22nd October 1932 - Terrick to Mary

Wensley Rectory,
Leyburn,

22nd October 1932


Dear Mary Pleasant, 

Of course I shall thank you for the snaps you so kindly let me have.

I admit I do get very bored at answering all the old spinsters who write to me, but I fairly revel in writing to a nice young spinster like you.

I am glad you don’t think I write an abominable letter.  Encouraged by this tribute I think I shall try and outdo H.V. Morton on Scotland.  I shall start off by putting my photo and his side by side in the frontispiece, then everybody will start off prejudiced in my favour.  This is not conceit.  He is a perfect little toad.

Last winter in Killarney I wrote three chapters of a thriller.  I have just read it through and my hair fairly stood on end – Unfortunately I have left the sketch of the rest of the plot in an exercise book somewhere at Fort William so the mystery of the beautiful latin lady with Irish eyes will never be solved.

The twitches show a marked improvement, thank you.

I shall certainly not forget to make that date with you for the pictures.  I shall be here for a fortnight and then with friends in Hunstanton for a week, and then to London.  I hate London, but am looking forward to seeing you two cheery souls.

You certainly can’t be described as ordinary, and if you are dressed anything after the style in which you left Fort William I shall be fearfully proud to be seen with you.  I only hope people won’t take me for a poor relation.

If your family are anything like you they must be screams.

I hope your school-girl complexion is not fading in the foggy air of London.  I am thriving as never before and getting quite fat.

Remember me to Norah.

Love from 

Terrick (Fitz)

On blank page is written – I could fill this but the post is going.

15th October 1932 - Mary to Terrick

Posted 15.10.1932

Saunton
Christchurch Road
East Sheen
SW14

Dear Fitz

Herewith two requested photographs.  Thank you for returning others, plus my dreadful hankie – it would have been much more sensible of me to have dropped one of my posh linen ones!  Your letter was a topping one & caused me quite a sigh of relief.  I’m sure only one man in ten writes a readable epistle, and it does so spoil it to have to think “Hes a dear – but he does write an abominable letter”!

Every Wednesday evening Norah & I do something special together & yesterday we saw the new George Culiss film – hes glorious – so beautifully ugly! - & on the way home she perused your letter & agreed with me that it was a jolly nice one- & shes most envious, so don’t forget to answer hers nicely, will you?

I wish Ramsay & H.V. Morton had come when we were there – or don’t you think either of them would have appreciated Chewcud & Daisy Bell? – you should jolly well read “In Search of Scotland “ – I did in the far off days when I was at school & loved it – he puts historical bits so beautifully humanly – I’m sorry you didn’t appreciate my quotation that night on the way to the flicks – when I said Aberdeen fish market sounded just like thousands of bare babies being smacked. – that’s H.V. Morton.  But I bet most authors are uninteresting on acquaintance – the book I’m always intending to write won’t be a bit like me – it’ll be dignified, pompous & flowery – sprinkled here & there with epigrams & whimsical humour! – oh – how too terrible it sounds! – but it won’t be really! 

- I am talking a lot of rubbish – I’m sorry – but I’ve just got back from town & am yawning over this round the drawing –room fire!  Last night I didn’t get to bed till twelve because I went on a motor treasure –hunt – gorgeous!

- I suppose you’ll be going home soon now to stop all that twitching of the nerves!! – well – you deserve it!  But please please don’t forget to let us know when you come to London – we’ll be awfully good – honestly – so don’t be afraid we change into two mugs when not at F.W!! – because the thing that hurts us both most is to be thought ordinary! - & we’re not really very plebian (sic) either – so if you feel you could put up with us one evening you won’t forget will you?

- Well – I must stop - & rush along with the dog to post this – I nearly learnt to drive a car last Saturday – scrummy!

I wish you knew my family – they are a funny lot.

Much love

From 

Mary Pleasant

P.S. There’s no need to answer this just to thank me for the snaps because I’ve probably enjoyed writing it far more than you will reading it - & it must be rather embarassing (sic) to have such a tenacious lot of female correspondents!

6th October 1932 - Terrick to Mary

Highland Hotel
Fort William

6th October 1932


Dear Mary

Thank you very much for lending me the snaps.  Most of them are jolly good, especially the ones with people in.  I should very much like a print of me on the stone and me & Norah on the mountain peak.  The ones of you two together do not do you justice, but I have a good one of you both in the print that Miss Olifant has just sent me.

I jolly well hope you do come where I am next year.  It will be a great relief when I am surrounded by old maids in their dotage to have you two young maids of no age at all.

I have not taken anyone to the pictures since you left.  I went alone the night before last to see William Powell in “High Pressure”.

The (?) is in full swing.  Compton Mackenzie has been staying in the hotel and last night there was a big party here with both Ramsay MacDonald and H V Morton present.  The latter phoned from the office to the “Daily Herald.” They are both the most ordinary-looking men you can imagine.  Morton is a very Londonish type and I absolutely refuse to believe that he can appreciate the highlands and islands properly.  When I saw him I decided not to bother to read “In Search of Scotland” at all, but I think I will, out of curiosity.

Everybody in the place is in a kilt and every night is made more or less hideous by Gaelic song until the early hours.  In the first half of the week we had about a hundred and fifty choir children who used to murder one another outside my bedroom door at 6 o’clock every morning, to an accompaniment of shrieks and groans; till I put my head outside the sheets and yelled: “Shut up!”

We are desperately busy.  Tomorrow night we are not going to bed at all.

I should love to come to the pictures with you some time.  It will be great fun to see you both again.  Here is your dainty handkerchief which you dropped under the train.  I hope you had enough to last you out the journey.

I am very sorry that you should have had such rotten seats on the coach; and I think the company does not sound at all suitable for two young girls fresh from school, with the schoolgirl complexions still on and all unused to blushing.

Give my love to Norah.  By the way, I climbed up Faith in Glencoe last time I went there.  I started with three other men and only one of them got to the top with me.  Going up was much more difficult than the one we did, but coming down round the side was a lot easier.  I have also been wading through the River Nevis with nothing on but a pullover belonging to Mr Ashe; but that is a long story and I will tell you about it when I see you at the pictures.

Love to yourself

From 

Terrick