Dear Future Husband

29. The Mysterious Alonzo Price

20 July 1891

Dear future husband,

You simply must hear news of this mysterious Alonzo Price! Or rather, I hope you would hear it without jealousy, but I cannot guarantee this to be the case. However, if this is so, I shall simply redact this section of my letter by accidentally spilling ink onto it. I assume you understand my intentions to be pure, or rather as pure as they can be in this tarnished world.

Alonzo Price has become betrothed to one of my very best friends, Emma! She will be 15 this summer and they shall be married by August. Is that not so very romantic? Although, come to think of it, it would perhaps be a great deal less romantic if we only knew more about the man. Emma is infuriatingly tight-lipped about him, which is surprising for her as she would normally be quiet open with us. In fact, I have learned many things about Emma in this manner that I truly would prefer not to know at all. Yet this would count as gossip, would it not? How horrid of me to write it, then! I must repent of this habit immediately.

But I digress. Here are the few things that we–by this 'we' I am referring of course to myself, Lily, and Mary–have ascertained of the mysterious Alonzo Prize. First of all, his full name is Alonzo Oliver Price. Second of all, he has dark hair and eyes of the same hue, like a hero from a Gothic romance. We are undecided as to whether he reminds us more of Jane Eyre's Rochester or Catherine Linton's Heathcliff. However, Emma is far kinder than Catherine Linton, and thus we have decided she may suit the role of Jane (though less plain, a true English rose!) even if the romance between Heathcliff and Catherine is quite Gothic.

Third of all, we know that Alonzo Price is very protective of his younger sister, Willa Price. He goes as far as to cast a most menacing glower upon any girl who even looks at his sister in a remotely disdainful manner. This glower also reminds us of Rochester, who is Lily's favourite. Mary finds him too immoral and distasteful for her palate. Fourth of all, we are aware that Alonzo Price's father is dead and has left him a staggering fortune that no one has directly disclosed. However, servants' whispers have reached our ears of a sum of ten thousand pounds! Truly a shocking amount, I am sure you will agree. Of course, such rumours once more are neither accurate nor wise to partake in, so I shall accept this number–if it is true at all–with a grain of salt. Perhaps even a hefty spoonful of salt.

Come to think of it, why do people use such a strange idiom? If a rumour is so salacious and false, then it stands to reason that it would fall on the rather flavourful side of the spectrum and thus require no salt. Instead it may even require a dash of water. It is, I suppose, one of those phrases that makes little sense.

Speaking of things that make little sense, today I also bear quite sad news. All my letters to Anna telling her of Sterling Bennett's engagement and pending nuptials have been returned, unopened, and most likely unread. It does weigh heavily on my heart to know that our friendship may never be reconciled as I did care for her a great deal. If I did not, I would have not sent her the missives to begin with, as I am sure you understand.

Rosalie chewed on the tip of her quill before spitting it out, recoiling at the disgusting taste. Due to the foul aroma and the unladylike indignity of the action to begin with, she now began to understand her governess's constant rebukes for the habit.

Father is away in London on business while I am at school. He has promised to bring me many gifts from Town, but this departure from Grenledge has piqued my curiosity. Why would he go to London when he so rarely does? What business does he have that could not be conducted at our home?

I asked my friends, and Mary suggested that he could be looking for a new wife. I immediately rejected such a notion, but once the seed was planted, it took root. Just as the seed in Jesus's parables did, although the birds attempted to eat it and the weeds wished to choke it out. In this instance, I wish such a thought would flee far, far away from me.