Alcuin hummed his agreement though his eyes softened at the unhappiness in his voice. It was becoming clear to him that it was a difficult situation for everyone involved. Unfortunately, he had no idea where to even begin to help, or if his help would even be appreciated. He had never even heard of such a circumstance before outside fanciful fiction novels, but he was wise enough to know that real life only very rarely followed them. “I am sorry,” he murmured. “It was not my intention to upset you, sir.”
The silence seemed heavier now. “You said before that Scott was troubled,” he chewed his lip briefly to avoid asking the question he really wanted to ask. “What did you mean by that, sir?”