Adam's Breed

A week later, when Gian-Luca called for his letter, the girl eyed him curiously. "An unpleasant change in the weather -- " she began; but Gian-Luca had thanked her and had hurried away before she could get any further.

He shuffled along in his battered old shoes, which now felt too small for his feet; as he went he kept staring down at the letter -- it seemed heavy, he thought, it was thicker than usual -- and his fretful heart thudded against his side because the letter looked thicker.