Spring came and went. Summer arrived and the family returned to Scotland. Happily the sun shone and some life returned to Crystal. She began to see some friends and visit other estates for house parties.
Jeff went about his duties unhappy but he couldn't figure out why.
Richard Holland never returned to the Palace. He travelled to Italy and stayed there, pleading he needed relief from the cold. He eventually married a minor European aristocrat he didn't love. They lived separate lives but supported each other publicly. He didn't, to the relief of his long suffering family, perform as Desiree again.
The massive upheaval in Crystal's life caused by the jetboat accident and her failed relationship with Richard Holland also brought changes for Archie and Terri. Being left behind in New Zealand had meant they were subjected to the mistreatment of children. Terri in particular was scarred by the experience. Her buttons had been torn off and holes left in her beautiful form.
When Crystal had unpacked them from their travelling box she noticed the neat darning on Terri's back and that her buttons were somewhat marked, as though they had been knocked about. The buttons had of course been through the Ambassador's vacuum cleaner and then sewn back on. As Crystal inspected her hot water bottle and cover she said to Jessie,
'Poor thing, the cover has been ripped. I think I'll send them up to Constance for a bit of restoration.'
'Restoration?' Archie heard the unfamiliar word and started to worry. He held Terri close as she began to shake, 'What does that mean?'
Fortunately Jessie carried them upstairs together and as she entered the familiar sun filled workroom they remembered their first nights together. Terri relaxed a little until Constance began a close examination of every part of her body.
'You have been in the wars; I wonder what happened,' she said.
'I'll tell you,' Terri said out loud. 'Some rather awful children ripped me off Archie, threw me to the floor and then used him as a water pistol. Then they left him and he nearly froze to death in a cold bath. My buttons were sucked up into a filthy vacuum cleaner bag and had to be pulled out by a woman I consider a saint. That's all.'
But it was to no avail. Constance couldn't hear her. She opened a long shallow drawer and pulled out the remainder of Terri's red and blue fabric.
'There it is. I think we'll have a new back, it's quite damaged. The buttons are ruined as well. I wonder if I should use that new method with the snap closing, velcro, that's what it is. Much safer apparently; it won't come undone.'
Archie and Terri were horrified. As far as they could see the woman intended to rip Terri apart, throw part of her way and replace it with something they'd never heard of. How could they prevent it? They couldn't, they were powerless.
Constance picked Terri up and, with gentle hands, undid her buttons and slipped her away from Archie. Terri was frightened and Archie embarrassed at his nakedness but once again Constance surprised them.
Terri's 'restoration' turned out to be a pleasure, just like having a new dress made and fitted. And the velcro. Constance stitched it to Terri's new back. It fitted together completely: there were no gaps and no lumps from buttons. Terri's buttons had sometimes come open during the night if Crystal tossed and turned but it seemed the velcro, which also had the advantage of being smooth and gave her an elegant line that Archie couldn't help whistling at, wouldn't. United again with his love he ran his hands down her spine, making her tingle,
'Oh Archie, stop.'
'I can't, you're too beautiful.'
It was late when Constance finished so she laid them gently in the same lavender lined drawer where they had spent their honeymoon and closed it.
'I'll take you downstairs in the morning,' she said.
The lights went out and Archie and Terri were truly alone for the first time in many weeks. Both of them hoped Constance wouldn't come in early in the morning.