Loneliness

Alma grows up in an adult world where her parents applaud the search for knowledge, but they rarely share physical affection. Alma does not miss the physical part of human contact as she is growing and absorbing all the knowledge around her. However, when Alma is a teenager and accidentally discovers several books describing the activities of the marriage bed, she begins to crave physical contact. Alma even falls in love with a man who is a frequent visitor to her home and begins to imagine he loves her as well. When this is revealed to be untrue, Alma learns to accept that she will more than likely be alone for the rest of her life.

Alma grows into middle age content in her intellectual work and the company of her elderly father. However, this all changes when Ambrose comes into Alma’s life. Alma feels...