Adelaide didn't seem to immediately notice that somebody had nearly fallen on top of her. However when she saw the woman kneeling down to her level, the young widow carefully tilted her head to one side and nodded. "Benjamin's run off," she said softly. "My nurse said I was not holding the leash tight enough, but I did not believe her." She looked at the ground when she spoke, too distraught to think clearly.
She was always rather lost in her head, which was why she had three nurses to look after her, but now that she had lost her dog she was feeling more afraid than usual. "Have you seen him, miss?" she asked as she looked to the other woman.