Tobias's eyes narrowed. He snatched the letter and opened it. His eyebrows furrowed together while his eyes moved over the short scribbling. He breathed out slowly. Then he pocketed the letter.

"Thank you," he said grimly. "The third condition is that giving in to her in this matter will not encourage her in her willfulness. If it should, though, and you have proven reliable from your side and skilled at housework, I will still give you a letter of reference, so you can start somewhere else."