"Are the horses alright?" Arlene asks immediately. She's always had a soft spot for animals, even when those animals don't return the sentiment -- but even disregarding that, Northcliff Pass losing all of its horses would be a disaster.

... This is not, she realises belatedly, something cheerful to say that would cheer someone up.

"I'm -- sure you'll have help," she says. "No one would leave you to fix it all up on your own." At his question about how she's faring, she smiles again, and admits: "Not very well. I've gotten... turned around. More than once. But I'm sure others have it worse."