A new proposal

While wandering with her servants, Marie noticed that her presence was attracting attention, probably because these people had rarely seen a woman, especially one presented like her, in such fashionable surroundings. Marie looked at herself and realized that being dressed as a man was likely causing quite a stir, but no one dared say anything because she was in the service of a great nobleman, a crown prince!

Sarzi had Di Luigi talk to many merchants and bought the most peculiar items they had displayed on their stalls, as usual, when something incredible happened! The Berlin police officers entered in full **** and grandeur, declaring the arrest of Count Knyphausen on the charge of having one of his peers killed. The officer, after notifying the arrest and its reasons, ended the festivities. Thanks to his rank, Sarzi managed to leave the villa without being stopped. When he was in the courtyard, he was approached by a man who, judging by the paint stains on his hands, could only be a painter. In very formal German and with complete reverence, the man requested an audience.

Di Luigi translated everything quickly, as he did not want to witness the disgrace of the German count. Sarzi asked what the gentleman wanted. The servant translated what the newly arrived person had said. He introduced and explained that the gentleman was a painter named Hans Kellerman and that, without much preamble, he had been captivated by the figure of the lady in his company. He asked if he could paint her, even at the prince's residence. Sarzi turned to Marie, who, being asked such a request for the first time, was caught off guard!

"Would you like to pose for this painter?" the prince said in Italian. "I wouldn't mind having a portrait of you, Marie. But it's up to you to decide."

"If it would please you, why not? But what kind of painting does he want to do?"

Considering that time was of the essence, the Prince instructed his trusted translator to give the painter the address of his villa and to tell him that he could come the next day, but that before starting to paint, they would agree on what and how he wanted to portray his bodyguard.

Hans agreed and finally let the group go. He returned to his stall, while the gendarmes ordered everything to be cleared away because the party was over.

All evening and the next morning, Marie had been quite agitated. Posing for a painting. Her! She didn't know whether to be flattered by the painter or by the reaction of her protector, but she was certainly rather tense. How should she pose? What did the painter want to depict? Probably her physicality had impressed him? With all these questions in her head, the pirate spent the time in a slow wait until the butler announced that a certain Kellerman, a painter expected by His Highness, had arrived. At this news, Marie started, but finally, she would have answers to all her questions.