Patch has transformed herself from a tomboy into a well-bred woman, but Ethan’s position remains largely unchanged. Though he was eventually caught and jailed for murder, he has been stalked since his release by the father of a woman he allegedly raped. Ethan swears he found Merielle after the rape and that he killed in self-defense. Merielle can’t shed light on those events, since the trauma left her with the mind of a child. Ethan pretends he’s not in love with Patch as she attempts to clear his name in a manner that demonstrates that under the veneer of high society remains a core of will and assertiveness.