Vivienne arrived home to an empty house. No Cyrus yet.

Brian took her handbag, setting out her slippers.

"Where's Cyrus?" she inquired.

Brian put her shoes away, then reported, "He left not long after you this morning. I didn't ask where he was off to."

Vivienne nodded in agreement. Cyrus was his own man, not required to check in with her every time he left.

She asked the butler to prepare some soup and then headed upstairs to the closet to change out of her ...