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By Root 423 0

Yes, very close friends they’d been, and some said more than friends, but that she herself wasn’t one to talk – and why shouldn’t they be friends? So I said but surely Mrs Welman was a widow at the time, and she said Oh yes, she was a widow. So, dear, I saw at once she meant something by that, so I said it was odd then, that they’d never married, and she said at once, “They couldn’t marry. He’d got a wife in a lunatic asylum!” So now, you see, we know all about it! Curious the way things come about, isn’t it? Considering the easy way you get divorces nowadays, it does seem a shame that insanity shouldn’t have been a ground for it then.

Do you remember a good-looking young chap, Ted Bigland, who used to hang around after Mary Gerrard a lot? He’s been at me for her address in London, but I haven’t given it to him. In my opinion, Mary’s a cut above Ted Bigland. I don’t know if you realized it, dear, but Mr R – W – was very taken with her. A pity, because it’s made trouble. Mark my words, that’s the reason for the engagement between him and Miss Carlisle being off. And, if you ask me, it’s hit her badly. I don’t know what she saw in him, I’m sure – he wouldn’t have been my cup of tea, but I hear from a reliable source that she’s always been madly in love with him. It does seem a mix-up, doesn’t it? And she’s got all that money, too. I believe he was always led to expect his aunt would leave him something substantial.

Old Gerrard at the Lodge is failing rapidly – has had several nasty dizzy spells. He’s just as rude and cross-grained as ever. He actually said the other day that Mary wasn’t his daughter. ‘Well,’ I said, ‘I’d be ashamed to say a thing like that about your wife if I were you.’ He just looked at me and said, ‘You’re nothing but a fool. You don’t understand.’ Polite, wasn’t it? I took him up pretty sharply, I can tell you. His wife was lady’s maid to Mrs Welman before her marriage, I believe.

I saw The Good Earth last week. It was lovely! Women have to put up with a lot in China, it seems.

Yours ever,

Jessie Hopkins

Post-card from Nurse Hopkins to Nurse O’Brien:

Fancy our letters just crossing! Isn’t this weather awful?

Post-card from Nurse O’Brien to Nurse Hopkins:

Got your letter this morning. What a coincidence!

Letter from Roderick Welman to Elinor Carlisle, July 15th:

Dear Elinor, – Just got your letter. No, really, I have no feelings about Hunterbury being sold. Nice of you to consult me. I think you’re doing the wisest thing if you don’t fancy living there, which you obviously don’t. You may have some difficulty in getting rid of it, though. It’s a biggish place for present-day needs, though, of course, it’s been modernized and is up to date, with good servants’ quarters, and gas and electric light and all that. Anyway, I hope you’ll have luck!

The heat here is glorious. I spend hours in the sea. Rather a funny crowd of people, but I don’t mix much. You told me once that I wasn’t a good mixer. I’m afraid it’s true. I find most of the human race extraordinarily repulsive. They probably reciprocate this feeling.

I have long felt that you are one of the only really satisfactory representatives of humanity. Am thinking of wandering on to the Dalmatian coast in a week or two. Address c/o Thomas Cook, Dubrovnik, from the 22nd onwards. If there’s anything I can do, let me know.

Yours, with admiration and gratitude,

Roddy

Letter from Mr Seddon of Messrs Seddon, Blatherwick & Seddon to Miss Elinor Carlisle, July 20th:

104 Bloomsbury Square

Dear Miss Carlisle, – I certainly think you should accept Major Somervell’s offer of twelve thousand five hundred (£12,500) for Hunterbury. Large properties are extremely difficult to sell at the moment, and the price offered seems to be most advantageous. The offer depends, however, on immediate possession, and I know Major Somervell has been seeing other properties in the neighbourhood, so I would advise immediate acceptance.

Major Somervell is willing, I understand, to take the place furnished for three months, by which time