A Heart Across the Miles: A Letter of Love from William to Anne

To My Most Heartfelt Anne,

As the twilight hour stretches across the heavens and the stars take their rightful place in the sky, I find myself seized by the desire to pen my heart’s deepest affections for you. It seems a strange thing to sit in solitude, as I now do, in the quiet glow of candlelight, and yet feel as though you are with me. Though the miles between us are long and the separation weighs heavily upon me, in every moment, it is as though your presence surrounds me—your smile, your gentle voice, your warm eyes, all of them forever etched in my mind.I do not know if I am capable of expressing all that my heart wishes to say, but I must try. How can I possibly express the emotions you have instilled in me in words? How can I ever adequately convey the depth of my yearning, the way that your image occupies my thoughts and warms my very being? Yet I must attempt it, for my soul demands it. I can only hope that these humble words carry the weight of my true feelings, though they may never quite capture the fullness of my devotion.It seems almost impossible that I should live so far from you. Every day I am separated from you feels like a heavy burden, as though the very air I breathe is missing something essential. Yet even in this vast distance, I find myself clinging to the memories of you—your laugh, the way your face brightens when you smile, the quiet strength in the way you speak. These thoughts bring me comfort, but they also remind me of how far away you are from me, which makes them sweet and sad at the same time. The memory of your smile brightens even the darkest of days, and the thought of your eyes, so full of warmth and kindness, fills my soul with both joy and longing. I can almost feel your presence beside me at times as I sit in silence and look out at the world. I imagine what it would be like to walk with you once more—your hand in mine, our steps together on the soft earth, our voices mingling in hushed conversation—and I imagine that we would walk together again. I imagine the joy of simply being near you, of sharing even the most ordinary moments with you, for it is in those simple things that true happiness is often found.How I wish that I could be by your side now, to see the light of your face once more, to feel the gentle warmth of your hand in mine. The thought of it keeps me awake at night, lying in the stillness, wishing that time could move faster, wishing that the miles between us could be erased. I know, though, that patience is required. When it is genuine, I am aware that love can endure distance and time. And so, I wait for the day when we are no longer kept apart by circumstance, when we can once again stand together in the light of day.I write to you now, Anne, with the hope that you are as well and as happy as my heart longs for you to be. I hope that the days have been kind to you, that you have found moments of joy and peace amidst your duties. I often wonder if, in a quiet moment, you also think of me, as I can only imagine what your days must be like. Do you ever feel the pull of my heart across the miles? Do you ever think of me as I think of you? I can only hope that, in some small way, we are united in our thoughts, if not yet in our presence.In this quiet solitude, I often find myself daydreaming of the time when I might call upon you in person, to walk with you in the golden fields of summer, to listen to your soft voice as it speaks of things both light and grave, to share the simple pleasures of life together. Until then, I shall content myself with the letters we exchange, though they are but pale shadows of what I truly wish to express. Each letter we exchange is like a fleeting glimpse of the future I long for, a promise that we will one day no longer be separated by time or distance. My thoughts of you are constant, Anne. In every moment, you are with me. When the sun rises in the morning, I think of you, as though it is your light that brings warmth to the earth. I imagine the gentle light of dawn illuminating your face as you begin your day, and I wonder if you, too, feel the warmth of my thoughts upon you. I think of you once more as the night falls and the world becomes quiet, and I wonder if, somewhere in the stillness, you too feel the pull of my heart from far away. It is a strange thing, this love we share, but it is a love that knows no boundaries, no limits, no end.Please, dear Anne, never question my sincerity. I am yours in every sense, with a love as steadfast as the hills of this fair country. I have given you my heart, my soul, and my thoughts, and I ask nothing in return but your happiness. I look forward to the day when our hearts need not be separated by miles but are united in the joy of our company. I long for the day when I can look into your eyes and know that our love has only grown stronger as a result of the difficulties we have overcome. Until that time, I remain, with all the affection in my heart.

your devoted William.