Hello Stranger

Chapter 4

My Dearest Theo,

How long has it been since we last spoke? A day? A week? A year. I seem to have lost my sense of time, for it feels like eternities since I've last been graced with the pleasure of seeing your face.

I just checked. It's been a week. That sounds more accurate than years, so I will choose to believe my calendar.

I've been thinking of you more than I believe I should be, seeing as we only talked three times over the course of my visit- but you seem to have made quite and impression on me. I've bragged to all my friends of the incredibly intelligent and beautiful young woman I reconnected with on my trip home- I do believe they're getting tired of hearing about you, but I'm not yet tired of speaking of you.

I do have a greater reason to write you other than to show my flatteries for you- though that should be reason enough. I've asked my French teacher for some literary recommendations- he is always talking of how reading is one of the best ways to learn a language, second only to conversing. And I do hope we can speak once I return home for Christmas, but until then I hope this will hold you over.

I hope you're doing well. Send my respects to my father- I've been plotting how we can start building bridges between our families, but we'll discuss that later.

Yours, now and forever,

-Phillipa

Theodosia had snorted when she first started reading the letter, but by the time she was finished her heart was racing and her tongue had suddenly turned to sandpaper. She attempted to swallow, but failed, causing her to fall into a fit of coughs.

"Are you alright, Miss?" Margaret asked, dropping her feather duster and coming to Theodosia's side.

"I'm fine," Theodosia choked out. "Merely have a frog in my throat."

Margaret looked at Theodosia with worry. "Who was the letter from? If I may ask?"

"Oh," Theodosia folded the letter. "A friend I saw at the ball the other day. Just sending their respects."

Margaret nodded, though didn't seem completely convinced. "As long as you're alright, Miss."

Theodosia gave a curt nod before grabbing the letter back and slipping towards the door. "I think I'll go make myself some tea."

Margaret gave a small nod as Theodosia disappeared through the doorway, holding the letter to her chest.

"How incredibly inappropriate," Theodosia said, but she could feel herself grinning. She reached the kitchen and sat down to read it again.

Her eyes read over every word with care. His handwriting was surprisingly clean, with tall letters and swiftly dotted i's. The tales on his a's looped up again in the air before connecting to the next letter. It was so swift and gentle, like he was writing out the wind.

Theodosia bit her lip in confusion. She wondered if maybe the letter had been meant for someone else... if he had scrawled down her name by accident.

But the package sitting on the table that had accompanied had her name written on it as well, this time her full name. He had written it to make the letters look like swans, the t's and d's craning their necks to the sky. The package was large, heavy, and wrapped up in brown paper and twine. She sighed, before setting down the letter and untying the carefully placed bow.

It was a book, which Theodosia had been expecting. It was in french, the title including a word she didn't know... she made a note to ask Mr. Ericson about it the next time she saw it. But she felt excitement rising in her chest as she looked at it, not only with the thrill of a challenge, but the fact that it was a gift for her.