Chapter 6
Sir Christmas,
It has been over a year since the Battle of the Basque Roads. While I long for a letter, a word, anything to reassure me that you are still alive, I remind myself that you would come home if you were able. Every time the post arrives, I wonder if this might be my lucky day.
It grieves me to say that I have the horrible duty of informing you that, early in January, your mother lost her fight against the malaise, and joined my parents and Noel in the hereafter.
The entire village has been cut by a third, and we are all in mourning.
These have been difficult months, especially knowing that we live due to your mother’s indefatigable wisdom.
I fear for your father’s sake, however. His health has declined, and he is barely holding on, though he desires to see you once more before his life ends. I promise he will want for nothing.
Please come home. Do whatever it takes. Fight. Claw. Drag yourself if need be. My cousin and I are searching for you, and we will find you if it’s the last thing we ever do.
Emma