Thank you for your letter. I think you are too hard on yourself. Two seasons is not long, in the scheme of things – my heart was broken more than a decade ago. You still have time. And I am pleased to hear of your dowry could wish for nothing more than kindness and loyalty, so you do not sound at all like a failure. Stubbornness, I understand, for I am much the same. But I would like to think myself loyal, too.

You must forgive me for not knowing what to say in these letters – it is the first time I have ventured into the Lonely Hearts (though my heart cannot get much lonelier!). But it has already yielded a promising result. I would be glad to hear from you again. What have you learned recently? How else do you enjoy to spend your time? What would you look for in a potential suitor?

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