"They've already left."
"That's probably for the best. Britain really hasn't been very safe lately."
Albert merely nodded, seeming to feel no reluctance over the departure of his three lovers.
"They'll be back in a few days."
Watching Little Alice still stumble about as she walked, Isobel then turned to Albert, whose face was full of paternal affection, and reminded him, "You can't expect to keep them in that villa forever and indulge yourself with them."
Katrina couldn't help snickering. Who was indulging whom was still up for debate.
Besides, she knew that Catherine, Valeria, and Louise had actually been persuaded by Isobel to go on holiday together in France.
Not only because France was safer than Britain, but also because it would give Albert a chance to catch his breath. Albert had visibly lost weight lately; too many lovers had put a certain strain on his body.
"Oh, I know," Albert said flatly.
"Do you regret it?"
"There's no medicine for regret in this world!" Albert watched a little hand trying to grab the cat's tail. He paused slightly, as though choosing his words. "I just didn't expect them to be so..."
"Crazy."
"Wasn't everyone like that at the beginning?"
Isobel understood perfectly well. She and Albert had been like that at first too, even more frequently. The difference was that back then there had only been her, while Albert now had to deal with three girls at once. It was perfectly normal that he couldn't satisfy them all.
So the girls couldn't really be blamed for being too greedy or too crazy.
"I never got that treatment. Before things had even warmed up, Hermione snatched him away," Katrina complained, looking aggrieved. "And now three more suddenly showed up."
"Soon enough, no one will be competing with you," Isobel