Victoria

Chapter 19

    Dear Evelyn,

 While your sister visited our lovely town in Fambridge, Harpeth, she had asked me to send you a letter she had written to you. After some thought, and a lot of time in the council, we as a whole agreed that it would not harm anything to send you your sister’s letter. Attached to this letter isJacqueline Soroneay's letter. You may feel free to send me a letter to send back to Jacqueline.

                                                                           -Ashland

         Dear Evelyn,

 You cannot believe how much I miss you my sister! Dear beloved sister, I am not able to tell you all that I wish, but I am able to tell you I am very happy. I only wish you have the same happiness. I have so many questions to ask you, but I fear so many possibilities. Evelyn, I pray every day and night for your safety. Please have no fear when I tell you this, but I have come so close to death. I pray you have never had a stipulation like that. Oh sister, I miss you! I am sorry if I have brought tears to you, I do not mean it. I have felt such emotion of late. I, I think the reason being is soon I will have an heir for my husband! If you have an heir for your husband, you know how emotion gets the better of you. But, in all honesty, I am frightened. Mother will not be able to be with me as I go through with this. I cry many tears when I think of mother, but it brings me joy to think you got to see her last. I heard she had been killed in her sleep, so she felt nothing. But it makes me furious that after all that time, living in safety, she was killed near family. Oh goodness, I fear I have said too much! Evelyn, I miss you so. I do not expect anything back from you nor will I wait for recognition, but know I have it in the back of my mind from you. Who knows; you could be a Grand Duchess and not have time to send me something even if you wanted! Before I say goodbye, I want you to know I love you very much and miss you as much as Mother and Father. Give my love to your Husband and any children you may have; or, forgive me, if the Lord God has not provided any young ones, give that love to you. My husband says Hello. (Tell your husband ‘Harold’ says hello; whatever that means. Ha-ha!) I love you!

                                 Sister in Christ,

                                     Jacqueline Soroneay

Her letter almost makes me cry. I have lost count of how many months, I think even more than a year, it has been since I have last spoken and seen my sister. I haven’t seen both of my sisters if I stay to the facts. I could bring up the subject of my brothers, or brother, but I'd rather not.

 I hear a knock on my door and look up. “Yes?” I ask.

 “It is me, Evelyn. Felix.” He says. My eyebrows go up and I smile.

 “Come in, Felix.” I say. I put both letters in the envelope and set it in my desk drawer with all the other letters, close it, and then lock it.

 “Good news, my dear?” He asks.

 “Did you not listen to my thoughts as I read it? I read it in my mind.”

 “I let you have your privacy; after all, it was addressed to you, not me.” He says. I smile and look at his face. He is so handsome!

 “Well thank you. I appreciate that.” I say sweetly. I take a sip of my tea and look at the tea pot resting on the glass table between the chair I sit on now and the chair Felix sits on. “Would you like a cup?” I ask.

 “No thank you. I just finished a cup of coffee.” He says with a chuckle.

 “Okay. Oh, by the way, not only was the letter of very good news, I got a letter from Jacqueline!” I say in an excited whisper. His face shows surprise.