By the mid-1870s, their relationship had settled into a comfortable groove. They were undoubtedly fond of each other. Alexandra’s loyalty to Edward was absolute. Grateful for her devotion, he was careful to ensure she would never be slighted or disrespected. Still, he remained a man of prodigious appetites with too much leisure and a tendency towards boredom. With his wife indisposed, he embarked upon a wandering quest that would see him linked to any number of women. Some of his dalliances were transitory. Others were more serious.
