1. To the Master of Bly
Thank you Donna for this
#32 Harley St. great exchange of letters!
London, England
Dear Sir,
I am a newspaper columnist in New York. Lately my work has me down, and a
writer I met at Delehanty's referred me to you as someone who might have good
advice. I'd already had a few, so the details are fuzzy, but his name was
Henry. Henry said you'd taken in two little orphans. This is just the sort of
thing I wish I could do for my readers! You see, my job at the paper is to
read dozens of letters every day from desperate people asking for my help. My
heart goes out to them, but I'm overwhelmed. What can one man do to offer
hope and relief for the suffering of so many? My greatest wish is to show
them that Christ is the answer. I want to embrace all of humanity and end
their suffering. You seem to have managed to do this on a small scale. Do you
have any advice for me?
Sincerely,
Miss Lonelyhearts.
Dear Sir or Madam,
Please excuse me, as I do not know whether I am addressing a gentleman or a lady. I
am not at all sure whether it is even proper for me to respond to your letter, which has been
forwarded, unopened, to me, the governess at Bly. This is, no doubt, something of an
irregularity, but my employer's work - which I am not a little embarrassed to admit is a
complete mystery to me - takes up all of his time. I, myself, am under strictest orders never,
but never to write him about anything.
However, your interest in my two charges, the "little orphans," has set me somewhat on my
guard. What do you know about the man you met at Delehanty's? ( I am loathe to ask
what sort of establishment this is.) Are you quite certain his name was Henry, and not,
perhaps, Quint? Was he a gentleman, unusually handsome, with red hair? Were his
clothes his own? Did you feel that he was too free with you? All of this may very well
sound strange, but- and this is most important- did anyone see him other than yourself?
Oh, Miss Lonelyhearts! If anything in your letter speaks to me it is the words, "My
heart goes out to them, but I'm overwhelmed!" Things are so lonely and strange here at

2. Bly. This is a terrible admission for a governess to make, but, I fear I am failing my
charges, little Flora and Miles. I am certain they are the victims of dark, unnatural
forces from which I am too weak to save them. Oh, please help me, Miss Lonelyhearts!
What shall I do?
Desperate in Bly,
-The Governess.