July 7, 1859

Dear Lucy,

My, are you getting a crush?  At this time of your life?  Really, what will I do with you, child.  You’re not even of marrying age yet.  When I was a child, you would be, but isn’t the age sixteen now?  Somewhere around there.

It’s a good thing that you’re in a room again, though I highly doubt that it’s a good one.  I’m still searching for a better home to place you in.  Far away from them.  Don’t whine that you’ll be away from that boy.  That might actually be a good thing.  But who knows?  It’s too early to tell.

Shall I continue on with the story?  I think I shall.

Anyway, when Julia got up in the morning she found Thomas waiting for her.  It appeared that the man had wanted to stay, for her.  She asked him, ‘Why did you stay?  You did not need to.’  He replied, ‘I couldn’t just leave a miserable girl alone, could I?  It would be a cruel thing to do, indeed.  I would never even dream of doing so.  I will stay by your side until you no longer need me, that I promise you.’

Julia waited until Thomas had finished all of the jobs that he needed to do, and by the time that was done she was almost ill with worry.  Where was her uncle?  Would they succeed in finding them?  These were all questions racing through her mind.

Also, when he was done, he was almost rich, seeing as the jobs involved great skill in little time.  He bought them two horses, for her a docile mare that was as white as snow, for him a proud stallion.  Together, the unlikely pairs followed the trail as far as the sea.

That seems like a good place to stop for now.  What do you think?  Oh now, stop complaining.  When is the boy and his family coming over?  I would like to know his name, thank you very much.

Go forth and live, Safiya