Letters
Personal Correspondence
Dear Kate,
Life in Mongibello is fabulous! You absolutely must visit sometime, and soon! I miss you so much, but I do not miss the States. It is so beautiful here, I know you’d love it. Much better than the dirty streets back home.
My book is coming along, slowly, but still—progress is progress, right? Of course it’s hard to get much done with the beach right in front of me and a bottle of wine constantly open! But have no fear, dear friend, I have not given up in my pursuit of publication!
Now what you are wondering about the most, I’m sure—how is Dickie? I know you have reservations about him, but dear Kate, I do love him so. And he loves me, I’m sure of it, although he has not directly said it in any fashion. I know there have been other girls in his life, but I just can’t believe he feels the same way about them as he feels about me. After all, we are dear friends and confidants.
Well darling, don’t be a stranger! Hopefully you will come visit soon and Dickie can take us sailing!
All my love,
Marge
Dearest Kate,
I hesitate to write this because I know you’ll just laugh, but you are my closest friend and I need to talk to someone. Dickie has made a new friend. Before you jump to conclusions, this friend is a man, not a woman. So my jealousy has nothing to do with that. But I am jealous, dear friend, I truly am!
This new man’s name is Tom Ripley and he and Dickie have become completely inseparable. I do not like this Tom fellow at all. He is not like us, darling. Dickie’s father paid for him to come over here and drag Dickie back home—can you even imagine? But for some reason Dickie is fascinated by him, leaving no time for us to be alone as I’ve grown accustomed to here.
I can’t quite put my finger on what it is about Tom that makes me dislike him so much. I know it sounds like pure jealousy, but there is really something odd about him. And the way he and Dickie are together, it just… isn’t right. I’d say they’re like brothers, but it is honestly more than that. Oh, Kate, dear friend, what is going on with me? How can I be so jealous of a man like Tom Ripley?
I suppose it doesn’t really matter. I am almost certain that Dickie will be proposing soon! I’m trusting you with this information as a friend. He hasn’t said anything directly, but I just know it’s coming. He does love me, dear Kate, and I do love him. We are the perfect couple in every way. Maybe when you visit it will be for our wedding!
Much love always, Marge
Kate-
I hope this letter finds you well. I have some depressing news. Dickie has disappeared.
He went on a trip with that damn Tom Ripley and just simply didn’t return. Tom came back and said that Dickie has decided to sell his house and belongings and travel the country! He isn’t returning any of my letters or calls. I don’t know what to think. Maybe I pushed him too much about the marriage. It just seemed so obvious that that’s where we were headed!
Maybe I shouldn’t worry too much. You know how flakey Dickie can be—hopefully he will return to me soon. We are still so young, maybe he needs this time to explore before we really settle down.
I am just so heartbroken, Kate. I assumed that we were closer than that, that he wouldn’t just run off without letting me know anything. I don’t want to sound so paranoid, but maybe Tom is lying. Maybe there is more to the story. I do not trust that man, as I have told you before.
None of this makes sense, and I just want my Dickie back. Oh I do hope you come visit soon, I think that is just the thing to lift my spirits!
Much love,
Marge