"Until next time, my pretty one," Scarecrow promised, climbing back out the window. On the walk home, he thought it over and made up his mind. He would keep Ashley. Even if it backfired on him and he had to move again, the young noble would prove an interesting distraction.

The next morning, Dr. Crane returned to the mansion with an expensive bottle of wine, having checked online the night before to see which brands were favorably reviewed. He apologized for having to leave the party early last night, and asked if he could see the youngest son. After their conversation at the party, he could tell that Ashley could use a moment of Crane's time, and he would determine what to do with the boy.

Of course, no matter what the boy's mental health was like, Crane had a plan in place. Talking to Ashley was just a little formality.