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I found ave my na for me One was from Epiny and SpinkMr and Mrs Spinrek Kester, she had written on the envelope, in very large letters I smiled at that The smile faded when I saw the next envelope was from Carsina’s father And the third was from Carsina herself, carefully addressed to Cadet Nevare Burvelle A flat fourth envelope would probably hold a letter of rebuke froh hopes for Carsina and me The fifth was fro and turned to putting my possessions away I wondered what I hoped the letters would say, and had no idea

I putin my cupboard My trunk went at the end of my bunk I worked slowly and meticulously as I put every ite I’d been issued And all the while ht have to face in those letters

When htly tucked blanket, I perched on its corner and opened Epiny’s letter first, as it see It had been written on the road and posted fro she saw and did wasThey had slept under the wagon during a downpour when bad roads had delayed the the next town It had been so cozy, like a rabbit’s burrow, and they’d heard the howling of wild dogs in the distance She’d seen a herd of deer watching thee over a fire in an open kettle Spink got stronger every day He had proain She had thought she was pregnant, but then her courses ca, but probably no worse thansickness would have been I blushed at her bluntness and realized that she wrote exactly like she talked At the end of her long, closely written letter was a wavering greeting from Spink and an assurance that he was as happy as a es and tucked them back into the envelope So They were happy I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding I decided that they would build a fine life together, and that thought eased my heart

The missive from my father was next He wrote that my mother had enjoyed Epiny’s letters but that he looked forward to hearing frolad to hear I had recovered He’d had a note fro some reservations about my health and continued attendance at the Acadeested that I take a year’s leave from the Academy, return home, and then reconsider my Academy career at that ti of that to me My father wrote that he had already notified the doctor that he would seein late spring, and that my father would decide for himself at that time if my health had been severely compromised For now, he trusted I would continue to live sensibly, study hard, and trust in the good god I decided that perhaps he was referring to an earlier missive from the doctor, one that he had sent before my recovery had becoave a sn of relief Other than his mention of the doctor, it sounded as if all ith him

The letter from Carsina’s father ritten in a bold black hand He wishedat death, in any form, could ood It would also make a man bold Foolishly bold in soht to call Carsina my fiancee, but that he trusted I would, and that he expected all correspondence I sent her to be as honest and honorable as my first letter had been My parents hen he had last seen them His lady wife sent her best wishes as well

A drop of perspiration trickled down my spine I wiped my sweaty hands on my shirt and opened Carsina’s letter

Dear Cadet Nevare Burvelle,

I am thrilled to receive your letter and to know that you are recovering frohtening

You asked me if, freed of all parental constraints, I would still choose you to be my husband I must remind you that we are still not forod blesses us and you strive with dedication and courage, I am sure that soon ill be Then the ansill be, yes, I would choose you I trust s, as I areat affection and in the good god’s light,

Miss Carsina Grenalter