Hannah was shaking and the tears were flowing down and staining the letter that she read. Her physical heart pained her with the words written on the page. What could she do? She was another's. What could she do? The situation was impossible.
At night she dreamed vivid, lucid dreams about Talbot and 'their' island. She came to him in the night in a gauze shift. Body bronze and hot from the day's tormenting sun. She met his passion as Eve would Adam. They were alone in the world. A new beginning of humanity.
Hannah woke with a start, sitting straight up in her bed, soaked with perspiration. Guilt flooded her mind. The dream was so real.
Hannah frantically lit a candle. Frantically searched for and found a plume. Frantically searched her desk for an ink well. Panic stricken shuffled papers around, up and down, side to side to search for writing paper. Finally with nerves frazzled and frayed she found her personalized stationery.
Mrs. Hannah Chamberlain
5 Park Lane
Baton Rogue, Louisiana
United States of America
August 31st, 1854
Dearest Mr. Talbot,
I wish to address the letter in which you so obligingly sent me through the post, dated, July 18, 1854, which I received in good order.
It was very good to hear that you are in fine form. I trust you are still in this condition upon receipt of my letter of today's date.
I thank you for your kind remarks apropos my condition at the time of Mr. Chamberlain's ball last June. Yes, I was in good form at that time.
You might be please to know that currently I am in good health, as of the date of this letter, and thank you for your concern about said matter.
Please be advised that your many requests posed in your letter of the above date, shall not be fulfilled, at this time. I am otherwise engaged for any future endeavors or discussions thereof.
Again, I would like to thank you, wholeheartedly for your support and care for me during the tumultuous time that we spent at sea and off the coast of Cuba. Without your undying attention, it would have been quite impossible for me to have survived. Therefore I am indebted to you as is Mr. Chamberlain and as has been expressed in correspondence, subsequent to the function of which you so graciously attended.
Subsequent correspondence on my part hitherto your letter, would be of no consequence, therefore I feel obligated to inform you that this shall be my first and my final correspondence to you, kind Sir.
I remain,
Mrs. Hannah Chamberlain
Hannah found herself signing her name extra large, larger than the writing in the rest of the letter! She reread her letter and sat back in the chair at her desk, pulling her shawl around her shoulders to ward off the chill coming through the window. She smiled broadly, quite proud of herself, believing this to have achieved the required result.
Her feet were cold now and she jumped up hurrying herself to get under her quilt that was so light and yet toasty warm. She shimmied down so that the top of the quilt was wrapped around the back of her head to keep off the damp. She lay on her side with the feather pillow punched and formed into her neck and the quilt rounding the back of her head and around under her chin. She was so satisfied and felt, 'her letter' was a complete success. She found herself going to sleep with a smile on her face.
The next morning with the storm having passed, the sun shone brightly albeit gently through the window and sheer curtains in Hannah's room. Betzy brought up a breakfast tray, covered with a beautiful lace doily, a bud vase with delicate orchards and strong coffee, hot freshly baked biscuits, freshly churned butter and strawberry jam.
