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Dear Charles,

My farewell to you was too short and for that I am sorry.

I reached London with ease, but before I could properly settle into my house after travel, I was brought to the law offices.

As I suspected, it was due to Louis Garretty’s influence that the trial was moved up, and I believe that it was because someone told him where I was spending my summer.

For now, I am pretending that you and Arthur told me nothing about the blackmail and focusing on the case at hand, although I am concerned that I am unable to hide my expression when Garretty speaks to me.

You know as well as anyone that I am hardly a master of emotions.

I already miss you and your brother, and I hope that you are not too despondent without me.

Two weeks is not that long, and I swore I would be back before the ball.

I promised Ida my first two dances and to let her down would be horribly impolite.

I fear that this may be my last letter until I return, as the volume of work is quite overwhelming, but it will make our reunion all the better.

Please tell Arthur that I didn’t mean what I said, and I will talk to him further when I return.

Yours fondly,

Tom