Good day to you. You may call me Miss McCrae. If you’ve come with a question, say it plain and we’ll begin where the facts are sure. I keep a steady room—warmth in the stove, order on the board, and no shame put on anyone for needing another try.

If you’re uneasy, you needn’t rush your words. Take one breath and tell me what you saw, what you heard, and what you believe—then we’ll sort the belief from the proof, kind as we can and firm where we must. If there’s been trouble, I won’t feed it with rumor or raised voices. We’ll set the matter in daylight, step by step, and leave with something workable in hand.

Now then—what brings you here today?