Dearest Boo

I have discovered a passion for husbandry!

I was in desperate need of something to distract me from the daily task of caring for Cook – I spend an hour with her every single afternoon, Boo, and I am drained as a result. I mentioned to Villiers that I wished for some creative outlet and the next thing I knew he had presented Jennet at the kitchen door, both of them flushed with enthusiasm for my new venture.

So now I have become a keen gardener. I do not dig or weed, of course, I am far too slight to manage the utensils needed for that. Jennet is better suited to the heavy work. But I have become quite adept at pulling away dead leaves and flower heads hanging there beyond their allotted time. I am able to see which plants look well with others and can even make a drawing of a proper garden plan. Oh, but it is so pleasing, Boo. You would not, as a Londoner, know the pleasure to be got from the land!

I am to be found most evenings walking amongst my flowers and shrubs, giving them gentle encouragement and a little nourishment if they need it. Josiah has given me a basket for collecting cuttings, bless him. He sits sometimes on the bench to watch me but I know he is keen to get back to business. I am trying to think of a new direction for him but have such an empty head by the afternoons that I fear I am little use to him. He is such a generous man, my husband, that he freely gives his time helping the Nurse to care for Cook. I knew he was a kind and thoughtful soul, Boo, but I did not honestly expect him to take his responsibility to her so seriously. I suspect Mrs Everdown does not much care for Josiah, but it is of no matter as their paths need hardly cross.

I trust you and Mrs Doughty have walked enough around Town to choose new Offices for the Press? When you have the time, do please come down and visit. We shall not give a lavish party as we did last year – it would not be fair to frighten Cook with such crowds and revelry – but I still ache for congenial company. Do come to Blindingham if you can?

Yrs

Effie x

Blindingham Hall
August 3rd 1852

Looking after Cook is proving to be a taxing business. The Nurse does what she can, but I do not wish to leave the poor raving creature in her care all day, so I could not possibly spare any time for a trip up to London. I have assuaged my guilt at leaving all the Press work to Boo and Mrs Doughty by lightening their load a little and sending a sum of money to help ease their search. I can only hope they will not view this as negligence. I am too tired to write this journal any more tonight. I shall sleep as well as I can and prepare myself for another morning with the patient.

Hawksmoor Lane
London
July 23rd 1852

Dear Euphemia

I trust you are well, and will not mind my interrupting your Summer in the country with my metropolitan prattle. Your absence from our social – and business – lives is a trial we must bear, my dear, but we cannot forget you entirely. We spoke fondly of you when I was last at Mrs Pitt’s home. Indeed, Rowena and I spent a most enjoyable few minutes remembering that spectacular Ball we were lucky enough to attend.

The purpose of this letter is not simply to tell you how keenly we miss you, dear Euphemia, although that would be a perfectly good reason to write. My intention is to inform you of the progress of the press girls. Mrs Pitt and I are excited to announce that we are in need of new premises to house our expanding workload and burgeoning workforce. It is in no small measure thanks to you that we can plan so confidently for our future. You may be in the country for the Summer, but you are a London Lady entrepreneur all year round, Euphemia, and you should be proud of your contribution.

The move will require funding, of course, and Mrs Pitt and I are spending a good deal of time searching the City for suitable premises. When we have some addresses to show you, do you think you might be able to come to Town to help us choose wisely? I do hope you can.

I cannot leave off writing without telling you that Little Bradstone is becoming a lively child with a great reserves of energy and vigour. I come from a generation who hid their children away in nurseries and schoolrooms, so to take tea in the company of the boy and his playmates was certainly enlightening. Being a spinster myself, I am unused to the chatter and clatter of children. My head only just seems clear of it after two days.

So, dear Euphemia, enjoy your rural sojourn happy in the knowledge that your city friends are keeping your interests safe.

Yours in great affection

Sarah Doughty

Blindingham
June 3rd 1852

Josiah has surprised and impressed me. I mentioned that Cook was in a dreadful position and that I could hardly sleep for my concerns. I was trying to work out how best I could raise the subject of our bringing her here when he announced that he would not stand to see her so cruelly treated and that we should collect her at once! Bless his compassionate heart!

His only condition was that we should employ a nurse to care for her. He seemed confident that a girl from the village would do perfectly well and instructed Villiers to place notices in the little shop and in the Church meeting rooms. How thoughtful he is. We have had a steady stream of applicants over the past two days and once Josiah has made his decision we shall send immediately for Cook. I shall make sure she is cared for until she recovers, or until she is beyond saving, whichever is the sooner. She shall have rooms in the West Wing of the Hall, where she will be able to see the sun from her windows. I am not sure she should walk in the grounds yet – her infirmity means she is given to fits of raving and I should not like visitors to have to see that. I feel quite emotional at the prospect of rewarding her years of service to us!

Blindingham
May 27th 1852

May the Lord save me from ill-health and infirmity. I decided to repay Mrs Everdown’s loyal service by re-engaging her silly daughter as a maid. I reasoned that her parlous misuse of the mangle could not be replicated with hair combs and I was, to an extent, correct. So, newly dressed and arranged, I set off for Horsham to see Cook.

I have never been in such a terrible place and pray that I shall have no need to return. I do not refer to Horsham as a whole, of course, but to its hospital for the demented, where Cook has been incarcerated for the past three months. My journey was spent listening to the carriage driver slavering over gruesome tales of the inmates there, to the point that when we turned into the gates of the hospital I could not help but cry out. How, then, must it feel to be taken there against one’s will?

The sound of the inmates was the sound of hell itself. Crying, cursing and keening in turns. I should have run mad there myself in minutes.

Cook was brought to me shackled to a miserable nurse who looked no better than the patients. I wept to see her. She was thin with dull eyes and dank hair. Her cheeks were paler than my washstand. She has not seen daylight since she arrived there, I shouldn’t wonder. She thanked me for coming and began to apologise for leaving the Hall without proper instructions for its maintenance. I begged her not to be concerned with domestic matters but to concentrate on getting herself well – I fear, though, if I am truthful, that she may never leave that place. The poor, deranged soul. I gave the matron a sum of money and insisted it be spent on Cook’s personal upkeep since I could not bear to see her so dishevelled.

The carriage ride home was no more comfortable than before and I was glad to see the lights of Blindingham welcoming me home. The new maid was kind enough to comfort me as she prepared me for bed, but I spent a terrible night thinking about how Cook would manage. I shall speak to Josiah and try to arrange special nursing for her. For two pins I would have her back here with us and care for her myself – if only I could be sure she would not come to, or cause us, any harm.

Blindingham
May 10th 1852

Goodness me, Boo!

Last year when we returned here I was as nervous as a kitten about entering my own home. But now I am a confident Lady I almost ran up the steps to reclaim my empire! Villiers had gathered the staff as usual – sorely depleted by the absence of Cook and the Girl – and I thanked them for looking after the Hall so well. I shall find out in due course whether or not they actually have.

The Girl is still in London. Josiah tells me his associate still has want of her and since I do not care ever to see her or the child again I was happy to let her stay behind. We continue paying her wages, I believe, but I may put an end to that arrangement soon. And Cook is still in the sanatorium, poor woman. I shall visit her just as soon as I have found a personal maid to attend to me – if I do not, and I go about in public having dressed my own hair, I may be in danger of being mistaken for an inmate!

Josiah, as I predicted, set about changing the furniture in the entrance hall – he said something about making more room but I paid him scant attention because Mrs Everdown was trying to tell me what changes she had made. I had been concerned about what she would do, as you know, but I do believe she has made things run more smoothly. I resolved to be less judgemental about her in future and can only assume that someone else was responsible for bringing up her stupid daughter. She has more than compensated for the pitiful mess her child made of our linen last year.

Villiers is happier than I have seem him for a long time. His illness has quite vanished and he is charming to Josiah, myself and the rest of the staff. Something about the country air must agree with him and although I am still not convinced he is a natural servant, I hold him in almost affectionate regard these days.

I must dash now, there is so much to do when regaining control of an estate such as ours and I wish to reassure myself that Cook is in good hands.

Do let me know how it goes in the City!

Yrs

Effie x

Dearest Boo,

Sadly, we are at the end of our lease in the Square and must return to Blindingham next week. I cannot tell you how much I shall miss you, LB, the girls at the Press and all the good friends I have made this second season in London. But I am excited at the thought of seeing Blindingham again and of renewing my standing in the village. I shall always be interested to hear about the business, of course, and can furnish you with banker’s drafts with only a few days’ notice if necessary.

Villiers has been laid low for a week or so, but has sprung back more effervescent than ever. He claims to be unable to wait til next week to get to the country and has suggested he go on ahead to prepare the house. That will be a shock for Mrs Everdown!

So, I must see you before we leave – I shall call on Friday if I may?

Kisses to your gorgeous Boy,

Yrs

E xx

B’grave Square
April 26th 1852

I have had the most enjoyable day. I walked to the Press to meet Boo and Mrs Doughty – Boo had her boy with her so I had plenty of cuddles – and we took tea in an office just like business folk!

Mrs Doughty said the girls were working well – hard at it throughout the day and much of the night, she said – but the funds were disappointingly low due to overseas export prices, or something. I tried my best but I could not really grasp the financial situation fully. She had presented us with a very impressive sheet of paper full of numbers and lists – my head was spinning just looking at it – but I understood the main issue was that a further amount of money was required to purchase materials. I was more than happy to access ‘my’ account at Papa’s bank, so that problem was dealt with straight away. Boo reported that two of the girls had recently left the Press for domestic reasons, I suppose they were needed back at home to nurse ailing relatives or something of the like. But she had immediately found replacements and the work had not suffered at all. I asked how she recruited suitable staff so quickly – she is a marvel, what with having a child to care for as well – and she said girls were so keen to work there she could almost pick them from the street. What high regard we must be held in to have staff so eager to be in our employ!

After we had concluded our business I wanted to spend a while with the girls and introduce my self-improvement programme to them. I have long harboured a wish to educate the disadvantaged and the Press seems to present the perfect opportunity to realise my vision. Mrs Doughty said she would ask a couple of girls to meet me but said she could not spare more and that I really should not walk on the shop floor – for reasons to do with my own safety, I think. I suppose printing machinery is a little frightening at close quarters – it is certainly very loud. The whole time I was there I could hear banging and clattering and the occasional screechings of the workers. In truth, I was not sorry to miss out on that part of my visit.

The employees I met came to the office together, giggling like schoolgirls and fiddling incessantly with their hair. I expect they were nervous to meet a proper Lady. They had a high colour in their cheeks, the pair of them and appeared to have spent time preparing their appearance with perfumes and powdering – which I thought flattering but unnecessary. They showed some interest in my plans for workforce education but when I suggested that they still had much to learn of the world they behaved very oddly. I had heard that it is possible to dissolve into laughter but have never witnessed such a thing until today. The girls clearly have no experience of schooling – it is a wonder they can construct a printer’s block at all – and they do not seem to feel themselves worthy of it. I am even more determined to educate them now!

When I came back, Josiah met me on the steps with the news that Villiers has been taken ill. He is in bed under strict orders from a doctor not to leave the house until his fever subsides. He has something mild but contagious, apparently, I did not catch the name of it. The Old Girl is taking charge of his care and she tells me that he is most put out at having his night time walks curtailed. I passed her on the stairs as she was on her way to treat him with a poultice – she was positively revelling in her new authority over him! I am sure that as soon as he is fit and well we shall not see him for a week.

So now I am ready to retire and am feeling quite pleased with myself – Josiah is already planning a new business venture, the Press is thriving, I am being treated with respect as a professional investor and I have had the warmth and eagerness of a small child on my lap. It has quite given me the taste for motherhood – I am surely grown up enough now!