The young woman seems familiar, but Leopold is sure he has never seen her before, either here in the house or in his life before. She looks friendly and reminds him of a maid in his uncle’s house in England. Leopold is slightly chagrined that she has both noticed his stiffness and offered him a seat in his own room, when he should be extending that courtesy to her.

He does sit down, because he really needs to, but not before pulling the desk chair and gesturing her toward it. “I am not accustomed to sit while a lady stands.” Although, perhaps she is not a lady, She does not sound like any of the ladies he has ever met. “Do you…work here?” he asks, unable to think of another reason a young woman would be carrying a cup of tea through a hotel. And if she is employed here, perhaps she can tell him how so many people have come here, and why such strange things have been happening.