise, that looks just as spectacular from a high floor, east facing room, in a king bed with Egyptian cotton sheets at the 4 seasons.

If so ( and I suspect you are on the right track, the alternative is a junior ship of the line captain is sent to Calliope with our beloved Grainger being sent to command a battleship) I just hope whichever ship he ends up on there is a handsome lieutenant or similar to keep our hero company and help him to at least physically forget the Tsar.🥰

What a wonderful gift this Christmas morning in the tropics of northern Queensland! Our dear Graingers musings while aloft were truly heart wrenching. To reflect on yourself, your life, your aims, drivers, loves and lovers and discovering the world you thought you knew and loved just didn't match to reality is hard as a person. To write this as a character self reflecting and to get the tone and feeling right is very hard. But this nailed it. This was extremely well written, even by Mr Arbour's exceedingly high standards. Thank you for this truly amazing and very welcome Christmas gift! May you and your readers have an equally good Christmas or holiday season as is your preference.

Transparent aluminium...who knew?! This story is a mine of useful information! Alan Farmer was a truly evil person.

Well you have certainly created at least one if not two truly obnoxious characters. Some of the speech suggests the characters are Japanese or Chinese. If the aim of the story is to create and arc when the cruel boss is reformed by some act, you certainly spent an awful lot of time on how awful he is as a boss and as a husband. The reaction of the fathers friend to the Sunday work suggests this extremely behaviour may not have been around for long. I must admit stories with no redeeming feature or character generally make it different to hold any interest. The next chapter should be informative.

I have never read stories of such joyless sex. In every case it seems to be one person inserting an organ into another's orifice. No joy, companionship, not even satisfaction as far as I can tell. Seems almost mechanical; the type of sex I have avoided all my life.

He certainly needs help, tho' not sure a 1940s British asylum would have actually helped!

I am surprised there wasn't universal education, especially for boys in Denmark pre war. For Karl being able to read/ write in your second language but not your first would be unusual!

I think you misunderestimate @Carlos Hazday 's level of cunning, subtlety and ability to misdirect readers, lulling us into levels of certainty only to find them built on quicksand. I would not underestimate the hard-abbed Russian...particularly when his shirt comes off.....

Calum and Linc are great additions. But the suspense level is growing.... BTW Perfect martinis!

Helps a lot! Thanks. Really keen on the upcoming naked Russians! 😆

Great beginning to a new instalment in their lives. I look forward to seeing more of our Russian friend ideally with less clothing! Couple of issues; "bypassing the State department's relocation service"; presumably a plot device as it is both stupid and probably not allowed for security reasons. While I have no experience of theUS state dept,two other countries I have worked for would make this bloody difficult if not impossible. Second, again probably a plot device, but for a spouse (particularly a high profile spouse) not to get at least a basic security briefing seems unusual. Again my experience is not with US State. Looking forward to the next instantalment!

If that is"picking up" in this day and age, it's changed a lot since my day! For the better, I might add. JJ is certainly finding his groove.

What a truly poignant departure and how different in comparison to their arrival! How equally wonderful for the sacred band of followers of my Lord Grainger; Another poised chapter with small hints of what is to come, while extolling the delights of the past. Grainger will not be able to keep his dalliance with Countess Lieven from his wife once the Countess arrives in London as the wife of the Russian Ambassador to the Court of St James. I just hope he has spoken to Caroline before Countess Lieven arrives and becomes one of London society's lionesses! Splendid read as ever. Thank you.

When you consider what we've enabled with social media, what will happen with AI/machine learning is 1uite terrifying. I 7nderstand the "if they have it we need it" argument and I am a long way from being a Luddite, but with AI, I think if we assume the worst possible outcome we may be able to pleasantly surprise ourselves. Glad JJ got his night out. Iam surprised at coach for six hours. Most places I have worked for have a policy of J for 4hours plus.

Darren is a weird one.... but then I am the definition of vanilla, actually, my husband is more vanilla than me. So I am vanilla-with-a-dash, a very long way from Darren.... Travel.... yes, definitely miss it. Hopefully back soon. I'd correct "Sidney" is on the centre of the East Coast of Vancouver Island. Sydney is where that Opera house is. That all said I agree on the Melbourne/Sydney thing: Sydney has the harbour, the Opera house and..... where as Melbourne seems to have a more complete and varied soul. Now, about this story. I am getting just a little worried about jj and his backstory. It's getting a bit widely known and it concerns me that it's going to get used in some way by someone who doesn't like him..... he is just a little niaeve like that. Great read. Thanks

While the news about the man he, JJ, killed was good, it doesn't take away from the fact that as evil as JJs father was he was was still the man JJ thought of as his biological father and finding that not to be so is something an observer can rationalise, but as the person themselves, it would take a lot to get over. His new found wealth may help him on that journey. I sincerely hope so.

Grief will do many irrational things to people. Shaun loses his father and a lover. He didn't need to lose the lover......

Don't tell me; JJ's actually a boy.....????🤫🤫🤫🤫

Jeez that certainly blew the mood! Looking forward to what comes next!

oh! Mr Arbour what have I done / said to get my first ever "angry" response? I promise I will change my path from that which displeases you, if only you provide me with the guidance back to the way of correctness and truth..... I am happy to accept any punishment if only to find my way back to your good graces..... in all humility🥰 C

very interesting and instructive. I write its for my own amusement, but reviewing my writing with your suggestions is very helpful. thanks. nb as far as "free will" I am often amazed at how my characters can surprise me.... Not too sure what this says about me.....

"Wonder how history would have changed" yes! Dramatically different and undoubtedly better! "Davenport being the love of Graingers life" intellectual love yes, but Grainger will always have his physical lists (as you suggest, he is a slut) "Chartley's concerns ..... weak tea." I have to disagree. It's not Chartley's physical relationship with Batu that is the concern (if it was, Grainger and half the Brit aristocracy he's slept with would be banished from London) but that he has this strange-for-the-times desire to almost publicly live in a domestic marriage-like relationship with Batu. That is what would be what would get him completely excluded from society. Men being a slut with other men was fine (just don't frighten the horses), living in domestic monogamous bliss with another man.....definitely no no.