My dear sister,

Please forgive the note in lieu of a personal visit, but I am confident you shall understand that I am quite engaged at the moment by the time you finish reading. I should have been so loath to have you hear from a third party—or worse, to read the news in the papers. I ask that you please ensure you are seated before you read any further.

I write to you of our brother Reuben and his latest misadventures. Though I often conspired to keep his poor decisions from troubling you, you may have heard in the past his name connected to that of a Miss Melody Finch. They have known one another for some time, to the detriment of both.

This background serves to help understand what has transpired: Reuben, he has told me, has chosen to elope with Miss Finch. While ordinarily this might be but a rash decision, Miss Finch was engaged to be married to the liaison from America. As if this were not bad enough, her family has long been opposed to any interaction between their daughter and Reuben, a fact the couple have, obviously, ignored entirely.

Reuben and I discussed the matter and it has been decided he and his new bride shall away to France for a few weeks until the worst of the heat has rather died down. He is expected to send along a temporary address once they've settled in, which I shall, of course, pass along to you. I suspect, though, that any silence on your part will not be taken as a slight but instead be considered understandable, under the circumstances.

Please give my best to Mr. Malfoy and the boys.

With great affection,

Dearest Brother,

I find myself terribly aggrieved at receiving your letter.

I am finding it difficult to understand how this came to pass and I'm afraid to learn what sort of female our brother has attached himself to if she would break her word and desert her fiancé. Do you think it possible that Miss Finch used questionable means to catch Reuben? It is a horrid thought and I blush to even think of it, but I don't believe Reuben would act so cruelly. He has not always made wise choices but I cannot believe he would coerce a young woman into ruining her life, he is not capable of such spite or selfishness.

I worry he has ruined his life, Aldous, I do not like it.

Does he love her? What of her feelings?