Speaking of his own family history, the count sighed softly:
"I only learned of this elder through the words and letters of my elders. He was not a nobleman who rigidly followed convention in the traditional sense, but neither was he particularly unruly. He simply liked associating with some very unusual people. He was the family's second son and would not inherit the title, but the family had prepared a farm and a factory for him as well. My great-grandfather was quite close to him. But one day in 1780, after leaving a letter for the family, he ran away from home."
Shade nodded.
"He took those two medals with him?"
"Yes. He did not mention in the letter why he took those medals, but he clearly stated that he wanted to seek the freedom he desired. According to my elders, my great-great-grandfather and great-great-grandmother nearly went mad at the time. They sent people to various places to search for my granduncle, and the search continued for more than a decade before finally stopping completely, once everyone had given up hope."
The count spoke with particular melancholy:
"I have brothers and children of my own, so I can understand what something like this would mean to a family."
"Did you never find any trace of Thomas Granger?"
Shade asked again, and the count shook his head.
"No. My elders suspected that he went to sea in search of adventure and then met with an accident."
The New Continent had only been discovered a little over fifty years ago, so people at the time would not have suspected that Thomas Granger had gone there.
"That truly is regrettable."
"Mr. Watson, when you found those two medals, did you find anything else? Letters, perhaps?"
The count asked hopefully again:
"My elders left