Dunally Lodge
Shepperton-on-Thames
Sunday 3/9/33
- I found this pen in the drawer of the desk we've picked up for the study - so I'm not too sure of the nib.
Thank you for y our very nice letter. I thought I would wait until after Norah's 21st to answer it, so that I could tell you how it went off.
She had some most wonderful and useful presents - so many gorgeous clothes & suit-cases and hand-bags etc that I have a great fear I shall be taken for the servant when we leave on Sept 29th!! Her cousin gave her the sweetest Aberdeen terrier - 3 months old - pedigree. His name is 'Marmalade McCarthy' - he's perfect.
We couldn't have had a lovelier evening for the dance - after a boiling day - with a brightest full moon and masses of stars. Great Fosters is perfect - oh Fitz you couldn't have helped being in your seventh heaven! I was! - The grounds (miles & miles of clipped box hedges & yew trees) were all sprinkled with fairy lights - and ponds with tiny fountains & sunk rose-gardens - and then you could just wander right outside it all to where the moon simply bathed the heaven & earth in light like day & there wasn't a single sound - Oh, corks, - as I said to Mervyn - a place where one could quite easily lose one's head!
- And then we ran round the flagstones edging the pond and made the frogs go plop! plop! plop! into the water as we ran -
Wonderful floor (a bit small) and band, lovely bathe afterwards - and perfect drive home at 2.0 in the morning with the moon still high, absolute stillness everywhere and rabbits scampering across the road in front.
- Oh Gad, old thing, you must be a bit fed up with my raving - but I can't get over the perfectness of it - I never knew such a place could be - its one great drawback being (somewhat naturally) its appalling expense! You must go there one day, though - with "Edwy's" £4,000!
The house has progressed well this last week.. Our room is finished in its blue & grey and everyone likes it. The study is done, I finished arranging the books this morning, the stair-carpet is down and Mummy has started digging up the garden! We're having the most lovely weather and bathe about four times a day over week-ends.
Jill has also got a job for next term in a school in Sheen. Helping with games and drill. She's going up every day and they're providing fares and pocket-money - Whereas, as Mummy says, I shall now be the dead weight of the family, while Jill earns!! It'll be very good for her.
- Only 2 more weeks of 'office'! It's only now that I realize how valuable I have really become - the new girl (very pretty!) comes in on Monday to train for a fortnight with me, for, as Mr Allen profoundly remarks - 'It will take a long time for her to reach Miss Ormiston's standard of proficiency ad I shall not be able to rely on her, as I do on Miss Ormiston, for some time to come'!!
Do you mean there's a chance of you coming home before N & I get back? - But if you only get back on the Sunday, couldn't you go straight to Haverstock & do all the packing etc. that night - leaving Monday night free? 0 Then I'll arrange to go into school on the Tuesday. - Do try! Because I want to show you the house so badly.
You'll be in town in November sometime, won't you? Because my friend from Aberystwyth (whom I so badly disillusioned) is coming up for a week with a male friend of hers, and she suggested we made up a four & went out somewhere one evening - but we'll see later (when I've seen if I still like you enough, or not!!) - & of course, I was forgetting I've got to work awfully hard too!
- I haven't read 'For Sinners Only' - only the critiques - but I'll try & get hold of it.
- One thing I can't imagine - possibly - is you either leaving a vacant seat between yourself and any female (let alone a masked one!) - or being quiet when similar female has suggested 'being mad' - but I suppose one lives & learns!!
I went and had a manicure yesterday for the first time - N & I said we would on her 21st! It was great fun - I had one person waving my hair and another doing my nails! - I felt like someone out of a Hollywood film ! - they made a good job of it, anyhow. - I made them laugh by saying next time I would try a 'Facial mud Pack'!
- It's dinner time - I'll stop this for today as we're going to Norah's this afternoon - will finish tomorrow.
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We had a very nice time at Norah's again yesterday. Just lazing up a backwater in the sun.
- The new girl as arrived at the office - so I've had a strenuous morning showing her how to do things!
- No more news at the moment - I'm afraid you won't have to pay overweight on this again!
Love
Mary xxx
write soon
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