New York CityCharlie sat in his study staring at a blank page, his pen poised just above his stationery. His initials, CJA, were inscribed at the top in fancy, golden calligraphy. A gift from his mother, the stationery made him feel important. Perhaps that was part of the reason he wasn’t exactly sure what to write. What if his words came across as foolish? It would be difficult to be both important and ridiculous at the same time.Of course, the other idea that made this particular writing task difficult is that it was the first time he was to write to Mary Margaret. He had known for years that she would be his wife one day, but having never met her, he simply had no idea what she was like. He wasn’t sure what he should discuss. What if she found his remarks drab and boring? Though he’d written a bit of correspondence before—mostly to his grandparents who lived upstate—this letter seemed important, and he didn’t wish to mess it up.

New York City“No letter again today?” Charlie asked, a tinge of hope still in his voice, though he could tell by his mother’s expression that the answer would be no.“I’m sorry, Charlie,” Pamela said, placing what had come in the post on her husband’s desk. “I’m afraid there’s nothing today either.”Charlie’s shoulders slumped. It had been nearly two months since he’d sent his letter to Mary Margaret, and she hadn’t written back yet. “But father’s trip is coming up, and if she doesn’t answer, then how will I know if it is all right for me to visit?”Pamela wrapped her arm around her son’s shoulders. “Charlie, your father and I have talked about this. Perhaps, this time, it would be best if your father went by himself. He can speak to Mrs. Westmoreland in person, make sure that Mary Margaret received your letter, and then, once they&rsqu

New York CityIt was a crisp fall morning, and because Charlie preferred to be outside when possible, he had decided to go for a walk about the grounds to clear his head and gather his thoughts.In a few short weeks, he would be off to attend high school at the New York Preparatory School, not far away in Manhattan. Though he was certain he would see his parents frequently, the idea of going off to school after so many years of being tutored at home was a bit unsettling. His friend Walter would also be attending, so at least he knew he’d see a familiar face. Nevertheless, he was quite fond of his parents and thought he would likely miss them quite a bit, despite knowing they would visit regularly, and he could come home often.Though he had determined to push thoughts of Mary Margaret Westmoreland out of his head months ago, he couldn’t help but wonder if he should write her another letter once he knew his school address, on the off chance that she m

Meg’s eyes grew wide with dismay as Mildred scooted her chair out and tossed her napkin on the table in front of her, giving her daughter one last callous look as she did so. It had never occurred to her that her father would actually disapprove of what she had been doing. After all, she wouldn’t have been driven to do any of those things if he had still been there to protect her, to keep her safe from the monster and her own mother.She kept her vow of not crying when there was any chance someone might see her and swallowed back her tears. The lumpy porridge looked completely unappealing now, and she was certain any toast she put in her mouth would catch in her throat and choke her to death. Since she’d heard Tessa go out the back a few moments ago, she knew the coast was clear to do yet another thing her mother detested, though it hadn’t been on the list, and she took her dishes out into the yard and fed the scraps to her uncle’s hounds.

New York CityThe view from his room in the New York Preparatory School was not nearly as appealing as the one in his study at home, which was actually quite helpful when it came time for Charlie to complete his assignments. Despite Walter’s constant invitations, he generally chose to stay indoors and do his work, even during the times when the young men were allowed to go outside and have a bit of fun in the yard. Today in particular, he was much more apt to stay inside and finish his history assignment. The temperature was near freezing and there was a thin layer of snow on the ground. However, Walter was persistent, and for some reason, Charlie decided that the only way he was ever going to stop Walter’s pestering was to finally give in and head outdoors, promising himself he’d only stay for a bit and would head back in as soon as he possibly could.Though his school didn’t have a football team, one of the other young men was fond of the spor