J’espère que vous allez bien. Please forgive me, as that is the extent of my French, unless we were to discuss École de Fontainebleau again! Even then, I wouldn’t have any hope in the world going up against a native speaker. I wanted to thank you for those kind words you were so generous to give yesterday. And I do hope that your coat didn’t suffer too much at the hands of my clumsiness! I still maintain that I didn’t see that tree branch - it simply materialized out of no where.

Magic or not, I hope your ribs are in tact. Mine were healed in a pinch, but I didn’t hear the end of it from Cousin Celia for a good day or so after. I don’t think she’ll let me out on the grounds again, but she sends her best wishes and asked me to pass on this tartes aux pommes that her cook made. Please forgive the frayed edges of the cloth - Bear got to it, but I pulled him away before there was any real damage.

Speaking of whom, I can hear him scratching at the door now. After I found him chewing on the cloth, I banished him from the room to finish this letter. Now he is howling as if I've just taken away his firstborn. I better go tend to him before he damages Cousin Celia's door any further.

I look forward to our next meeting on Wednesday. Until then, I remain