B’grave Square
February 10th 1852

I hoped for happy news from home, but it is not to be. Mrs Everdown has written to tell us that Cook has been taken to a sanatorium in Horsham. She was found in the entrance hall in a state of semi-consciousness by Jennet, who had brought up a brace of pheasants for her to prepare. Jennet rode for the doctor, who declared Cook to be parlously undernourished and in need of total bedrest for a month. Josiah has sent Villiers back to see what is to be done with the staff and I am to prepare myself for resumption of my Mistress duties there, he says. I do not wish to go, especially now that I have such responsibilities to my charity, but Blindingham is my home and our fortune. I cannot tell Josiah precisely why I am reluctant to leave London early, so I must hope that Villiers returns with sufficient confidence that I can stay here until our scheduled rustication. Which is not until June, I think.

B’grave Square
February 4th 1852

My Dear Boo

Wonderful news! Papa has given me his blessing to establish my own private funds so that I can continue the donations to the Press without needing to ask permission from Josiah. He is to set aside a sum within his own accounts that I may draw from at my own discretion. Me!

I did tell Papa that Josiah would be perfectly happy to oversee administration of this account and that he would never deny me access to the funds but Papa was adamant that I should take responsibility for them myself. I know Papa holds Josiah in high regard but he was strangely insistent that he need not be made aware of this arrangement at all. So be it.

My first foray into financial independence, Boo, will be to arrange for a schoolmistress to visit The Press – what do you think? I know the girls there are intelligent and earnest in their desire to learn. They cannot spend the whole time labouring, I am sure.

I shall call a meeting for us to discuss this plan further. Oh, Boo, isn’t this exciting? All I wish now is for reassurance that all is peaceful at Blindingham and then I can happily set about this new part of my life.

Kisses to LB and your self,

Effie

x

Boo,

I fear I must postpone our arrangement for tomorrow. Papa is coming up to Town on business and has asked that I make myself available to him in the early part of the afternoon. I really should do his bidding since I have a great favour to ask of him – which I will tell you all about when I see you. Do give my sincere apologies to Mrs Doughty.

Let me know when the Press Ladies are to gather again…

Yrs

Effie x

B’Grave Square

January 30th 1852

I thank the Lord for the day Josiah married me! Villiers has swept through these rooms like a whirlwind but still there is no sign of my jewel case. I had wanted to keep this misplacement a secret from Josiah – although I abhor deception of any kind – but when he came home from the Waterhouse’s at 10 am this morning he only had to look at my face to see my distress. I threw myself at his feet and promised him that I had not been careless with my jewellery. I wept a few tears as I told him of the quest I had set for Villiers and I promised I would do all I could to recover the case.

To my eternal gratitude, and indeed surprise, I was rewarded with the utmost patience from my darling husband.

He told me he simply knew that the loss of my jewels could not be my fault and that he would not blame me for a moment if they were never to come to light again. How that man tolerates my weakness I do not know. I only know that he does not hold me responsible and that I love him all the more for it.

He did suggest I write to Papa with the news, though. I am reluctant to confess to him that I no longer know the whereabouts of Mama’s precious bequest, but Josiah assured me that Papa would not wish me to go abroad with no finery at all about me and that there may be some pieces of Mama’s still kept at home. I suppose he may be right. I shall draw up all my courage this evening and ask if Papa can help me in my time of need. How thoughtful my husband is and how blessed I am to be his wife.

B’grave Square
January 29th 1852

Disaster has struck. I cannot find my jewel case. I know I had it my dressing room when we first arrived here, and then Josiah moved it when that horrible man showed his face again, but it is nowhere to be found now! It has everything I brought with me – mama’s earrings, my bracelets, rings – where on earth can it be? I shall cancel all Villiers domestic duties for the whole day and put him to searching for it.

I can not imagine what Josiah will say – it must be found before he comes home!

Boo!

I had no idea you did such remarkable and unsung work – I am in awe of you, I truly am. When you asked me to accompany you to see the results of your charitable actions I expected to be taking buns to the poor, or blankets to the homeless. I could never have imagined that you and Mrs Doughty had established such a thriving business, with all those girls saved from the streets and taken into employment. And how hard they work! I am all the more proud that you have taken me into your confidence and shall of course do all I can to help. I only hope that I may be able to contribute from afar, since we will be returning to Blindingham in April, as usual.

Fear not, Boo, I shall never let Josiah know of this. He dismissed my dreams of opening a school with such vehemence that I could not bear him to scorn this, too. I feel that the Highgate Press (I trust it is not indiscreet to write the name in a letter to you of all people) is as worthy as the school I planned. Oh, I am so excited at the thought of what we could do! Perhaps there would be a chance to add some schooling to the working day of our employees?

I shall be at the Press on Tuesday afternoon to meet you and Miss Doughty. You must feel such a freedom of movement now that LB is being cared for by a Nanny. I did tell Josiah that you had taken a servant experienced in caring for infants and he showed great interest. He wishes me to pass on his hope that the servant in question will guard LB with her life. I thought that a little over-emotional for him but it is a measure of the high regard in which he holds you.

As, of course, do I

Effie xx

More worries back at Blindingham. Cook has become increasingly frail and erratic, so Mrs Everdown has taken to calling up each day to see to the kitchens and give instruction to the gardener and stable boys. It is kind of her, I suppose, but I feel powerless to prevent her making changes I would not make myself. If she is half as incompetent as her daughter it will be a wonder the kitchen is still standing when we return. I do hope she does not discover our hiding places – for her to have the keys to every cupboard and chest would be more than Josiah could bear.

B’grave Square January 15th 1852

I have finally been accepted into London Society – how proud Papa will be when I tell him that I have been invited to join a secret society of Lady Financiers! Mrs Doughty and Boo sent for me with such a curt little note that I was quite frightened of what they might have to say. After some delightful cakes and a jolly dandle with LB, they asked outright if I wanted to become a member of the Worshipful Society for the Relief of the Distressed. I am to sit at meetings, apparently, and determine whether or no some poor fallen soul should receive our help. I am convinced that my appearance at such honourable and worthy meetings will increase the number and quality of social invitations I receive, since it is in the way of things that powerful and generous people attract each other’s company. I shall write to Papa immediately and tell him his little Eff has become a bountiful Lady.

I have not told Josiah of my new inroads into London Life. He would not be happy at the prospect of my furnishing persons other than himself with funds, I am sure, even though they may be more deserving.

Belgrave Square
December 20th 1851

I have received an annoying little letter from one of The Wives. Full of polite praise and pledges to stay in touch. I wanted to tear it up the moment I had read it. Those women are nearly as dull as their menfolk, if such a thing were possible. The one who wrote the letter was the sharper of the two, which does not say much in all honesty, and the other one was barely conscious. She looked at Josiah as if she had never seen him before and when I asked if he behaved himself with propriety when under her roof she professed to know nothing of his residence with them! What a strange and alternative world she must inhabit if she cannot recognise her own house guest.

They both did their best to charm Mrs Doughty, with no success as far as I could see, and now they wish to become better acquainted with Boo and me. I should rather drive needles into my eyes. A more tiresome pair of prattling simpletons I could not imagine. No wonder Josiah had never spoken of them to me. When I asked whether Mrs Waterhouse was inattentive to his needs when he stays there he waved me away with a grumpy little snort. I can’t say I blame him. An afternoon in their company makes it clear to me why their husbands would rather spend most of their time underground.