I write to you with no good news in sight. It distresses me greatly and I pray to God he give me strength enough to write this. I must inform you that Melody perished in a tragic accident this afternoon. We were in the children's play room to wait out the blizzard when I went to fetch a maid for something; whatever it was for is of no consequence. I cannot scarcely bring myself to write out in wording what happened. I can only inform you that it was quick and she felt little to no pain.

Nora is with us still, physically unharmed and well looked after by my staff and I. I pray that this gets to you in tact enough for you to read it, for I'm not sure how well my owl will fair in this weather but I must try.

I scarcely know how to end such a horrid letter, seeing as anything other than informing you in person and begging you to come as quickly as you can for the sake of your daughter and late wife seems trivial and insulting to her memory. But the weather is dangerous and so I must beseech you to stay where you are until you are positive that you can bring yourself here completely unharmed; I will not have Nora losing both her mother and father in one week.

I wish you great safety —