[Wids]

To the Estate of Lord Segren Coldwell
From the Estate of Lady Corella of Margo
10 Flamerule


Tymora has surely smiled on me, Cousin Segren! With my entourage at hand, I ventured to Praka to procure ample wine for the festival. The vintner of the Seven Widows Vineyard so curtly bade me to wait in the alley passing aft of his warehouse until he had readied the purchased amphorae and loaded them aboard my spare carriage. And there I met my new servant girl.

A comely yet squalid creature who could not have seen more than eight winters, she came bumbling up to me, unshod and clad in a filthy and threadbare dress of rudely tailored broadcloth, tearfully asking me if I would help her find her parents. I berated her for daring to impose on a noblewoman so presumptuously, but she fell to bawling and pleading, and her demand grew twice the louder. And in that state of weakness and fear she seemed all the more darling to me, and I knew that I must have her. Besides, her loudened whining had grown twice as irritating, so I calmed her with a gentle hand across her lowly shoulder. "Little maid," I assured her, "I can surely help you, if I but know your name." "Anneletta," she said in answer, "Anneletta Sardant." "Anneletta, your parents are to meet us at my manor, where a great birthday celebration is soon to take place. I have sent them ahead of us to help spread our feast. Come into my carriage and, with the morrow, you shall dine with them and with me."

I cannot count myself too clever for beguiling a girl so young and naive, but enter my carriage she did. She is but a pauper girl; no one of any merit shall ache for her loss. I have my servant, she is removed from hopeless poverty and her parents have one fewer mouth to feed. Is anyone truly at a loss here?

Of course, I shall need to have the carriage seats lathered and scrubbed where her filthy rump sat. That can be little Anneletta's first task. Do wish me well with breaking her willfulness and setting her into her new role, will you?


With Love,
Cousin Corella