Dear Miss Josie Pye,
When I received your response to my humble question that night at the ruins, I was beyond thrilled. Thrilled would be downplaying it by a million times because truthfully, you are the most extraordinary person I've ever met. Something about you had me utterly besotted since the first glance.
The moment I saw you at breakfast in Charlottetown, I was intrigued. To me, you were simply and plainly the most stunning woman in the room already. Don't mistake me for a cad, I hold a general reverence for all women, but something about you particularly, whether it was the stories Gilbert has regaled me with from Anne's letters or your countenance or the way you comport yourself, had me hooked. When I heard your laugh, like the most luxurious Italian silk velvet personified, you had my heartstrings in your hands. When I heard you speak, animated and intelligent and sarcastic, I was all yours. And then finally, when I saw you in the firelight, your hair shining like spun gold and blue eyes light like the ocean on a summers day, free and dancing and laughing, I knew that I had to have you in whatever capacity possible, friend or more than that, if you'll permit me.
It is now that I formally beseech you to answer a simple question. Please, do not be offended at my forwardness. It is my understanding that regularly, people do not jump into courtships after a weekend of festivities, but you must understand that I simply do not care and I hope you don't either. So, I guess I am asking you, begging you for permission to wear the title 'Josie Pye's beau' proudly.
I wish I was there with you. I could've been a conventional partner. I should've come calling at your doorstep with a bouquet of gold and indigo hydrangeas to compliment your stunning eyes and lovely locks of hair. The only thing I want in this moment is to be a normal beau, do all the little normal things like go on strolls and eat sweets at the fair and sip lemonade in the parlor. But unfortunately, I find myself 16 hours away from the desirable situation, so this is the next best alternative.
If you refuse my advances, you need only say so, sweet Josie. I won't be offended. I will not deny that I would be crestfallen, but I would not spite you the slightest. I am not the kind of man that shows respect to women only when trying for their hand. I would be happy still if friendship was the only thing you desired, though I hope you reciprocate.
Awaiting your response eagerly,
Alexander Whitmore
PS: If you agree, I am calling you 'Jo'. We courting types have to have exclusive names. I don't make the rules.
Dear Alexander Whitmore,
I thought I had made my intentions perfectly clear, but I suppose not. You boys are rather oblivious sometimes.
Darling Alex, I knew from the moment I laid eyes on you that you would be mine someday, all notions of propriety be damned. So of course, a million times, my answer is yes, if you will have me, until I am 120 years old and don't possess enough teeth to say yes to you.
My mother and father were over the moon when I announced your taking notice of me, though they were baffled about how someone in such high esteem and financial security such as yourself would want to marry 'a low-born Pye'. Their words, not mine. I could sense the implied 'especially you' tacked on at the end because of my history.
There is one thing you should know about me, Alex. The town is mum about it to outsiders for fear of sullying their own reputations (as if debauchery is contagious!), but I am used -- and in some former suitors' opinions, damaged -- goods, I'm afraid. Although my former beau, William Andrews, and I did not take all the steps as I'm sure I wouldn't need to explain to a medical major as yourself, he tried to use my body without my consent. He didn't get much beyond a grab over several layers of clothes before I pushed him away, but he forced himself on me, and now the town thinks I am a woman of loose morals and Billy some kind of esteemed victim of my ill-fated 'seduction'. We had a town protest over their attempts at censorship of Anne's thoughts about fairness -- which you can imagine, were quite inflammatory-- last May, but some are still stuck in their ways. Many a prospective suitor are repelled from me as soon as I mention this (they disapprove of my very recent penchant for tenacious feminism, I suppose) so I'm telling you this before my heart may be broken by any imminent rejection.
If this detail may be overlooked, I would be obliged to announce to any and all men that I am happily taken. Truth be told, you and I have similar fantasies. There is no one else I'd rather be disgustingly, boringly, absolutely normal with. Anne and Gilbert can have their big love saga, but I like how simple it is to be with you.
Have you told your parents?
Yours,
Josie Pye
P.S. I quite like the nickname.
P.P.S Assuming you wrote the previous letter the first day after getting back at the very earliest, how did it get delivered in 3 days? It usually takes 6-7 days.
Dearest Jo,
Let me tell you that the very notion that I would reject you because some boy with no dignity decided to try and violate such an honorable woman is a preposterous. Those men who have turned you away for such a foolish reason must be nitwits, but I have them to thank for gaining your favor. If one of them had the good sense to try for your graces, you would be a taken woman and I would be a heartbroken man. I resent you referring to yourself as "goods". Calling you a princess, nay, a queen still wouldn't live up to everything you deserve.
Your mother and father, though I have utmost respect for them, are absolutely incorrect in assuming that you are anything less than perfect. I don't care if you have 1 or 1 billion dollars in the bank, my feelings for you remain the same. I have more than enough for the both of us. You'll never want for anything. Neither will I, as long as I have you by my side, even when we're both 120 years old.
I don't have a pressing desire to dwell over the twisted man who'd dare to lay a finger on you without your enthusiastic consent, and I'm sure it's a sore subject for you as well. It is almost the new year, decade, and millennium. 1900 will be a year of change, I can feel it. I only hope we can embrace it together, if nothing else.
How is Queens? You're majoring in teaching, is that correct? There are no words to express how proud I am that you and the rest of the girls are pursuing an education. I'm enthralled to hear that my sweetheart and sisters are pursuing what my mother was never permitted to. Modern women are the future, and I'm sure when we are 120, women will have full suffrage, equal rights, and cads like William will be rid of forever.
It is quite ironic that I am sitting here writing this letter. I used tease Gilbert for spending an hour singing Anne's praises on paper. By the time he was done, he'd have several pages full of romantic fancies to send to her and when he came from the post office, he'd have another even fatter envelope. Now, I sit here writing to my own sweetheart, completely gone over the beguiling woman this letter will soon reach and Gilbert teases me mercilessly!
I have not told my parents because truthfully, they are conservative people. They do not subscribe to any progressive thinking whatsoever. They believe in all the old fashioned nonsense, including a hierarchical system and the oppression of women. Please, do not be alarmed. I have never believed any of their ancient values and surely value you above my family name. I would already forsake all of my esteem for you, dearest Jo. That is how much you have captured my heart. But be that as it may, I'll write my letter to them right after this one. You deserve to be showed off, even if they wouldn't know modernity if it bit them on their arses.
In response to your question, the reason the letters are reaching so fast is that I have connections in the post office, and I demanded only the best of express service for the best of all women.
Things are well here in Toronto. Medical school is a bit challenging, but I do scrape by with honors. Gilbert and I have made it somewhat of a competition for grades. He wins most of the time, but I only trail behind by a point or two. That boy really is smart, but he never lets loose. Always cooped up inside the flat with schoolwork, letters, or his friend Christine, although he'll occasionally be persuaded to leave the house for a pint or a bite of food. I'm cloistered a lot, but I'm extroverted, so there's always something for me to do.
If you were here, darling, I would show you every sight there was to see.
First, I would take you to this little lake near the campus that overlooks the sunrise in the morning. I would take you to my favorite French bakery and buy you as many brioches and croissants and patisseries your heart could want for. I would walk you around the city and show you every one of the shops and hold your hand the entire time.
When you saw a dress or a trinket you adored, I would introduce you to the clerk as 'my sweetheart, my Josie' and tell him to let you have whatever you desired. I'd take you to meet all the girls and boys I know and we'd spend time in one jolly group and have lunch in the courtyard. I would make it explicit to all the men in Toronto that you were taken, as I know upon sight of you, men would be vying to please you.
At 4:00, I would steal you away and I would take you to my favorite confectionary. I would share a large sundae with you and we would eat all the candies we could. After you'd had your fill of sweets, I would take you to all the historical buildings. At 7:00, we would join Gilbert for a home cooked dinner (I would make it, Gilbert can make nothing but the bare necessities, so unless you want oatmeal, a cheese sandwich, and a piece of meat to be the only thing you eat, leave it to me), with a box of the finest red wine. Afterwards, I would serve you some cake.
This is my favorite part now. I would take you to the very outskirts, where not a speck of smoke pollutes the air, out to a big pasture. I would show you the constellations and kiss you under the moonlight.
We can be normal, Josie, be the most mundane, domestic of couples, but my feelings for you will always be extraordinary.
Thinking of you,
Your Alex
Sweet Alex,
Your letter was the cause of such merciless teasing from the girls! Somehow, they got their hands on it before I even got an opportunity to read it and decided to humiliate me by reading it aloud. Thankfully, it was just the girls and not Charlie or Moody or the Pauls. Oh, how it made me blush furiously. They all mocked me about it. I felt warm in the face for hours thinking of your words and was pink for the rest of the day. My only defender was dear sweet Anne, and that was only because she and I go through the same humiliations. Oh well, the rest of the girls will never have the passions of a long-distance beau; Ruby will certainly never get passioned letters when Moody is right next door!
I feel like any moment I could wake up from the most wonderful dream. It began with the most splendid night that I have only vague memory of (There was a lot of alcohol involved as I assume you recall), but every moment with you was crystal clear. Time seemed to stop. That night ended with you kissing my cheek and I nearly swooned right there. That says a lot because I am NOT a swooning type of girl. Ruby and Tillie maybe, but after Billy and the plentiful rejections because of that scoundrel, I lost faith in romance until you came around.
And now, I'm sitting here writing letters to a man who not only overlooks my scars and ghosts, but drives them away with his reassuring and caring words. Are you quite sure you shouldn't take up writing? I jest, of course. Though your flattery makes me feel in ways that would be quite improper to write on paper, you are certainly not on Anne's level of imagery, bless the girl.
How coincidental that we both face the same predicament regarding our friends. The girls tease Anne and I with no abandon when we sit down to write our letters. I know how to handle it though. I simply bring up the fact that Tillie has to schedule outings with each of her two beaus! I wonder sometimes whether that girl really wants to decide. I've heard whispers of arrangements in the slums of the city with three people and I sometimes wonder if she wishes she could be like that. Either ways, she is mortified whenever I bring it up, so it is effective.
Life at Queens is beautiful. It is everything I've ever wished for, except for the fact that you aren't here. I am working towards my teaching license and though I do not possess the passion that Anne has, it is enjoyable to be learning alongside my best friends. I have grown closer to Anne over the past year, especially since you've heard of the second ghastly incident with dratted Billy. Will that boy ever learn? You'll be pleased to know that your darling sweetheart did in fact deliver a sharp blow to his nose. He won't be set right for weeks according to Jane! Anne informed me of your dinner-time announcement, but I think I taught him a lesson just fine without the premier's involvement, don't you think?
I worry for Jane, dearest Alex. She was mostly supportive of us, but she is skeptical about how truthful the allegations against him are. Especially after her blatant disregard of the protest from last year, I suppose she doesn't want to believe her brother is such a rotten soul, and I worry for our friendship if this continues. She used to be my closest and best friend, but we drift apart by the day. We remain friends, but I wouldn't consider her my best friend anymore. It seems everyone has somebody. Anne has Diana and Ruby, Jane has Tillie, and I sometimes wonder where I fit. Anne has confided how she relies on me (and I her) and I find myself naturally gravitating to her, although Ruby and I both know we're no Diana to her. Oh, how the tables have turned! It brings me great comfort that I have you if all else fails.
Anne griped horribly when you mentioned Christine. That girl has such horrible problems with her self esteem! She has some fear that Gilbert -- keep in mind, the very same boy who has held a candle and ignored every beautiful woman and broken Ruby's heart for her -- is going to leave her for Christine. How silly! Now, me being a bit worried for myself when you mention the lovely city girls, that is reasonable.
I wish I was in Toronto to do all those delightful things with you! You might want to rethink letting me splurge on things because I do adore sweets and dresses! You might be bankrupt by the end of the day.
If you were to kiss me, I'm sure I might faint on the spot. I suppose there's no other way to know than to try it out when you see me next, don't you think?
Of course, it wouldn't do for me to faint every time you kissed me, so I must develop practice. I would be more than willing to "practice" with you, Alex. Oh dear, how untoward I sound! I feel like a harlot, but after proofreading some of Anne's letters (under a strict code of confidentiality not tell a soul of what she's written), I am less concerned.
I suppose you've heard about Anne's poor Matthew by now. I'm going to Avonlea to support her. I do hope he doesn't pass. He is such a sweet soul.
Until I am 120,
Your Josie
TELEGRAM
FROM: MISS JOSIE PYE
PYE ESTATE
AVONLEA, PEI
TO: MR. ALEXANDER WHITMORE
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
TORONTO, ONTARIO
MATTHEW PASSED LAST NIGHT STOP GILBERT RETURNING SUNDAY