My darling Rebecca,
It is a relief to know you still wish to write me after admitting my improper thoughts of a lady such as yourself. I fully intend to do my best to remain a gentleman on paper even though I have confessed the reality otherwise.
I have a few clients in need of my services in San Francisco, so I am taking my Chloe on a little holiday for the next couple weeks. We will see the sights, attend the theatre and do our Christmas shopping while I attend to business. I am including my address in the city at the end of this letter if you wish to write me during this time.
I must resume getting my papers in order and making sure my daughter has packed all she will need, but know my thoughts will often stray to you.
In deepest affection,
Jarrod
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Dearest Jarrod,
If I wish to write you? I think I would go mad if I did not.
I have heard many things about San Francisco, some of it good and some of it not, but knowing you are there with your daughter makes my desire to visit the city that much greater. It would be nice to visit one of the places I have heard about. For now, I will content myself to imagine you and Chloe overlooking the ocean, smelling the salt breezes and riding the cable cars I have read about.
However, I suppose I do not want to visit all places. A gentleman on his way through to your city from Canada stayed overnight and told of the most frightful snowstorms. He said that weather was what made the beaver fur items he was selling so luxurious, but even though they were some of the most beautiful and softest things I have ever felt, I feel for the poor creatures who must endure such a climate and have no desire to do so myself!
As I look out the window to see it is thankfully not snowing, I notice the gophers have been invading my garden again. I must ask the neighbour boy to set out some snares; too bad gophers do not make lovely wraps like the Canadian beavers. So I shall now spend some time in my garden and hope when my thoughts drift to you, which they often do, I will not pull the vegetables instead of the weeds.
Your loving
Rebecca
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My sweet Rebecca,
I offer my sincerest apologies for the tardiness of my letter and hope you accept my belated wishes of a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. As I hope you can understand, the holidays have given me no chance to write, but I hope yours were as pleasant as mine.
Be sure I have thought of you constantly and wish we could have met under the mistletoe my sister always hangs in the foyer. I do not believe for one moment that the beaver pelt you spoke of could rival the imagined softness of your lips.
As regards to your rodent problem, I can commiserate. One of our neighbours had taken to raising a bevy of rabbits for his children and the pesky things escaped. They have, as rabbits do, reproduced rapidly and have staged an invasion of our kitchen garden as well as my mother's roses. My brother Heath has done as your neighbour and set out snares; my sister is hoping for a rabbit fur cape before the winter is over.
I fear for your garden, my dear Rebecca, for if your concentration is anything like mine is when I think of you, it does not stand a chance. Only the other day I was engrossed in a game of chess with Heath. I was reminded of a move you made, which set my mind to a fantasy of you and caused no end of merriment in my daughter when my brother checkmated me only eight moves later.
With that my dear, I must check on my Chloe before retiring myself and hope that my dreams will be filled with you.
All my love,
Jarrod
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Oh, my poor Jarrod, to be beaten so soundly by your brother on account of me! It only makes my wish to see you greater, because if the mere thought of me is so disastrous to your game, then my presence should make my victory that much more assured.
I am glad to hear you had a pleasant holiday and although I wished for a letter, I understand the need to spend time with your family. My holiday was fine, we had a large dinner at the church hall with presents for the children and everyone had a marvellous time.
The weather has been frightful here over the last few days and that has brought to mind the unseasonable storm that caused us to spend our time together and my desire for more of the same, possibly curled up together in front of a fire with no place else to go. When I close my eyes and listen to the wind, I can imagine resting my head on your shoulder with your arms around me.
But reality always intrudes and I can only wish that circumstances permit me to see you again soon.
I fear the cold is making me maudlin, so I will end this letter with fondest thoughts of you.
Rebecca
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"Got the mail!" Nick dropped his hat on the hall table as Victoria put down her sewing and came over. "A few things for you, Mother," he said. "A letter from Aunt Ruth and what looks like an invitation."
"Thank you, Nick," she said graciously.
"And something for you, Jarrod," Nick announced as his brother came from the library. "Looks like the postmark says…" He made an exaggerated show of peering at the envelope. "Silver Springs?" He held it up to his nose. "Doesn't smell like a mine report, maybe some desperate prisoner looking for a lawyer?" He ignored Jarrod's hand as it reached for the letter. "Maybe I should open it for you."
"Nick," Jarrod said warningly, "you do know it's a federal offence to tamper with someone else's mail."
Nick chuckled as he handed over the envelope. "So when do we get to meet this lady friend of yours?" he wanted to know.
"And what makes you think it's from a lady?"
Nick snorted. "Jarrod, every letter you get from Silver Springs, Nevada has you grinning like a cat that's gotten into the cream, not to mention a letter from our mine foreman wouldn't smell so pretty."
Jarrod just flashed his mother and brother a quick smile. "I think I'll read this in my room before I go pick up Chloe from Sarah's," he said enigmatically. "See you both later." He went up the stairs as they watched.
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Jarrod set down the letter and his cigar at the tap on the door. "Come in." From the earlier teasing, he had an idea who it might be and wasn't disappointed when his mother entered the room.
"You know, Jarrod," she said without preamble, "you might want to invite a lady you're getting serious about for a visit to introduce her to your daughter."
Jarrod gave her a rueful smile as she voice a thought he'd had more than once. "It's at least a five day trip from here to Silver Springs," he said, using the same arguments on her that he used on himself. "That's almost two weeks of just travel. Chloe has school and I don't feel right asking Rebecca to leave for that long."
"Is that her name? Rebecca?" Victoria smiled at her son indulgently. "You may not feel right about asking, but luckily I have no such reservations. I've been curious and it's a mother's prerogative to meet the woman who her son is courting, not to mention your daughter's."
"We aren't courting, Mother," Jarrod protested. "Rebecca lives almost 600 miles away. Now Nick and Aggie, they're courting."
"Jarrod," Victoria said sternly, "you can court someone by letter just as well as in person. Not as easily, perhaps, but are you really going to try to deny it to me again?"
Jarrod picked up the letter, read the last line again and thought of the words both of them had previously put on paper. "No," he had to admit, "you're right as always, Mother."
Victoria smiled as she patted his hand. "Now would you like me to send the invitation separately or include it with the letter you'll be writing this evening?"
Jarrod just chuckled. His mother knew him well. "If you have it ready before I go to the office tomorrow," he told her, "they can go together."
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My darling Rebecca,
You may have noticed this letter is a bit thicker than usual. My mother has taken it upon herself to invite you to the ranch for a visit. She told me, and I quote, "It is a mother's prerogative to meet the woman her son is courting," and also reminded me that if we desire anything to come of what I hope has grown between us over the past few months, that it is important for you and Chloe to meet.
I have longed to invite you on more than one occasion myself, but have refrained as it might seem as though I was making improper advances. Thankfully, Victoria Barkley is a force to be reckoned with and has taken the matter out of my hands.
I am well aware of the time and distance involved in you making such a visit and I will certainly understand if you are unable to spare so much time. But no matter how eager my mother is to meet you, it cannot compare to my desire to see you again. If you cannot come here, I promise to make the trip to Silver Springs with Chloe as soon as the school term is over.
Rest assured you will be well chaperoned by my mother and sister if you are able to make a visit here, not to mention my Chloe, and even though my thoughts may stray down an improper path, I promise to remain a gentleman at all times.
Awaiting your reply,
your Jarrod
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Rebecca Ashburn,
I understand you have been keeping correspondence with my son Jarrod and I wish the opportunity to get to know you, as I am sure you would like the chance to meet us and especially Jarrod's daughter Chloe. To this end, I am extending to you an invitation to visit our ranch outside of Stockton for a stay of the duration of your choosing. Please do not concern yourself with imposing as I and the rest of my family are looking forward to enjoying your company.
Please inform Jarrod of when you will be arriving so he can be sure to meet you.
Sincerely,
Victoria Barkley