3 June 1893

My dearest, Elias —

It is my hope by the time you read this that I might be well on my way to the mainland. I wanted to apologize for last week, and I’m also going to apologize for this letter ahead of time. If you had any remaining questions from last week, I hope this letter will answer them all.

You know I’ve come into this inheritance, and it’s only because of you, Sophia and Penny that I know I have the courage to go to Italy and meet Mrs. Shaw. I can’t lie; this has come at a rather fortuitous moment. I came to Hogsmeade with my mother and father. Then, it became just my father and I. And now all that remains is me.

I think you know that for the longest time I’ve made Hogsmeade my home. It’s been a balm in times of turmoil, a ray of sunshine after a turbulent storm. However as everything eventually must, it’s time for me to move on and this inheritance seems to have come at just the opportune moment.

I will forever cherish those moments when we would laugh until our sides hurt, when we would work together in your workshop or my studio, or when it felt so easy to simply exist. Words won’t do justice to how much those moments have meant to me.  We’ve both had our fair share of past heartbreaks. I cannot tell you how much it pleases me to see you find someone that makes the pain you’ve experienced all worth it. I can only hope that you continue to heal for years to come.

The same cannot be said for myself. At least not all long as I continue  to live here.

You see Elias, I’ve come to the realization that as long as I remain here, my eyes will always search for you. I think they have for quite some time, and by the time I realized it, my time had run out. And what follows - knowing that you might never return the gesture, that you might never search for me first - is too great a feat. And while I’ve only now just realized where my gaze will follow, I know where my heart already is.

I’ll always treasure the time we’ve spent together, especially walks home where we might just admire the world around us in the way only we can. I would walk that path with you a hundred times over. But now, knowing that before you even begin to walk with me, your thoughts might already be far away, away from me and where they should be: cast towards home, and towards her —

Elias, I am not strong enough.

Merlin knows how angry you’ll be at reading this, and I know this is the coward’s way out; but I believe courage is built upon a strong foundation and in truth, mine has not been whole for quite some time. It’s time for me to build elsewhere.

And it’s my greatest wish that you and Miss Potts continue to find happiness in each other. It’s my hope that in time you might forgive me. Perhaps by then I’ll have begun to forgive myself as well.

With all my love, I will always remain —
Yours in friendship —
Irene Victoria Crawley

Elias Grimstone

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3 June 1893

Dearest, sweetest Gus Gus —

I’m not quite sure how to explain how I’ve gotten myself here: ready to take the first ship out of Hogsmeade to get as far away as I can. Perhaps you, with your many extensive travels might best understand my need to find what else is out there. Or perhaps I am escaping. I know we’ve spent so long wanting to find ourselves in one place so that we might see each other more. Now that that time has come however, it’s time for me to leave. I’ve come into an inheritance and am going away to Italy to see it through and sign the papers in person. I’ve left the address with you should you need to contact me. I hope that at some point we might cross paths once again, and I have no doubt that we will. It just might not be for quite some time.

Do forgive me for the hasty retreat. There’s much that you already know, and some that you might be able to infer. Soph will fill you in on the rest.

Until we see each other again, I shall remain your friend —
Irene Victoria Crawley

Gus Lissington

  

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3 June 1893

My dear, dear Sophia —

I want you to know I've come to a decision. I may regret it for days to come, and it's drastic, but I'm afraid that if I don't move forward I may always be stuck in the past. I thank you for your constant friendship and confidence. They've been a treasure to me for all these years. Do give Cosette and Julian my deepest love, and pass along this gift to them*, as I hope both you and they will have a splendid time. Just let Wrightmire at the theater know when you are ready. He has instructions on what to do.

Please do not fret — this is a parting gift, but rest assured we'll see each other again soon. I'll send word to you once I have a better measure of Mrs. Shaw and company.

Do wish me luck

Until we see each other again —
Yours in friendship —
Irene Victoria Crawley

@"Sophia Voss"
*included with the letter is a magical treasure map; Wrightmire has been instructed to plant the treasures (small trinkets, books, painting supplies) all over the Theater for the kids to hunt for

  

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3 June 1893

To my comrade in arms, my sister in heartbreak!
Penny —

Well, that greeting sounds much more dramatic than I intended, but it is committed to ink, so I shall settle for it! I wanted to thank you for your confidence all these years. You are one of the few that know all of what troubles me and yet I have never once received any judgement or criticism from you (none that was undeserved, at least!) and I cannot thank you enough for that. I hope I've done the same for you in return. You know what my plans are, and I hope that I won't come to regret it.

I've decided to bring Bear with me; another thing I hope I won't regret, but it's too late. A passage is booked for one female human and one cat (I'm sure Bear will prove to be an excellent mouser for the ship, if his hunting skills with my paint brushes are anything to go by), and I hope to send word once I am able.

Until we see each other again —
Yours in friendship —
Irene Victoria Crawley

Penelope Fawcett

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