Count, My Master, as Per Your Request,

¶ … Count, my master, As per your request, I have met with the Duke of Ferrara, Alfonso. His palace is most beautiful, with elegant furnishings that should please you, I think. His art collection is quite extraordinary, with commissioned portraiture, as well as larger pieces of bronze statue. While the Duke and I were touring his massive estate, he took the time to show me the portrait of his former Duchess. She was young, and exquisitely beautiful, though not nearly as fair as your daughter.

The Duchess was young, as I said before, and it would seem that she was somewhat accustomed to flaunting her sexuality - her womanly wiles to men that she would encounter. The Duke recalled to me several episodes of her atrocious behavior - she would receive gifts from men, and these fools would be thanked by the Duchess in a manner similar to the way she would thank her lord for his far superior gifts.

Her disgraceful flirtation was an insult to the Duke, and his legacy, and his nine-hundred-years old name. I can only agree with the feelings of the Duke. The Duke sought his lady out several times to implore her to behave more properly, to show him the proper affection and thanks that he should have been given for being such a loving and generous husband.

He hoped to remedy the embarrassing situation by pulling the Duchess aside, and explaining to her how he wanted to be treated, how he deserved to be respected, and that such blatant sexuality would not be tolerated in his home, in his life. How could one blame the man for such actions? He was certainly justified in hoping to control the erratic behavior of his lady, wasn't he? I certainly thought so, and I thought that you might agree with the Duke as well.

It is most unfortunate that the Duke's requests for the Duchess to control her desires went unfulfilled. She continued with her smiling at men in a most inappropriate way, as well as daring to make feeble excuses to her lord - as if he were making up such behaviors out of the blue! The Duke is such a powerful man that he was able to have the actions stopped permanently, and save his namesake from utter ruin.

While I think the Duke's actions toward his Duchess might seem somewhat extreme, I think it is important for me to explain that the Duke did what he felt necessary to maintain control in these times of social upheaval and unrest. You and I both see the hordes of wanton women who parade around as if they are independent and in no need of manly companions. This disgraceful, immoral, unacceptable behavior cannot be permitted - you and I agree.

Therefore, the Duke only did what he felt necessary to preserve his heritage, and lucky us that this opportunity has occurred. Most importantly, what a blessed.