Page 8 of Positively, Penelope

Izzy

From: Luke Edgewood

To: Izzy Edgewood, Penelope Edgewood, Josephine Martin

Date: August29

Subject: Re: Introduction to Fiacla

Desperate times call for desperate measures... and a survival knife.

“Whatever possessed God in heaven to make a man like Rambo?” For men who have sisters. That’s what.

Luke

From: Penelope Edgewood

To: Luke Edgewood, Izzy Edgewood, Josephine Martin

Date: August30

Subject: Re: Introduction to Fiacla

I can’t respond at length right now because I’m currently waitingin line at a pastry shop. It’s the cutest place ever, with rose and gold themes. Izzy, you would adore it. And the smells? Delightful. I’m grabbing a quick snack before I walk from here down a footpath to a place called Elowyn’s Tower. AHHH!!

Penelope

PS: Luke, I’m certain God made women like the illustrious Audrey Hepburn to combat flannel-wearing woodsmen like you.

PPS: There was a note on my kitchen table this morning that suggested I ride a bicycle into town, and said bicycle was waiting outside the cottage. Despite the loveliness of the pink, vintage, basket-donned bicycle, as you all know, I can’t ride one and my eyes started watering at the thought of trying to ride one again. Therefore, I suppose someone is going to have to provide another means of transportation because bicycles and I have never worked, though I’ve had this lifelong dream of riding one down a lane with my skirt flapping in the breeze like Julie Andrews does inThe Sound of Music. Sigh. I suppose some dreams will never be realized.

Text from Luke to Penelope:Lest you forget, sister dear, a flannel-wearing woodsman saved Red Riding Hood and he likely used a survival knife to do so. Not to mention very real men like Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett likely wore more rugged apparel (how’s that for using your fancy lingo?).

Luke:Also, we woodsmen have our uses, and sometimes we kill a bear when we’re only three and then later become a congressman. Are these two things related? Maybe or maybe not. But I bet the bear was the least of Davy’s problems after becoming a congressman.

Penelope:When I think “flannel-wearing woodsman” in regard to you, my thoughts go more toward Jed Clampett or one of the Darling boys fromThe Andy Griffith Show. They seem more your speed. *smiling sweetly and eating a chocolate croissant ruthlessly*

Luke:“Don’t push it, or I’ll give you a war you won’t believe.”

Penelope:Stop with theRamboquotes or I’ll start quotingLegally Blonde.

Penelope:BTW, look at this amazing view from Elowyn’s Tower! This place truly is like stepping into a magical land! “Second star to the right, and straight on till morning” stuff!

Luke:The view is great. Was the quote fromStar Wars?

Penelope:Ugh. You are such a Neanderthal sometimes!

From: Penelope Edgewood

To: Luke Edgewood, Izzy Edgewood, Josephine Martin

Date: August30

Subject: An adventure and a mystery

So, after visiting Kelna and Elowyn’s Tower (photos attached), one of the natives at the cutest little consignment shop in the world suggested I travel to the largest city on Fiacla. Mountcaster is its nameandit’s where I’ll be working at The Darling House (my online contact suggests Mountcaster too!). When I found out that it was only a fifteen-minute drive, I paid a taxi and decided to get a first glimpse.

In anticipation of a stellar adventure, I wore my navy detective hat like the one Bonita Granville wore in the 1930s Nancy Drew series and made sure to take my camera for photos instead of only my phone. I still can’t get over how much this place looksmake-believe. The ocean cliffs, the stone houses, the narrow lanes, and the rolling green hills, with enough mountains in the distance to make me miss home! I keep looking for fairies poking out from behind one of the picturesque stone walls or a mermaid splashing up on the rocks at the sea’s edge. Oh my!

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