Since the time when she was a schoolgirl, Thea dreamed of following in her father’s footsteps.
With Ambassador Nils Ørnen as her inspiration, it was no wonder that Thea imagined that one day
she would demand such admiration and respect. He was tall and slender; he seemed always
to be impeccably dressed; his bearing was impressive. He spoke authoritatively in low,
measured tones that forced others to listen carefully to his words. And in those later years
in Rome, people addressed him as Your Excellency.

At the outset her plan was simple: emulate her father’s manners and encourage him to act as
her mentor as well as her entrée into the world of high diplomacy. For his part, Ambassador
Ørnen could not refuse his precious daughter any request. Although to his colleagues he was
widely known to be a formidable negotiator, all his defenses crumbled at the sound of
Thea’s voice. While others might have regarded the Ambassador as intimidating,
to Thea he was simply Papá.