My dearest Alessandra:
I am so dreadfully sorry to hear your unfortunate news. Our mother said that you will soon lose your eyesight, that the infection had spread too far for the doctors to prevent it. What does your husband Goeff say about this? Hopefully he will be a help after 15 years of marriage.
Thank the heavens you have so many servants around to help you! I know that your neighbors have said simply awful things about you and Goeff keeping servants, but for heaven’s sake! You can certainly afford it, you wicked girl! Besides, how else are you going to keep your downtown penthouse clean and operating? No woman could do that by herself, especially not when she is on as many boards as you are. (I keep telling you that you take too much on yourself.) Now, your servants will be able to help you get around and adjust to this illness.
I know that you must be terribly frightened. You won’t be able to enjoy the theatre like you have in the past, the art museums… Oh, I’m not helping, am I? I know how you hate being out of society; I’ll do exquisitely everything I can to make sure that nothing happens you aren’t a part of.
Do you know, dearest, I was reading about a surgeon in the city near where you leave…I don’t want to tell you too much; this is just preliminary. I’ll show you the article when you come over this weekend.
Your affectionate sister,
Josephine