Author's Notes: The letters were originally in cursive font, one each for Lucas and Elizabeth on linen colored background. This is how they are posted on the WCTH Lucas and Elizabeth FanFiction site on Facebook where they first appeared. (as jpeg)

Principle characters are owned by the creators of WCTH. I have created additional characters for my story

LGB

Hope Valley
October 27, 1918

My Dearest Elizabeth,

As I sit here at my desk watching you read to Jack, I feel like I must be dreaming. I can't believe that just a few short days ago, I was in such a state of despair that I was ready to fold my cards and leave Hope Valley and all it has come to mean to me…. Home.

Fortunately, as I was preparing to leave town our dear friend Henry was also leaving on a search to find meaning in his life. He reminded me that it was not our material possessions that would bring happiness and fulfillment. I will never forget his words: "What gives you comfort at night when the darkness has wrung all the light from the day?" It made me pause and contemplate. I am a very fortunate man; I was born into a comfortable life and have been able to sustain that lifestyle through my business ventures and investments. But at the end of each day, I am alone with my thoughts and dreams. I asked myself, what is truly important to me? And my dearest Elizabeth…..the answer is You.

So, I rushed to search for you and as I told you when I found you on our bridge …. You are all that matters…. You are all that's important. And I would have regretted for all my days if I had left before hearing from you that you do not return my feelings. I have known that you are my soulmate for a very long time now, but I almost let it slip away in my despair. On that most horrible of days when you were held captive in the saloon, I told the men that held you that I would give them everything I had if they would let you go. I meant it then and I mean it now even more as nothing matters at all if anything were to happen to you. I have nothing if I don't have you.

And my dearest, when I say you, I also mean Jack as well because he is a part of you. If we continue on the path that I hope we will, then I will be so honored to help you raise that sweet little boy to be the kind of man that you will be proud of. And if you believe that the spirit lives on eternally, then a man that Jack Sr. will be so proud of too.

I know you think that I am busy finishing business correspondence while we wait for Gustave to prepare our dinner. But I have found myself so distracted by the sight of the two of you all curled up on the settee, that I just couldn't write a business letter, and I decided to write to you instead. Do you find that a silly endeavor as you are right here near me?

One of the beautiful things about finding my soulmate is that talking to you has become so effortless. I know that I have had to hold some things back as I have promised to be as patient as you needed. And I will continue to meter some topics until you are ready. But Elizabeth you know what is in my heart and someday soon I hope that there will be no barrier to what we can share.

One of our first connections was through books and the library that we have made our haven. And also, through your writing. It has been one of my truest joys to see it flourish and to know that in a small way I have been a part of you realizing your dream. I know that you love to journal, so I am wondering what you would think about creating our journal. The two of us together. While I have never kept a journal, I do love to correspond with family and friends; since I am generally so far away from them. I know that we are in the same town, but I would love to correspond with you, as I would if we were apart for a time. If you like the idea then we could collect the letters to each other to form our journal. It would be private, but someday our great-grandchildren might read our letters and learn of the great love story that will be our legacy.

I thought we might start with retelling the story of our journey from the time we met to the present and into the future. If you like the idea then this letter can be our first entry. All you have to do is to write back to me and let me know what you think. And if you are amenable, then I will begin saving our letters and I will put them in a place that we can both go to if we ever want to reread any part.

I will end this letter here as it is almost time for Gustave to call us for dinner. I will send it by post tomorrow and hope to hear back from you soon. I love you Elizabeth with everything that I am. You fill my dreams; and every waking moment you are with me I am floating. When we are apart, all I have to do is close my eyes and conjure your beautiful face that lights up with the sweetest smile and makes my heart ache in the best way possible.

Yours always,

Lucas