Miss Peach's family, asking me to call on them.

Dear Sir Williard,

The note was from none other than Miss Peach's mother, and I must tell you, a cold dread swept over soul. I was about to pay for my lack of character. The note was a polite welcome to New Thames, nothing in the tone suggested the outrage that she and Peach's father must be feeling, but a matter of this delicacy could not be resolved in any way other than a face-to-face confrontation. Sure enough the last sentence apologized for the hurried nature of the request, but humbly requested that, if I was free, to stop by the town-house of this notable family at my earliest opportunity that very afternoon. A calling card with the address of the town-house was clipped to the letter. The only possible explanation I can think of for the urgency of the invitation was that Miss Peach had been discovered by her family and it became known that I was the vile creature who had mistreated her so.

I took great care to finish dressing, calling once again on the hotel staff to have my boots polished and to have my walking jacket freshly pressed. My hands were trembling so badly that it took three tries to tie my cravat in a double reverse twist and I tried not to think about how badly I squandered my best hope for a future here on Rajah-4. I hope you will not be offended to learn that I wore the onyx and gold pin that you gave to me on my departure to this distant planet to hold the necktie firmly in place above my best embroidered vest. I could only wonder why I was invited to meet with Miss Peach's family instead of being taken directly into custody by armed Ghurkas. Would I be challenged to defend myself in an affair of honour?

On Earth, as you know, the practice of dueling has thankfully all but died out but in a place like this where passions run high, who knows? It is also possible that a man of Peach's father's power may simply have a humble doctor like me disappear and thus have any possible scandal fade away as quickly as my physical corpse in this jungle planet. The more I consider the situation as I write this quick note, the more likely this theory fits the facts. After all, why risk public disgrace to your daughter when the matter might be settled by the quiet removal of the offending party. I hope I do not sound too theatrical when I say that this may well be my last addition to this long letter.

I am taking the time to bundle all of these notes together and arrange for them to be mailed back to your Lordship before leaving for my appointment. The city of Kanda is still besieged, but the concierge assures me that the pirates have been driven back and he expects service to resume any day. He did not say 'American raiders' as most of the others have, but I have no doubt that he too places the blame for the raids firmly in the hands of those Yankee savages.

I have taken the time to reread the entire sequence of entries, and as far as I can tell there are neither errors nor omissions. In regard to regretting my behavior last night, while acknowledging that my behavior was unbecoming a gentleman, especially a member of the medical profession I find I cannot regret my actions. In this I know I surely have disappointed my mother and perhaps you as well, but it is my hope than when you read this journal of my time here on Rajah-4 you will find it in your heart to forgive me. Please make no attempt to locate me if I have indeed disappeared, I would not have you risk involving yourself with a man like Peach's father because of my shameful actions.

I beg of you as well to burn this letter once you have finished reading its contents. It is my great fear that its contents might somehow become public; not so much to conceal my own failings as to protect the honour and reputation of Miss Peach. It would be a too simple matter for an enterprising journalist who found these notes to deduce the identity of her and her family, and I could not bear to have failed her in this final way.