The mail carrier hides in the alleyway, reading other people’s love letters.

It first started as an accident. Or more accurately as the result of an accident. When his water bottle leaked on some mail he ducked into the nearest alley, opened the letters and spread them in the sun to dry. By the time he was smoothing the sheets and refolding them into their envelopes he was hooked. Would Elizabeth choose Charlie or Ben as her next lover? If she chose Ben would Sophie survive the slight?

Anytime he spots the distinctive handwriting in the day’s mail he ducks into the alley and has his morning tea accompanied by the next installment. Charlie’s wife is now expecting. Will it cool or fuel his ardor for Elizabeth? He can hardly wait to sign on for tomorrow’s shift just in case Grace writes back to her sister…