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God's Enigma: Ellen Glasgow in Love: Book Three: To-Morrow
Beau and Ellen accidently meet on a rarely used walking trail in the hilly woods surrounding the famous White Hotel resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Any lingering acrimony is quickly swamped beneath waves of admitted regrets and undeniable sexual attraction. Later that night as Ellen is trying to understand what happened, especially on her end, she "It was just a case of matter over mind."
When they meet the very next day, the analytical side of each of them decides their romantic rapprochement needs a full and agreed-upon basis. First, they will have and open and frank discussion of whether marriage denies a woman her chance to be "an artist." Secondly, that for the weeks they are together they will be admitted lovers, with only Lizzie knowing about it. Finally, they agree to "chart their future course or courses" only after returning to Richmond.
Enjoying the freedom admitted passion often engenders, they find new and heightened pleasures of both body and mind. Their Allegheny idyll ends abruptly when Ellen receives a terse letter from Short Stories magazine saying her submitted story has been rejected. Devasted, Ellen takes the first train back to Richmond and retreats into the isolated gloom of One West Main Street.
Back in Richmond, Beau finds small sympathy from his friend Peyton in Petersburg. (Peyton himself is within the coils of a "forbidden fruit" romance with a young mulatto woman.) Adding to Beau's problems, his father tells him that he has arranged for Beau to be interviewed for a possible position at a famous New York City architectural firm.
While in NYC, Beau has a dalliance with a young, Richmond-born Broadway actress, but things go nowhere when the actress intuits Beau's love for someone back in Richmond. Beau's troubles crescendo when he is surprisingly offered a dream job he can't refuse.
Ellen's distress and isolation ends when the magazine publisher sends her a letter of apology and tells her to "keep writing." Buoyed by the publisher's letter, Ellen happily meets Beau again in Hollywood Cemetery. Their weeks of separation have only fueled their desire for each other. Beau tells Ellen of his pending move to New York and asks her to marry him. Ellen cries in happiness, but they subsequently argue over her ever actually saying "Yes."
Though they leave the cemetery by separate paths and with separate pains, their pains never surpass their previous joys. Lizzie once again brokers a rapprochement. Ellen and Beau meet again in the cemetery. They each admit their errors, misunderstandings, and anger. They agree to spend the coming last few days together without worrying about motives or consequences.
When the death of Richmond's famous General Joseph R. Anderson throws the whole city into grief and semi-chaos, Ellen and Beau finally get to sleep together. The following day Beau waits for his train to New York wondering if Ellen will decide to join him in New York. The story ends with her decision.
When they meet the very next day, the analytical side of each of them decides their romantic rapprochement needs a full and agreed-upon basis. First, they will have and open and frank discussion of whether marriage denies a woman her chance to be "an artist." Secondly, that for the weeks they are together they will be admitted lovers, with only Lizzie knowing about it. Finally, they agree to "chart their future course or courses" only after returning to Richmond.
Enjoying the freedom admitted passion often engenders, they find new and heightened pleasures of both body and mind. Their Allegheny idyll ends abruptly when Ellen receives a terse letter from Short Stories magazine saying her submitted story has been rejected. Devasted, Ellen takes the first train back to Richmond and retreats into the isolated gloom of One West Main Street.
Back in Richmond, Beau finds small sympathy from his friend Peyton in Petersburg. (Peyton himself is within the coils of a "forbidden fruit" romance with a young mulatto woman.) Adding to Beau's problems, his father tells him that he has arranged for Beau to be interviewed for a possible position at a famous New York City architectural firm.
While in NYC, Beau has a dalliance with a young, Richmond-born Broadway actress, but things go nowhere when the actress intuits Beau's love for someone back in Richmond. Beau's troubles crescendo when he is surprisingly offered a dream job he can't refuse.
Ellen's distress and isolation ends when the magazine publisher sends her a letter of apology and tells her to "keep writing." Buoyed by the publisher's letter, Ellen happily meets Beau again in Hollywood Cemetery. Their weeks of separation have only fueled their desire for each other. Beau tells Ellen of his pending move to New York and asks her to marry him. Ellen cries in happiness, but they subsequently argue over her ever actually saying "Yes."
Though they leave the cemetery by separate paths and with separate pains, their pains never surpass their previous joys. Lizzie once again brokers a rapprochement. Ellen and Beau meet again in the cemetery. They each admit their errors, misunderstandings, and anger. They agree to spend the coming last few days together without worrying about motives or consequences.
When the death of Richmond's famous General Joseph R. Anderson throws the whole city into grief and semi-chaos, Ellen and Beau finally get to sleep together. The following day Beau waits for his train to New York wondering if Ellen will decide to join him in New York. The story ends with her decision.
173 pages, Paperback
Published March 21, 2021
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