My Dearest Boo

Josiah and I are at war. I demanded that the Girl be brought to book for her outrageous behaviour towards you. I told him that I could overlook her being surly and prone to fits of weeping, but could not allow her violence to go unpunished. I was absolutely clear that she was to be dismissed at once and that she and her ridiculous baby could not spend another night at Blindingham Hall.

Well Boo, he went into such a rage I nearly jumped into the fireplace! He said he had never heard such a tale of nonsense and that you must have taken leave of your senses. He said your imagination was best suited to the writing of cheap fiction and that he would not countenance the Girl being sent away from the Hall. I am only glad you were not present to see his fury.

I sent for Villiers to back me up – I know he does not care for the female servants overmuch and was sure he would confirm my position. He seemed quite amused at the situation and spent the entire interview smirking. I am quite disappointed in Villiers, I must say. Since the Ball he has neglected his duties and Cook tells me he spends much of his time corresponding with someone in Scotland. Anyway, he was no use.

I am mortified to have to tell you that no action is to be taken against the Girl at all. I feel such shame that you, my oldest and dearest friend, should have been treated so wretchedly. That my own husband takes the word of a servant over yours is a cause of such grief to me that I am unsure I can remain under this roof as his wife.

Please write and tell me what you wish me to do. I am so convinced of the truth of your account that I am almost prepared to leave Blindingham for ever. I shall, should you wish me to.

Yrs in sorrow

Effie

B’ham Hall August 23rd 1851

I have capitalised on Josiah’s new enthusiasm for enterprise by asking him again about my school. He was much less dismissive than when he had the gout that time, and even ruffled my hair as I was telling him of my plans. He did not say yes, but he also did not say no. For him, that is a sign he may yet bend to my wishes.

I have to write to Boo to tell her that Josiah will not hear of the Girl being dismissed. I confess I cannot tell what is the truth of the matter. Boo insists the Girl made a violent gesture towards her but the Girl denies this vigorously. She is adamant that Boo has misinterpreted her honest attempt to cuddle Little Bradstone. She says she would never dream of making inappropriate physical contact with a house guest – which is a relief of sorts – and that she simply could not resist wanting to touch the baby. She seems in earnest but I must admit that having subjected myself to her attempts at hairdressing I can understand why Boo felt she was being attacked. Quite how I am to pacify her without sacrificing the Girl I do not know. Perhaps I will sacrifice myself….

I must also respond to that man from Clacton before the month is out. I shall have to devise a cunning method of reclaiming my brooch without giving him so much as a single penny for it. How tiresome this business is – my head is spinning with the deceptions I must weave.

B’ham Hall August 8th 1851

I have received the strangest letter from that small man in Clacton. He says he has seen my brooch in a pawn shop – I am flattered that he felt the need to be discreet about this in his letter. He wants me to send him a draft for £30 guineas, upon receipt of which he will reclaim the brooch and send it to me.

The man must think I am stupid. Clearly, he has stolen it himself from our room, taken it to pawn and raised a sum of money, waited a while until he could seem plausible and then planned to extract yet more money from me to have it returned. Really! Does this man think I have no notion of what is going on before my own eyes?

The Excelsior Hotel
Clacton on Sea
Essex

August 5th 1851

Dear Mrs Hatherwick

Of late I have taken up the habit of walking for part of the afternoon in the town and down towards the dockside. Yesterday I passed a small shop I have not seen before. It appears to be the kind of establishment which serves the needy by allowing them a small sum of money in return for holding a posession of theirs. I am told the owner is at liberty to reclaim the object once a further sum of money has passed hands.

My reason for writing to you is to tell you that in the window of this shop I happened to notice a brooch which put me in mind of the one you reported missing after your stay here last November.

The brooch in question is reddish in colour and set amongst some small pearls (forgive me if I am unused to clear description of such wonders). It is approximately 3 inches in diameter. The proprietor of the shop informed me that he acquired it from a gentleman last year and that he will not surrender it for less than 30 guineas.

I will be happy to secure the brooch on your behalf, Madam, if you would care to furnish me with the wherewithal. I am sure you need not worry that it will be purchased by another in the meantime. The people who frequent that part of Clacton rarely have 30 guineas about them.

I await your instruction

Yours

Ogden Browne, Esq.

Boo

I am grateful for your swift response to my letter. I was frightened that you might not want to write to me after I was so cross with you.

I am horrified at your account of the Girl’s behaviour towards you. I shall, of course, investigate this further but if what you say is true – and I have no reason as yet to doubt you, my dear – then she can not stay under this roof a moment longer. Indeed, if her actions were threatening to your person or to that of Little Bradstone then I shall have no choice but to involve the constabulary.

I have made Josiah aware of your complaint against the Girl. He paled visibly when I told him how she flew at you as if to scratch your face. He is as anxious as I am for this sorry business to be settled and forgotten.

So, for now, be assured that I shall take steps to punish the Girl if I find there to be enough evidence to persuade Josiah of my intentions. He is strangely attached to that scrawny child of hers but I shall take great pleasure in sending them away if I can.

Give my best to Mr Pitt and tell him I hope he has recovered from the Ball. He seemed quite weary and distracted when I met him on the top lawns after his chat with Josiah. I was concerned for a while since he did not appear to recognise me, but his familiarity with me soon returned. I was greatly relieved when he held my arm tight and told me to take care – how funny that until that moment I had thought him quite indifferent to me. Now I know that the sight of me can rouse him to strong feeling. Do send him my personal regards, Boo.

Effie

B’ham Hall July 30th 1851

We have just seen the last of the men employed to clear the orangery. Josiah was supervising to be sure that nothing was broken or stolen – as if a group of farmboys from the village would want a statue of a Grecian slave girl in chains – but he is preoccupied with business. Some of the money men from London were so impressed with Blindingham, and therefore with Josiah himself, that they have agreed to invite him to invest in their projects. I have never seen him so happy.

I am also happy. My new friends were all present and I could tell that the ladies of Surrey society were looking at me with new eyes after meeting Rowena and the Coopers. I shall be asked to attend some important parties from now onwards I feel sure.

I am only sorry that Boo seemed so distant. They came early and stayed for the whole weekend, and I was looking forward to sharing both the anticipation and the aftermath with her. But the Girl took her to the Nursery on arrival and after twenty minutes both of them had faces like my boots for the rest of the weekend. I couldn’t get any sense out of her as to why she was so cold, other than some comment about me needing to speak to Josiah. I am not sure what I should be speaking to him about. The Girl was no use at all when she came to dress me for the Ball. She was snivelling, abrupt and fumbling and I had occasion to be stern with her, which led to a fresh bout of weeping and exclamations of woe. I am very tired of her. She looked at me in the mirror as she was dressing my hair and said ‘Madam, I wonder that you cannot see the reason for my distress’. What on earth should I know of her simple thoughts and mindless misery? Between her and Boo, my enjoyment of the Ball was quite spoiled. I shall write to Boo immediately and tell her so.

The SUSSEX and SURREY Courier (Epsom Edition) Wednesday July 27th 1851

B’ham Hall June 3rd 1851

What have we taken on? It is as if Villiers has been released from a lifetime of domestic service into a world of entertainment and spectacle. Now I find that we have to accommodate a hundred pipers with a marquee, refreshments and their carriage fare. From Aberdeen. Mrs Doughty must have raised more funds in her enterprise than I imagined. Apparently we shall have to pay ninety guineas to these screeching Scotsmen on top of filling their bellies and finding them beds. I do not know how I am to break this news to Josiah. I shall start by pointing out how much closer to Surrey Aberdeen is than Zanzibar. That may work.

Villiers is beside himself with anticipation of this troupe of groaning boys. I am not to bother myself with where they are to sleep, apparently. Very well, then, I shall not.

Boo,

Thank you for speaking to Mrs D. She has served us royally in the supply of names and addresses. I am sorry this note is so brief but my days are a blur of organisation at the moment.

In answer to your question about the Girl’s baby, yes he does have brown eyes like your own dear boy’s. Josiah says that brown eyes become a man and indeed they are what I first loved about him when he came to Hangerworth to ask for me. How long ago that seems!

E x

My Own Boo,

Villiers is determined that our Ball shall be the talk of the County for many years. I told him about our visit to the Exhibition in London (which, by the way, has resulted in him placing an order for a mangle! What luxury!) and he has been drowning me in fanciful plans ever since.

This letter is to beg you to speak on my behalf to Mrs Doughty. She will know of all the machinery and sculptures we saw that day and I have been asked to find an orchestra – Villiers fancies that all the players should be boys from Morocco or some such place. The notions that man has…..

Not satisfied with the Orchestra of the East, Villiers wants Josiah to commission our very own sculpture. This could cost as much as a hundred pounds and Josiah is not happy but Villiers is as giddy as a puppy about it all and we do want to encourage him. So, please find a moment to tear yourself away from your little man and ask Mrs Doughty to send word of some people I might write to.

If everything we plan comes to fruition, this shall indeed be the Ball of Balls!

Yrs

Effie x

p.s. The Girl has perked up somewhat since our return and is looking less lumpen than before. Her child is a pitiful thing, to be sure, but we must endure his presence here. If only he was more like your darling boy. He and Little Bradstone share a look about their eyes, I must say, so he makes me yearn for your company even more……… x