Note: Didn't we all love that movie "You've Got Mail"? Originally it was a old 1930's movie about people exchanging letters in something called "The Lonely Hearts Club" in a movie called "Shop Around the Corner". I decided to adapt it to get our favorite couple together in an AU where they never met on the Challenger Expidition!
Disclaimer: I dont own them, I'm just playing with them and I promise not to get them dirty!
Chapter 1
London was a beautiful town. At least parts of it. The people, the nuanse, the shopping....Miss Marguerite Krux couldnt imagine wanting to live anywhere else than her town house on Velvetine Square. At the age of 19 she was beautiful with a mysterious air about her most woman would kill for. She was your normal, every day heiress: beautiful, smart, young...and a bit nieve. She had no clue the world was not the bed of roses she thought it to be. Of course she knew it wasnt perfect, she grew up alone, lonely, desperate for a friend, someone to love. But she had survived and thought she was a better person for it.
Upon leaving the convent she grew up in she join a club...a sort of "lonley hearts" club. At first she thought it was something of a joke, something to occupy her time and meet people...but one person had caught her attention. They never exchanged names, nothing personal. In his letters he called himself just "her friend". Perhaps that's what first got her attention, the warmth that he could convey to her just by a simple word.
Standing she moved down to the front door. She could hear the postman comming and wiating for him to drop her letters through the slot and her heart just lept at seeing an envelope with his bold, slightly messy script. Leaving the pile of mail where it landed she grabbed the letter and hurried up stairs to barracade herself into her room. Locking the door behind her, she carefully opened the letter..
Dear Friend,
I relize its been awhile since I returend your last letter. I was away on personal business and didnt trust the mail service on the continent to reach you. I guess that's the price for fighting a war.
I saw something the other day I know you'd be intrested in. I was walking by Hyde Park and I heard something from the alley so natrually, I went to investigate. About half way down the alley what I had taken to be a pile of trash suddenly yipped and charged at me, biting at my heels and upon looking down, I found dirtiest little puppy you've ever seen. It's mother was further down looking like she had died of heat exaustion or something equally as tradgic. The puppy reminded me of you somehow. Not the dirty, smelly part for I honestly doubt that someone with your impecable penmanship could be anything but a lady of quality, but the part you wrote to me in one of our first letters about "being so lonely your heart could break right then and there" I think was the quote. Anyway you'll be happy to know that the puppy, fondly named Hyde for his location of discovery s now happy and being very well looked after in my home. Take care.
Marguerite carefully folded the letter and went to her writing desk to start one of her own.
I'm so glad that you're home safe and sound. The war IS awful isn't it? Don't worry, in the end the reds will always prevail.
Poor Hyde, to lose his mother like that. Thats just awful. I'm sure he's found a wonderful home with you. You know what they say..."every boy needs a dog" and while I'm sure your far older than any "boy" I think the same goes for men. Everyone needs someone they can confide in and depend on.
Growing up we wern't allowed pets..but there was this old mousing cat that the abby used in the stables and I'd go out in my free time and sneak her scraps of food. I named her Byron depsite her being female for at the time I was quite taken with Lord Byron and his poetry. She died just before I left...It was one of the saddest moments of my life. I want to catch the mail man to give him the letter so I can't write more, but I promise my next letter will be a great deal longer!
Folding up the letter she put it in an envelope and quickly sealed it writing they name of the "Lonely Hearts" orginize, an aquaintance named Alisa. They didnt exchange personal information, includding addresses, Lisa handled all of that. Grabbing her gloves she slipped them on and headed outside, not really watching where she was going as she slammed right into a passing man.
John Roxton, youngest son of Lord Robert Roxton was walking down the street with his brother, the future Lord William Roxton, heading twords the gentleman's club just down the street as a beautiful lady came flying out of her house and slammed into him. He quickly reached down to help her up, taking her arm which she jerked away.
"Are you alright miss..." he began, stopping when she got up.
"I'm fine no thanks to you." she said crossly, brushing herself off.
He raises an eyebrow. It wasnt often that a woman snapped his head off. Most of the tiem they flung themselves at him in hopes of catching his fancy.
"With all due respect, your the one that ran into me."
The woman's eyes just narrowed and she pushed past him, heading down the street.
"Nice one." William said, nudging him in the ribs. John just shook his head and iggnored his brother's teasing and continued down the street. Some people just wern't worth worrying over.
To Be Continued...
Note: "Reds" is an old term meaning English soldiers and the war I'm refering to is the Great War, also known as WWI.