SYNOPSIS: In the Gould family archives lie the fading love letters of Grandfather Martin, written in fine script to his future wife, Allie, who was 20 years his junior. Dated 1895, the letters are now over 100 years of age, yet the tentative, formal, Victorian vocabulary sheds light upon the girl to whom they were written. Martin and Allie were separated by some 90 miles ? and the gossip of her townspeople, who were scandalized by Martin's previous divorce. As Allie struggles to overcome the acid tongues of her community, the two are kept together by only their letters, which, in keeping with propriety, refrained from obvious references of love being written down for all to see. Instead, they were filled with veiled references to the emotions that Martin dared not commit to paper. In reading and rereading the letters, author Jackie Gould began to imagine what those times were like, and her curiosity was piqued to know more about the young woman to whom the letters were addressed. Her only clues were gleaned from the letters that Martin wrote to his Allie, and as she read and reread the letters, Allie and her story came to life. The letters in this book are real, but the story from Allie's point of view is imagined. However, the young girl's spirit will invade your thoughts as she whispers to you about her life and times, and the love story between Allie and Martin unfolds.