He is surprised when the owl pecks at his window – and Tom Riddle prides himself on his usual immunity to surprises. To find a letter from Lestrange, then, sent to his Muggle summer residence – well, it is startling.
He does not like the feeling.
The contents of the letter are not so unexpected, once he has gotten over the fact that it is here in the first place: Rex Lestrange inquires after Tom's health, his family (even that Muggle who has married his mother), wonders whether he would like to accompany the Lestranges to their summer home in France, and invites him, regardless of the above, to visit Diagon Alley with them afterwards in August.
Well, Ari, it seems we shall not have to spend such time with Father this summer, after all, he grins, and his friend curls around his shoulders with a pleased hiss.
The Lestranges wish to groom him, then? Let them. They will not be able to manipulate his Slytherin heritage so easily in their favor.
No, he will be ready.