"I hope you'll forgive me for prying. At first it was to find out to whom it might belong, but the more I read..." The more he'd become increasingly alarmed. He doesn't feel the need to explain that, and instead returns Hasi's small smile with one of his own.

"You can rest assured that reading is all I'll do." As a mutual acquaintance of theirs often said, some people can be too sharp for their own good. Finding the balance was Charles' ongoing tightrope walk; he hadn't fallen yet.