[Wids]

To the Estate of Lord Segren Coldwell
From the Estate of Lady Corella d'Margo
18 Eleint


I am grievously distressed and violated, Segren, for when I was away two eves past, someone intruded on my study and rummaged through my missives and receipts! The intruder so far as dared to defile one particular message--received of late from the hireling whom I contracted to aid me with a terrible infestation of pests--through crumpling the message and dripping water on its paper until the ink streaked and dribbled! And I truly needed to reply to my hireling concerning that message, too.

To worsen matters, Anneletta has been missing for well over a day past. I know not how she escaped Forgive my error, cousin, but it now dawns on me that Anneletta was already nowhere to be seen when I returned that scandalous night and found the message retrieved from its hidden nook and ruined, the one message in my study which I would keep Anneletta from reading above all others. And I now suspect that she has not fled my estate after all. I sat to dine and heard little footsteps plodding in the hallway outside, but my castellan assured me that no one was there. And last night, I was stirred from my sleep by scuffing on the ledge outside my window--a window three floors from the ground, mind you--and, leaping from my bed, hurried to the window to lay eyes on my disturbance, again finding no one there.

Many secrets have we kept for each other over the years, good cousin, but even now have I hesitated in sharing this matter with you, grave as it may prove to be. I shall speak with the Captain of the Guard on this matter. I fear that my servant girl has endured past her usefulness, and she has now ceased to amuse me as a plaything. Mayhap the time has come to dismiss her in whatever way forever ensures my own safety.


Wish Me Well,
Cousin Corella