Edmund sat in the parlor, passing his hands over the letters and telegrams that had accumulated over the past three weeks. Each of them had been opened and each of them had asked for payment. Edmund threw the last coffee-stained letter onto the table in front of him and threw his hands over his face. He moaned in deep frustration and beat the floor with his feet in a rhythm similar to a snare roll. He exhaled and neatened his light russet hair. He rumbled deep in his throat and made whooshing sounds as he sifted through the letters dramatically. In pairs, the letters dropped off the table until one remained.
Edmund leaned forward and picked it up. He must’ve overlooked this one. He turned it over and saw that the dark blue wax was unbroken. He searched for the return address, but there was none. A pang of adventure struck his heart so hard he jumped. He groped for the letter opener, his eyes remaining on the envelope, and eventually found he had been sitting on it. He tore through the envelope and shook the letter out into his hands. It unfolded on its own, and if it hadn’t been for gravity, Edmund would have believed it was magic that had opened the letter without his aid. Holding the note between his trembling fingers, he read slowly.
“Dear Mr. Seymour,
I’ve been following your story in the paper. I believe it
may be worth publishing. I would like to pay a cordial
visit to you in person. Before publishing a piece, I like to
become acquainted with the author. If you are
interested, then expect me at your house tomorrow after
three o’clock. If you find me uncouth or ill-company, say
so and I will be on my way. If you are fond of me, then I
will consider pursuing this project with you.
Sincerely,
B. Howard”
Edmund creased the letter into its original folds as a smile slipped onto his face. He liked the sound of this “B. Howard” already.
YOU ARE READING
A Novelist
Historical FictionA troubled writer and an optimistic editor come at odds with each other when the novel they are editing threatens their grip on reality. Knowing no other way to escape the insanity, the editor swears to destroy it. However, the power between the nov...
