To the delightful Miss Farris,

I hope this letter finds you well.

It was an absolute pleasure to make your acquaintance this previous fortnight and I must say your willingness to enjoy the evening was a breath of fresh air for the season and has given me much to think about as we enter the winter.

Further to our discussion on the night, I would like to formally invite you to accompany me to my family estates in Mumbai. I would suggest in early spring of next year before the monsoon season arrives in June to allow us time to make the arrangements. This will be a few months away so I can only hope that a more appropriate suitor will not already have been found which prevents us from exploring this further.

It will be hot, so I would suggest you prepare for that should you accept. There is plenty of facility to keep cool including a small gardened pool that is kept private for ladies only. My sister has always insisted we employ a chef specifically for frozen desserts whilst there so I will ensure she is available for the duration of our stay. The people speak little English but they are lovely and I think you will find yourself quite at home there. I will ensure that you have a maid at hand fluent in both languages to prevent any difficulty.

Of course, the arrangements shall be mine to make and pay for in full including any chaperones or staff that you see fit to accompany you on this expedition. Alongside this letter, I am also planning to write to your father to register my intent with his daughter and to allow him to assess my credentials. I am an honorable man so his approval for such a trip is important and I hope he will approve.

Yours,

Harrison Knight

(The following postscript is written in a magical script that fades as if it was never there after Matilda reads it)

I stand by my words without pressure or expected courtship, and I look forward to finding out if your heart and mind are as lovely as your exterior. I will hold off on sending this letter to your father for the moment. While I do not doubt your intent at the time, you would not be the first person to make plans out of etiquette rather than forethought. Saying that, whether this trip is approved or not I would love to see you again.

Harrison