SEBASTIAN

Alexei was a temperate man who weighed every word he said. That he explained it to me so precisely made me think seriously. But I took his word for it. And maybe he was right. The circumstances were exact and so far that the beast had touched none of Teresa’s hair.

The day passed so quickly that I didn’t even feel it. We all finally gathered in the house and at the table. Alexei served us a solyanka, a traditional hot, spicy soup, and the well-known beef Stroganoff.

White wine was ...