to Beau Allaire because of Max's urgent need for medical treatment. On a trip to South America, Max contracted the fatal Netson's disease which kills by parasites invading the heart. There is no cure. A distant cousin of Max's is the world's leading specialist in this disease, and he is on the staff of M.A. Horne Hospital, founded by her father after M.A.'s death. In short, Max has come home to die. Through Sandy Murry, Max meets Polly and they quickly become good friends. Max, who loves Polly as the daughter she was unable to have, takes a keen interest in her intellectual and social development. They spend many hours together at Beau Allaire, talking and reading. Due to Max's mentoring and love, Polly blossoms both at school and in her social life. But as Max's disease worsens, she has to resort to drinking alcohol to manage the pain. One night when Polly is staying over at Beau Allaire, Max becomes intoxicated because of her pain and makes what some interpret as a sexual advance toward Polly. Polly, traumatized, runs into the rain just as M.A. did many years ago. Max, trying to stop Polly and recalling M.A. fleeing her father years before, sadly screams out to her father's portrait that she is just like him. Despite Max's attempts to reach out to Polly and apologize, Polly refuses to speak to her until, during her stay in Cyprus, she is able to forgive Max, calls her, and they reconcile. Name Maximiliana Sebastiane Horne and her younger sister, Minerva Allaire were named by their mother. She gave her daughters romantic names because she and her sisters had been named Submit, Patience, and Hope. In A House Like a Lotus, she is called Max or Maxa, and in An Acceptable Time, she is referred to as Max. Metaxa—a strong Greek liqueur—is a third nickname. History In A House Like a Lotus, Max is a major character. She is friend and mentor to Polly O'Keefe. Max and her partner Dr. Ursula Heschel are Polly's first exposure to a lesbian couple, particularly a couple who have been happily together for over 30 years. At the end of the book, Max is still alive, but clearly nearing the end of her life. There is a single mention of Max in An Acceptable Time. Max died before Polly returned from her trip to Cyprus, and Polly