The Letter

The Letter that Emily writes to Isabel Jennings just before the first transatlantic flight is due to take off becomes a symbol of hope - and then disappointment - throughout the novel. Lottie has the responsibility of mailing the letter, but she can't procure official stamps to be included with the pouch of mail in that first flight. She asks one of the pilots to take the letter as a favor, and he does, but then forgets to put it in the mail once he arrives in Ireland. The pilot hands the letter back to Emily ten years later. It is never opened but is handed down to Lottie and then to Hannah. When Hannah finds herself in financial trouble, she tries to sell the stamp or the letter, but can't get enough money to save herself from eviction. In the end, she learns that...