How are you? I do hope you haven’t been getting into any frightful scrapes at work. I have had a small scrape or two, I suppose, but on the whole my posting is a great deal less worrisome than yours – and indeed I have made it through my first month without being dismissed, so there’s a success!

What are you working on at the moment? No more murders, I hope – you know I hate to think of you spending all your time on such morbid things. You must leave the morbidity to Luna. And what about your co-workers? You know your Mr. Prewett, at the paper – do you happen to know him very well?

He is expected at his brother’s house sometime next week, is all, and I wondered whether he is well acquainted with you, or would recognise the Wakefield name. Not that I expect we should meet, of course – but I would rather like to know if your reputation, whatever it may be, might precede me. For better or worse. (You know I tease, Mal. I am sure your reputation is only a good one.) And you have an eye for observation, obviously, so do tell me about him.

And of course how all the girls are, and Aunt Clara. I hope to stop by for tea on my afternoon off next week. In the meantime, I remain

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