<P> "Roman Fever" is a short story by American writer Edith Wharton . It was first published in Liberty magazine on November 10, 1934 . A revised and expanded version of the story was published in Wharton's 1936 short story collection The World Over . </P> <P> Grace Ansley and Alida Slade are middle - aged American women visiting Rome with their daughters, Barbara Ansley and Jenny Slade . The women live in Manhattan, New York, and have been friends since they met in Rome twenty - five years ago . A youthful and romantic rivalry led Mrs. Slade to nurture feelings of jealousy and hatred against Mrs. Ansley . For her part, Mrs. Ansley looks down on Mrs. Slade, who she feels has led "a sad life ." </P> <P> In the opening pages of the story, the two women compare their daughters and reflect on each other's lives . Eventually, Alida reveals a secret about a letter written to Grace on a visit to Rome many years ago . The letter was purportedly from Alida's fiancé, Delphin, inviting Grace to a rendezvous at the Colosseum . In fact, Alida forged the letter in an attempt to send Grace on a fruitless outing and expose her "delicate throat" to the "deathly cold ." Mrs. Ansley is upset at this revelation, but explains that she was not left alone at the Colosseum; she responded to the letter, and Delphin arrived to meet her . Mrs. Ansley then says that she feels sorry for Mrs. Slade, repeating her earlier thoughts . Mrs. Slade states that, while she was "beaten there," Mrs. Ansley ought not to feel sorry for her, because she "had (Delphin) for twenty - five years" while Mrs. Ansley had "nothing but that one letter that he didn't write ." Mrs. Ansley responds, in the last sentence of the story, "I had Barbara," implying that Barbara is Delphin's daughter . </P> <P> The story takes place in the afternoon through sunset, in the city of Rome, at a restaurant overlooking the Forum . Two wealthy, middle - aged, widowed women are visiting Rome with their two unmarried daughters . The setting illustrates the power and class from which the women hail, but the Old Rome context, such as the Colosseum, insinuates Roman Empire - style intrigue . The movement from afternoon to sunset indicates the devastation that both women will receive as the story progresses . The story's flashbacks take place in both Rome and New York City . </P>

Who wrote the letter that mrs. ansley believed was from mr. slade twenty years earlier