Minke and Annelies fell in love and got married in accord with local custom and Islamic practice. In the meantime, Herman apparently died of an overdose of drugs he used in the whorehouse. With his death, his estate passed to his three children. But, since Annelies was not yet considered an adult, Maurits became her guardian. Nyai and Minke challenged this in court, but lost since the state under law would not recognize Nyai’s standing as parent or Minke’s as husband. Maurits ordered Annelies to be brought to the Netherlands and a police contingent forcible removed her from the house in Wonokromo and put her aboard a ship for Europe. As the ship left, Nyai’s health began to fail. On board was Panji Darman, Minke’s friend, who would be reporting back to Nyai and Minke on Annelies’ condition. (His reports are in the opening part of Child.)