I was carrying a fresh stack of folded towels by the linen press outside the study when Christopher opened the heavy oak front door.

He took a thick cream envelope with a red lab seal from the driver’s hand and signed the digital clipboard without looking at the man’s face.

He didn’t wait to go back into his private study.

He tore the envelope open with his thumb right there in the grand foyer and pulled out three folded white pages stamped in blue ink.

In less than five seconds his face went from pale white to a dark, blotchy red.