While pleased to see his aunt—for this was obviously her—Michiel was caught off guard and drew breath to make some greeting. The woman cut him off. Gazing directly at Saskia with big anthracite eyes, she said, "Every time we have made the mistake of trusting Europe we have gotten fucked ." She was frank and firm but not quite scary, though Saskia could imagine a younger version of herself being quite intimidated by such a woman.