"Eldest Sister, Big Sister… are you really all right?"
Esther looked between them with growing concern.
Neither Airam nor Hermione had shown much enthusiasm during Linnea's lesson that morning. That was not unusual in itself. Esther was generally the one most pleased to spend time on poetry and literature, while Hermione preferred lessons that gave her something practical to learn and Airam seldom looked excited about anything.
Still, Esther knew her sisters well enough to recognise when their quietness meant more than boredom.
Airam had listened without asking a single question. Hermione had answered when Linnea called upon her, but otherwise seemed occupied by thoughts that had little to do with the passage they were reading. More than once, Esther caught her staring at the same page without turning it.
Airam's mood was easier to understand.
