Tintin and Captain Haddock are invited to a party for Bianca Castafiore. But this party isn't like the rest...
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Captain Haddock put his hands on his hips and took in a deep breath.
"Sure is magnificent, isn't it?" he said to Tintin.
"Yes it is, Captain," Tintin replied. They had both come to Bianca Castafiore's grand mansion to attend a ball for the 'grand announcement,' as she had called it. The high ceilings, carved with angels and patriarchs, shone in solid gold, and the dome shaped building only magnified its grandeur.
Both Tintin and Captain Haddock were so busy staring at the ceiling that they didn't notice Skut approach them.
"Tintin! Captain!" the man exclaimed.
Tintin and Captain looked back down in surprise.
"Skut!" they said at the same time.
Skut shook each of their hands. "I'm very happy to see my friends again!" he said. "It has been a long time."
"Indeed it has," Tintin replied. "Far too long."
"Ah, mon ami!" a musical voice said from across the room. Captain Haddock groaned.
"Thundering typhonns," he muttered. "Our esteemed nightingale is coming to deliver her song."
"Captain Headlock! Tintin! How delighted I am to see that you came," Bianca Castafiore said. She grabbed both of them and pulled them into a tight embrace.
"It's nice to see you too!" Captain Haddock gasped.
Just then Bianca's maid, Irma, approached them.
"It is time to make your announcement, mistress!" she chirped.
"Ah!" Bianca put a hand to her chest. "Of course! I nearly forgot. Excuse me, good sirs," she said, and left with Irma.
"I wonder what announcement she's going to make," remarked Tintin.
"I do not know," Skut replied. "I have come to discover that Miss Bianca is full of surprises."
"Ha, you could say that again," Captain Haddock said.
"My dear friends," Bianca's voice said through a microphone. Immediately a hush swept over the room. "I'm so happy that all of you could come. Before the dancing and refreshments begin, I have an important announcement to make." She grabbed a middle-aged man and held his arm. "I am engaged to be married!"
There was a roar of applause. Captain Haddock's jaw dropped to the floor.
"What!?" he exclaimed.
"I would never have guessed," Tintin mused. "It's a bit shocking, but good news, I suppose."
"Indeed," Skut mused.
The gentleman whose arm Bianca held grabbed a bottle of wine from a waiter passing by and said, "A toast! To my dear Bianca and the life we will soon enjoy together!"
Those who had wine glasses held them up and said, "Here, here!" and clinked them together.
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Later that night, as Tintin, Captain Haddock, and Skut reminisced about their adventures, a young woman approached the trio and tapped Tintin on the shoulder. He turned, and was amazed at what he saw. The woman was just an inch shorter than himself, a Spaniard, with her black hair in a neat bun and her forest green dress fitting her form nicely. Her emerald jewelry sparkled in the chandelier's light.
