Lottie took pity on him and rubbed her husband's back

Bill sat there with his head in his hands for a long time. His head slowly moved down.

"Ye'll tell me when ye're ready, I suppose. I'll leave ye be."

Bill's head finally hit the table. He snored.

Lottie fetched a blanket and draped it over her husband before returning to her own bed. The following morning, it was still there when she came down to make the tea. Tutting her head, she merely carried on with the morning routine as if it were just her in that room, without regard to noise or disposition. That'll teach him to fill up on Tetley's. Kettle for tea first. Milk bottle in.

"Mornin' Mrs Blacke." the very cheery postman greeted her.

"Mornin' Mr Matthews. Anythin' fer us this early?"

"Uh.. looks like a bill and a letter.. very nice handwrittin." Lottie thanked him and closed the front door louder than she needed to.

That woke Bill up alright. And he wasn't happy about it. He groaned when he felt how his head hurt and put his face in his hands. Slowly he remembered where he was, and what had happened last night, and now apart from hurting, he felt ashamed. He groaned again.

"Oh! yer up dear." Lottie announced with casual cheeriness. "Tea's on. Here's first post, look's like a bill and a fancy letter with lovely writin'. Postmark New Castle on Tyne.. who do ye know up there?"

Newcastle... Bill suddenly sat up straight. Had another family member sent a letter?

His poor head did not agree with the movement and he pulled a face. He stood up slowly. "Who is it from?" he asked without answering. He poured himself a cup of water, now that there was water in the house, and drank it in one go. His stomach did not agree and Ben felt like he might be sick.

"I don't know, dear. The pen work is lovely. Don't you have sisters, dear? Could it from one of them?" There was the clunk of the teapot on the table. Lottie poured milk into their 'every day' mugs, while the tea continued to steep.

That definitely rubbed Bill the wrong way. "Ye know I've a sister," he snapped, snatching the letter from Lottie's hand. He looked at the handwriting. It was different from what he had received yesterday. Nevertheless, he opened the letter before Lottie could, just in case it was a family member. He did not need Lottie to meddle into that as well.

His eyes found the name that had signed the letter first. Strange. He didn't know any Pearls in his family.

No!

"No!" he voiced. "No! No! No! No! He didn't!" Bill dropped the letter on the table as if it was on fire.