She nodded at his question. “You act like this is terrible news. Is he horrible?” she asked as she watched the man look over her letter. She heaved a deep sigh, nearly ready to burst into another volley of tears if she didn’t like his response.

Robert looked around, apparently anxious. Then he folded the letter and handed it back to her without looking at her. "It's not for me to say, Miss," he mumbled. He began lugging at one of the trunks again, with renewed vigour, and actually managed to get one to shift.