Even in a society accustomed to grandeur, the building was regarded as something unusual, transported as it had been stone by stone from the French countryside, where it had been originally built as a fortified chateau, three centuries before. While retaining perfectly its outside design, the newspaper magnate had permitted some interior improvements, like modern plumbing and air conditioning, and the man who had succeeded him in owner-ship had further added to the amenities. One such innovation had been to introduce electrification to the surrounding fencing and then to attach spotlights at strategic points, so that at the touch of any one of five switches, the grounds could be bathed in a blaze of revealing light and protected by sufficient volts to kill a man. While elsewhere this might have been regarded as a little strange, paranoic even, in Palm Beach it was accepted by neighbours who knew how the possessions of the wealthy are coveted by others. For some it would have been comforting to know that at night the mainland bridges could be raised to keep out intruders.

Giuseppe Terrilli was known to be wealthy. While not as outgoing as his predecessor at the castle, Terrilli was an admired member of a community where respect is achieved by making exactly the right contributions to the charity functions staged at the Breakers Hotel, financing a cultural week at the music auditorium, presenting a Modigliani to the Norton Gallery of Art and actively serving on the committee of the Palm Beach Round Table and attending every event put on by them at the Paramount Theatre.

He was further respected for choosing to be an all-year resident and not one of those who took off for the summer, when the climate and humidity became somewhat bothersome to those who had the money to guarantee their every comfort. There was an obvious reason, of course. All of Terrilli Industries was based in and around the State.