It wouldn’t be so unlucky that the money in both places would be stolen, right?
Amanda didn’t ask Whitaker Scarlett to repay the money; instead, she gave her another 300 dollars. “Consider it a loan, not an investment.”
William hadn’t left much money at home. Amanda needed to keep some money on hand. After thinking about it, she could spare 300 Dollars. Whitaker Scarlett was a pretty girl; if a boy ran out of money for lodging, he could sleep under a bridge for a night, but Whitaker Scarlett couldn’t.
Whitaker Scarlett didn’t refuse. An extra 300 dollars, she could consider it an additional investment from her aunt.
To travel far, she needed a letter of introduction. Whitaker Scarlett went to the village to get one, when the postman happened to be delivering mail:
“There’s a telegram for Whitaker Scarlett.”
The postman handed Whitaker Scarlett an envelope, his curious gaze following her.
A civilian telegram cost seven cents per character. Those who sent telegrams must have important matters, using the fewest words possible. The postman only needed a slip of paper to do his job… This was the first time he had delivered a telegram that required an envelope!
How many characters were there?
How much did it cost?
He had never seen such a waste of money. The postman thought she could have written a letter!
It was truly beautiful.
The postman, not daring to look too closely, offered a suggestion based on professional ethics:
“Unless it’s an extremely urgent matter, you could write a letter. The post office delivers letters to the countryside as well.”
Whitaker Scarlett accepted the “telegram-letter.” The postman thought the sender was a fool for spending so much money, and also that she was beautiful but extravagant. Who would send her a telegram? Such a lavish act could only be Kay. Before Whitaker Scarlett could even read it, she brought up the matter of the letter of introduction.
Uncle Daniel’s face turned serious upon hearing she was going to Sablewick:
“A young lady traveling so far… there will be all sorts of situations along the way. You must be vigilant.”
“Grandpa, please rest assured. I will take care of myself.”
Whitaker Scarlett’s attitude was docile. Although Uncle Daniel disapproved, Whitaker Scarlett wasn’t a member of his family, so he could only offer advice, not make decisions for her. Given their close relationship with the Harris Family, obtaining a letter of introduction wasn’t difficult. The fact that Whitaker Scarlett was leaving was less impactful than the telegram she received.
In any case, the Harris Family knew.
Harris’s wife, worried, said to her husband:
“Social relationships are quite complicated. Our son is honest and hardworking. Can he handle this girl?”
The anxieties of mothers-in-law are all similar. If their son finds an ordinary wife, they think she’s not good enough; if he finds someone too capable, they worry she’ll be restless. she didn’t overthink things: “Didn’t William’s wife say in the village that they’ll consider finding a partner for their niece after she gets into university?”
Harris’s wife glared at her husband.
She had also thought that if Whitaker Scarlett got into university, she would be a suitable match for Carson.
But now, it seemed Whitaker Scarlett had other social connections; with others vying for her, her value had increased.
“I wonder who sent her that telegram? No matter how rich they are, this is excessive!”
Staying at home, Harris’s wife’s thoughts drifted to the Miller Family, wishing she could snatch Whitaker Scarlett’s telegram and read it.
…
“Scarlett, it’s me. Although I’ve longed to visit you in Greenfield since our last meeting, I’ve been tied up with matters in Washington. I miss you terribly, and I wonder if you feel the same. By the time you receive this, I will have already left Washington for Greenfield County and expect to arrive in three days. I will be staying at the guesthouse again, and I hope to see you… Yours, Kay.”
Kay’s telegram letter rambled on for over a thousand words.
Besides arranging a meeting with Whitaker Scarlett, the rest was filled with expressions of his longing for her and their future – “love talk.” Whitaker Scarlett felt a twinge of discomfort, but it wasn’t unpleasant. She had thought her encounter with Kay was fleeting, and he had been silent after leaving Greenfield. His return was so high-profile – Kay was so intelligent, if he wanted to meet in three days, a single sentence in a telegram would suffice. Why this grand gesture of a “telegram letter”? Wouldn’t the people of Wellwater village gossip?
Claiming his territory.
These four words popped into Whitaker Scarlett’s mind.
What about being friends first?
Kay was truly insincere.
Whitaker Scarlett found it funny.
