Didn’t it hurt most horribly? Anyway I am sure you will be very happy at Bexhill-on-Sea. We have just got the telegram to say that you got there alright, not that I quite see what could have happened to you unless it might have been a train accident. But it is the custom to send telegrams whenever one arrives safely anywhere.
Pat2 has arrived, he came at tea time. Mary3 came yesterday and so far no one else has arrived. I do so wish that you were here. You see I feel so stupid because every one invited Togo4 to tea on Sunday to play tennis and Mary keeps telling everybody that she has asked him for me and that everybody is to fade away and leave us two together! If you were here you would of course also join in and I should not feel so young. However I shall have to get over feeling shy and this weekend is sure to help me in doing so. I should really much prefer to be at Bexhill with you.
We want to do some table turning one night but we are so afraid that Farve5 might find us at it. That would be awful of course.
Much love from Pam
Dearest Ling
Isn’t this too grand?1
So awful, I ought to be drawing but the professor has been so beastly to me in a piercing voice, everyone heard & I rushed away to hide my shame in the writing room. Very soon I shall have to go back & face my brothers & sisters-in-art.
They are so awful to you, they come up & say What a very depressing drawing, I wonder how you manage to draw so foully, have you never had a pencil in your hand before. They burble on like this for about ½ an hr & everyone else cranes to catch each word. Luckily they are the same to all. I now burst into loud sobs the moment one comes into the room, hoping to soften them.
Very soon it will be lunch time & then I shall be seated between an Indian & a Fuzzy-Wuzzy2 degluting sausage & mash oh what a treat. I’m learning Italian here now which I enjoy. In fact I love being here altogether, it’s the greatest fun.
I hope you are in rude health & enjoy your matutinal cold bath.3
So awful, the head of the whole university had us all up the other day & said there is a lady thief among us. I tried not to look self conscious but I’m sure they suspect me. I now leave my old fur coat about everywhere, I long for the insurance money.
Love, Naunce
Dear ould ’Al,
I expect you wonder why I haven’t sent you that Toblerone? Well, you see, it is like this: I bought a 4/6d dove, in a 16/6d cage, which made £1 1s, and I only had £1, so I had to wait two weeks without pocket-money! and so forgot about the toberlerone. But as perhaps you’ll forgive me.
We have started an ‘Industry Club’ and we’ve got a Mag, called the ‘Industries’, and I pronounce it ‘industries’ which annoys Boudle.1 But I wondered if you’d like it whenever it comes out; and if you would please write and tell me, and I’ll send you one.
Yours fairly affectionately, DYAKE
Darling Cortia,
Thank you SO much for that marvellous little satin bed-coat, it has been my one prideandjoy. Nurse and Nanny2 simply love it, too, and actually let me wear it sometimes instead of keeping it up and hoarding it in drawers. I had my stitches out yesterday (one of which I enclose). There were five altogether. Debo has bought one for 6d, I’ve sent one to B. Bamber, a school friend. I’m keeping my appendix in methylated spirits to leave to my children.3
I hope poor little Bryan4 is better, give him my love & show him the enclosed stitch. He can have half of it.
Love from Decca
Darling Pam
Oh I am so sorry how beastly for you poor darling.1 Never mind I expect you’ll be rewarded by marrying someone millions of times nicer & obviously Togo would have been a horrid husband. Are you going to Canada? I hope so, that would be lovely for you.2
Best love & don’t be too miserable, I am, dreadfully, about it but one must make the best of things.
Heaps of love, Naunce
Darling Pam,
Thank you so much for the letter. I am so glad you did not feel sick on the ship. The parrot is very well, and is often let out in the garden. We are going to stay with Diana1 at Littlehampton a week yesterday, and will probably be there when you get this letter. Nancy is staying in London with a person called Evelyn,2 and they will do all their own housework like you and Muv.3
Love from Jessica
Dee Droudled Boudle,
It is rather fun here, but it is a bore having to miss ½ term in London. Debo has been rather cross part of the time. Day before yesterday at lunch she told the maid she wanted ‘a very little ham’, and she was furious with Nanny for saying afterwards she wanted ‘a very, very little ham’. She said ‘What’s the use of my saying I want a very little ham if you go and say I want a very, very little ham?’1
Yesterday morning, too, she wanted to go out directly after breakfast, but poor Nanny had to go to the lavatory, and Debo was furious again, and said ‘When Muv was here we didn’t have to do all this silly going to the lavatory’. Nanny said very crossly ‘I shall go to the lavatory when I want to’.
Love from DECCA Je Boudle
I swear it’s quite true about the ham & lavatory, don’t believe Debo.