Dear Miss Holbrook,
I am pleased to inform you that I will call on you this Saturday, the seventeenth. I will, by no means, pressure you to speak with me. If you have prior arrangements, I will not fault you. I have an appointment that same afternoon with the head of the asylum and your former physician—a Dr. O'Donnell. I don't want to overwhelm you or make you feel uncomfortable, but I do have a lot to say. I would like to meet you before we really begin looking into your illness. I have always found it soothing to be able to put a face to a name. I hope that together we can make the best out of a harsh situation.
If you choose not to meet with me this Saturday, I will continue with my plans to speak to Sister Florence and Dr. O'Donnell about my plans. I would, of course, prefer to speak to you in person before I approach them. I feel it is your right, both as a young lady and as my patient, to have a say in your treatment. I will await your response.
I hope this letter finds you well.
YOU ARE READING
Senseless
Historical FictionThe year is 1879. When thirteen-year-old Ruth Merritt Holbrook emerges from her family's burning estate, bloody and charred, but entirely numb--She makes headlines. Reporters believe she is deranged. They accuse her of having set the fire. All the h...