Dangerous Letters

Chapter Nine

Letter XIX

October 21, 17--

Dear Master Tom,

How delighted I was to receive a letter from you. Now, you make think me foolish for answering your questions very seriously, but I really must – for one, I have not forgotten you at all! Though it has been a few months since we saw each other last, and I was only with you for the summer, yet I can recall all our little adventures with great fondness and delight.

For your next – I do live in a very impressive castle, though it has only the four and not sixteen turrets that you supposed. In the main entry to the great house, there is largest suit of armour you could imagine – although you will be disappointed to know that I have not tried it on; alas, I do not think I have the makings of a knight for ladies are damsels that must wait in the tower for rescue.

You would be most pleased, however, with the wildlife in these solitary parts; indeed, there are more species of birds here that, perhaps, even you could name. They roost in the broken ramparts and towers in a great many number including one of your favourites, the bittern that must ascend from a marshier terrain in the nearby deep valley.

In that book you were so fond of quoting, I recollect they are described as something like the bellowing of bulls. In fact, it is difficult to describe what it is like, the noise it produces gave it the above name (the butter bump) by the common people. The first part of its noise is an indistinct muttering sort of sound very like the word butter uttered in a hurried manner and the bump comes very quick after and bumps a sound on the ear as if echo had mocked the bump of a gun just as the mutter ceased. I think that your skill at imitating our feathered friends would be well served in this case.

I am pleased to hear that you have settled in well and are enjoying yourself as the lycéen at ----------------------. Your penmanship has come along splendidly, and I am very glad that you continue to enjoy Descartes' rhetoric – though it sounds like you have gone beyond me now! Please write to me about your classes, teachers, and any news from home, whenever you can – I should be eager to hear it all.

Yours sincerely,

Miss. B---.

Letter XX

October 27, 17--

Dear Mother and Father,

I have sat down several times to write this letter and then stood back up again. I have paced the length of my room and fretted to no end about how to communicate my present state of mind.

I can only think to start at the beginning. This morning, after breakfast, I convinced one of the maids, Rosa, to accompany me into town. A footman had kindly agreed to drive me down, but I desired her company, firstly, for propriety's sake and, secondly, so as to have a female opinion on the lace that I meant to buy. We had scarcely left the driveway, however, when the carriage was hailed by the Marquis, dressed finely in habit à la française.

"Jacques," he scolded our driver, "I have need of the hackney today."

"I beg your apologies, Sir," I said hurriedly, "we would have never taken the carriage had we known."

When I went to step out, he stopped me.

"No need, my dear, we shall all go together. There is plenty of room."

It was not in my power to protest and so our journey resumed with an extra passenger. With Jacques in the whip above, I was left with just the Marquis and Rosa. My companion appeared terribly vexed; I knew her to be of a shy temperament, but I was concerned to find her all a-tremble. She stared resolutely out of the window and seemed unable to turn in our Master's direction.