Letter from the Hand of the Contessa Maria Theresa Isabella Emilia Lucia Gabriella Rosalina Liliana Paloma Written at Her Residence on the Heights of Port Dominion, Island of St. Albion April the 22nd
To Her Ladyship, The Most Gracious Lady Eleanor Whitehall, At Government House, Port Dominion.
Mi estimada y encantadora Lady Whitehall,
Your most gracious letter has reached my hands — its perfume and precision as fine as any courtly gesture I have known. How beautifully the English pen flatters: so measured, so deliberate, and yet, between every syllable, I can feel the warmth of a woman who knows her own strength. You honor me beyond words with your invitation to dine beneath your roof at Government House — the seat of Whitehall gleaming brighter than the morning sun. It seemed, for a moment, that even the air of this island carried a whisper of your welcome. I am deeply touched — and, I confess, delighted — to accept.
In my homeland we say, “Cortesía es la corona del corazón noble, y la curiosidad su fiel servidor” — “Courtesy is the crown of the noble heart, and curiosity its loyal servant.” Your letter, so delicately penned, embodies both. I am touched, intrigued, and eager. It will be my great honor to accept your invitation and to join you and His Lordship upon the evening of the twenty-ninth. To share such company, amid the grace and refinement of your home, is a privilege for which I am sincerely grateful. It will give me the greatest pleasure to spend an evening in such refined company — amidst your candles, your conversation, and the sea-breeze that carries with it the soul of this remarkable island. I have admired the elegance with which you command this small world of English grace upon these tropical shores. To be received by your hand, and in the presence of your distinguished husband, is no small distinction — and I accept it with gratitude both sincere and spirited. As a token of my esteem and friendship, I shall bring a small gift of gratitude — a case of my finest vino tinto de la Ribera del Duero, from my own cellars in Spain, from the sun-kissed vineyards near Valencia. The flavor is bold, intricate, and mysterious — a reflection, I hope, of the spirit of goodwill with which it is offered. May it gladden the evening and warm English hearts, as your kindness has warmed mine. It is a wine of deep character, born of sun and stone, and I trust it will bring warmth and pleasure to your table as your kindness brings warmth and pleasure to mine. May it serve as a small symbol of goodwill between our houses — of friendship offered, and, I hope, returned. How curious it is, my dear Lady, that the sea divides our nations yet brings together our spirits. There is something fateful, I think, in your letter finding me upon this island — like two lanterns lit on opposite shores, now burning with the same flame. I look forward with anticipation to our meeting, to your conversation, and to that delightful interplay which only truly distinguished women may share — the unspoken understanding behind every word. With sincere affection and unfeigned respect, and the hope that this will be the beginning of a most gracious acquaintance,
La Contessa Maria Theresa Isabella Emilia Lucia Gabriella Rosalina Liliana Paloma
La Condesa de Valencia del Mar
(Her seal: a crimson wax impression bearing the sigil of a sea-star entwined with a rose.)
I pray the sea is calm on the night of our gathering. The old mariners say that when the tides stir without cause, it is because they sense the meeting of kindred spirits — or of equal wills upon the shore.
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