Armand's First Letter. Amelia's First Letter. Cathy's First Letter. 14 December 1023, L'Isle du Grand-Blaireau Amelia, I apologize for not writing last week, but it has been busier here at the Sloops than you could well imagine: not with overnight guests, mind you, but with merriment. It seems that everyone in town has chosen to come and have a … Continue reading Snow and Stars

Armand's First Letter. Amelia's First Letter. Cathy's First Letter. 31 November 1023, L'Isle du Grand-Blaireau Amelia, We have had our first guests at the Two Sloops, M. and Mme. Suprenant, of the trading house Suprenant et Fils. His Napes tells me that M. Suprenant is one of the grand merchants of Mont-Havre, and a great friend of Mr. Tuppenny's. … Continue reading The First Guests

Armand's First Letter. Amelia's First Letter. Cathy's First Letter. 24 November 1023, L'Isle du Grand-Blaireau Amelia, Much has changed here on the island since I first saw it two months ago. The public spaces on Joyeux are largely finished and ready for use, and we have completed and furnished two guest rooms on the second sloop, the Marguerite—which, like … Continue reading Tea for More than Two

Armand's First Letter. Amelia's First Letter. Cathy's First Letter. 10 November 1023, L'Isle du Grand-Blaireau Amelia, The Lombard made landfall in Mont-Havre this morning; John is expected to arrive in Bois-de-Bas tomorrow. I have been dreading his arrival, though I have also missed him; isn't that strange? Tonight I will sleep in my own bed, my own Armorican bed, … Continue reading The Joyeux

Armand's First Letter. Amelia's First Letter. Cathy's First Letter. 24 October 1023, Bois-de-Bas Amelia, I apologize for not writing last week—though perhaps it was restful for you—but I have been too busy. My brother John will be here soon, and Jack and I have been rushing to make the Two Sloops livable. I had expected John to send me … Continue reading Making a Place

Armand's First Letter. Amelia's First Letter. Cathy's First Letter. 6 October 1023, Bois-de-Bas Amelia, I have spent much of the past week at your cousin's wagonworks, where I have alternated between several activities: pondering what the Two Sloops will require in the way of table settings, bed linen, and staff; discussing how best to use the space within the … Continue reading Mr. Napes

Armand's First Letter. Amelia's First Letter. Cathy's First Letter. 29 September 1023, Bois-de-Bas Amelia, I apologize if this letter seems disjointed; I spent half the night thinking about its contents while endeavoring to sleep, and then resumed my tale as soon as I could procure a fresh bottle of ink. The caravan ascended gently into the air, describing a … Continue reading The Two Sloops

Armand's First Letter. Amelia's First Letter. Cathy's First Letter. 28 September 1023, Bois-de-Bas Amelia, I suppose the frequency of my letters is a measure of how lonely I have been here in Bois-de-Bas: I have had much time on my hands, a condition seemingly shared by no other woman in the town. But today I have hope that this … Continue reading The Caravan

Armand's First Letter. Amelia's First Letter. Cathy's First Letter. 24 September 1023, Bois-de-Bas Amelia, I have stopped stewing and taken a step. Yesterday, the day after I last wrote you, I rose late from my bed, tired, unhappy, and unsettled. The ladies of Bois-de-Bas think me lazy and idle, so they must after my shocking behavior at the Hot … Continue reading Making Soup