2nd December

My Darling Daughter,

 I hope this letter finds you well.  All are well here at home.  We have had a small quantity of snow, but nothing much.

The Armstrongs have encouraged me to add a strengthening regimen to my day, and so you must expect to find some unusual equipment around the family home upon your return.  Most notable is a device which allows one to strengthen the arms and torso by means of lifting oneself up by use of the arm muscles alone.  It is most invigourating!

Today, as I found that I was not required at the Armstrongs' manor, I busied myself with the making of something for the Little People.  Here you see my final creation - a Pillow with ruffled edge and a Pocket containing a Bear.

I passed by Mrs Bennett's house today and took the opportunity to peek in at the windows in hopes of catching a glimpse of Sebastian there, but to no avail.  If she has managed to ensnare him, she is keeping him well hidden.  At least for the time being. 

I received a package from the Orient the other day, but have not yet opened it, being undecided whether or not to wait for Christmas.  It is possible that it might contain some clothing for Durango, but I am uncertain.  As things stand, he will still be in desperate need of clothing when his ship arrives.   I know that Sebastian would be able to whip up something appropriate in next to no time were he here.  Alas.  I have thought about  talking to Mr Wooster about parting with his man, Jeeves, but it would seem to be a waste of time, for I feel that they are quite devoted to one another.  Perhaps, though, his man could put me in contact with a good agency.  I shall continue to think on this.

I am afraid I have not much more to write on today, but I shall be seeing you tomorrow and am glad of that!

Your Loving,

Mumsy

Post Script

My Darling Girl,

You will never believe it.  I have located Durango!  He is in Scotland!  I made arrangements for his immediate passage as soon as I had notice, and he took ship today.  He should arrive within a sennight.  Now I am all in a frenzy of sewing, for it appears he has no wardrobe and I cannot allow him to go about naked as a savage (or a Pict!)  I have found some patterns that should look quite wll on him.  I believe he will be in need of a pair of spectacles, too, but that will have to wait until his arrival to make sure of their strength.  I am so pleased that he will be here in time for his first proper Christmas with us.

The mitts for Prussia are going more slowly than anticipated, but I have nearly finished with the first.  I have only 2 rows of ribbing left and it will be complete.  I think the arrangement of the colours very pleasing, and I believe the second will go more quickly than the first now that I have some experience with the unusual method of construction. 

~You see here another fragment I had thought to have finished.  Save me from myself.

1st December

Hello My Darling,

December has arrived in a sluice of showers.  Actually, it's more of a dreary drizzle, but regardless of what one calls it, the out-of-doors is rather damp.

Your sister Katrina was interviewed for a job at the Town Library today.  All seemed to go well.  We shall see in time what will be the result.  She has been stalking the Post Man in eager anticipation of an acceptance letter from her college of choice, but as they were only supposed to be sent out today, none, of course, has been forthcoming as of yet.

The Armstrongs are faring well in their clean-up of the ruined part of their domicile, but there was another attack made yesterday.  The perpetrator was seen to be wearing a white suit as he fled the scene.  Nothing much was hurt, but three of their holly bushes were somewhat trampled, and there was evidence that he was attempting to place some explosives near the main entrance.

Also, I have had some success in the breeding of the dragons.  I had initially thought to sell the offspring, but I find that it is difficult to do when they are so beautiful.  Perhaps I shall let them mature first.  That will bring up their value at any rate.

Rupert had a nail trimming and a bath today.  Whilst he was thus occupied, Bentley crept into his cage and began devouring his foodstuffs.  Previously, he had occupied himself with terrorising Knitler.  At least he is busy.

Can you discern how dull I am feeling today?  I think perhaps it is the weather.  Or perhaps the fact that I did not sleep too well last night.  I should dearly love to stay in this evening, but it is my night to teach the Fighting Arts of the Orient, and I have a class to take as well.  I know that I will enjoy it, but right now I desire nothing more that a cup of drinking chocolate and a seat by the fire with my knitting.

I despair now of Sebastian ever arriving.  I am quite certain that he was waylaid by that overambitious Mrs Bennett.  I have half a mind to employ a combination of stealth and my Fighting Arts to procure him for myself!  I even thought - only briefly - of employing Mr Kim Blee to aid me in this pursuit, but there are some levels to which no one should ever stoop, no matter how desperate.  Please remind me of this when next you are home.  And speaking of that - I come to collect you in only 2 days' time!  Hurrah!

I shall try to have more news for you next time.  In the mean-time, I shall be exceedingly lazy and leave you with this wonder of scientific achievement:

All My Love,

Mother

24th November

Hello My Dear,

The excitement continues, as The Armstrongs' house suffered some extensive fire damage today.  They have lost the entire West Wing to the flames! I know not how this came to be, but some are beginning to whisper that they believe Miss Pettigrew to be the source.  Nonsense, I say, for she would not hurt a fly.  In fact, I have known her to actually collect compromised flies and feed them on sugar water.  No.  It cannot be her doing.  I suspect that it is someone who is trying to set her up as an arsonist.  Someone with a bone to pick.  Can you not think of a person who fits that description?  Shall I say it?  Yes.  I suspect it to be Mr Kim Blee.  Do you perhaps remember how incensed he was upon her taking up residence in the property which was, until so recently, her home?  Everyone knew that he had planned to buy it for years, and then to find that it had been left to her by Mrs S upon her death - well,  I was in town on the day that Mr Blee learnt the news, and he was most terrifying to behold.

The Armstrongs are well.  No one was hurt in the fire, and all 13 cats spend their time predominantly in the East Wing, and as such were completely unaffected.  Miss Olivier says that only one of them deigned to raise his head from a nap when the fire wagons came.  There is probably some joke to be made about the Cat and the Fiddle and fiddling on whilst Rome burned, but I have not the energy to disinter it at present, for I have done enough digging with the Armstrongs today.  To be honest, I felt quite useless.  Both Mr Armstrong and his strapping son are capable of throwing around timbers as if they were matchsticks. I caught even the youngest girl, Catherine, lifting out a grand piano from beneath the rubble!  But, though I was insufficient to most of the lifting tasks, I believe that I was able to offer Mrs Armstrong some succour at least.  And I did spend rather a lot of time soothing the cats, though they did not really seem in much need of it.  I provide photograhic evidence here:

I am quite looking forward to our excursion to the art gallery tomorrow.  The Armstrongs have entrusted me with a family portrait which they are lending to the gallery as they feel that it will be safer on those premises for the time being.  I hope that you will be able to meet us at the gallery cafe for luncheon!

Well, My Sweet, I find that I am exhausted from the exertions of the day, so I shall make my ending here, content in the knowledge that I will see you tomorrow!!


All My Love,

Mumsy

19th November

Hello Dearest,

I must apologise profusely for my failure to write yesterday.  I believed myself to have plenty of time, yet before I knew it, the day had gone.

I began by helping our friend R to navigate through some difficulties.  As you know, since the murder of his beloved wife and the kidnapping of his son, he is distraught and in much need of assistance.  Together we spoke with his man, Codsworth, but sadly we were unable to glean any information of use.  I am currently engaged in helping him to establish a new residence, as the old one is quite destroyed and, I am certain, holds too many painful memories for dear R.  When we first began our work, we did meet with some hostility from a very unfriendly woman (and her mongrel dog - I suspect it was rabid!), but through perseverance we were able to overcome the obstacles they presented.  We have begun to rejuvenate a property which R discovered, and have put by some store of goods for his use.  I am glad you were not there to see the size of the vermin that we met with upon beginning our work!  I cannot imagine how they became so overgrown!  I was put quite out of countenance for a moment, but there was no time to ponder the meaning of such creatures, for they were terribly aggressive and we were forced to fight them as if for our very lives!
 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

23rd November:

Oh My Dear, I am sorry that this never made it to the Post!  Our dear friend R came under attack and I took up arms and ran to help him!  I shall enclose this fragment with the letter I am sending today!

Your Loving,

Mother

17th November

Good Evening My Darling,

I must offer my apologies for writing to you at such a late hour.  It has been a day fraught with activity.  And napping.  Yes, napping.  I'm afraid to say that I was up rather late last night, for first I was engaged in chasing the infernal inflated ball, and upon returning home (at a shockingly late hour!), I became employed in helping to solve various and sundry conundrums for Mr W. Heatley.  It saddens me to tell you that for some time, he was not in full possession of his faculties, and I judged it safer to play along with his notions of what should be done rather than trying to make him see reason.  I finally accomplished his ultimate objectives this morning, and I believe him to be tranquil and perhaps even sane once again.  At any case, he has removed himself from the immediate vicinity and no longer poses any threat if his reason should chance to abandon him in future.

Today I did chance to create some quite delicious patties from quinoa and black legumes.  You see one here with a morsel of asiago cheese gracing its surface:

The mixture produced rather more than I was expecting, and I believe there will still be some here from you to try upon your return home, should you so desire.  Then again, it is possible that George will devour a large quantity of them.  If that is the case, I can certainly recreate the receipt with ease.  It needs only:

1 1/2 cups quinoa (cooked in 2 cups water, some powders of both cumin and Golden Broth)
1 can of "refried" black legumes (in all truth, they do not appear to be fried even once, let alone a second time, but I shall not quibble.)
1 hen's egg (I suppose that this distinguishes it from a duck's egg or a goose's egg, for we all know that roosters do not lay!)
and Seasoning (seasoned salt, and spices common to the Spanish Territories)

The resulting mixture is then formed into patties which are fried in a quantity of olive oil for perhaps 5 minutes per side.  They really are terribly good.

I only have one more piece of news to share, and that is that on my return home from instructing and studying the Fighting Arts of the Orient this night, I discovered that one of the cats had strewn my knitting project (the mitts for Prussia, you remember) all over the sitting room.  Oh shock!  I count myself very fortunate that the yarn was not severed, but I was mortified to see that rather a large quantity of it had been pulled off the skein and was lying in unfortunate disarray on the divan, the ottoman and the floor, as well as being draped every which way in between.  Had I a decent butler, this could never have happened.  Oh Sebastian, how I long for your arrival!

Well My Sweet, with this I shall end, and hopefully I shall have some more positive news for you on the morrow.  I shall be remembering you in performing the Holy Rites of Wednesday.  Much love to you My Darling!

Your devoted,

Mother

16th November

Hello My Dearest,

There is not much news to impart, but I will tell you that I am still endeavouring to acustom myself to the new manner of operating the plumbing in the kitchen.  It feels decidedly decadent to be able to command a stream of water - either cold or hot! - with the merest movement of a lever.

I was so pleased to hear that you have received approval on your classes for the new semester.  How delightful!  I had wanted to pursue some artistic efforts of my own today, but so far I have been much engaged in dealing with the servants &c.  (Hazel remains much improved!) I hope now, though, to at least make some progress on the mitts for my Prussian friend.  I have had to pull them out and begin again after finding a mistake, the result being that now I must knit with true fervour.

Mr Ho remains at large, and so I spent some time in raking leaves and pulling weeds, but it was a lovely day, and I found that I did not truly mind the exercise.  I discovered that there is some very dry wood put by for a fire or two.  Perhaps we should light the brazier out-of-doors when next you are home if one of the evenings should prove conducive.

I am well pleased with my work over the week end in making a small cupboard of sorts as well as some books for the Little People.  I think they are satisfied, too.  I really must convince Pippa to change out of her pyjama top.  I know not why she insists on continuing to wear it at all times.  I understand that she is rather taken with the penguin, but my indulgence has about reached its limit in this matter.

You may have noticed that Kiki is holding an unusual object.  Your brother George made it today during one of his lessons.  Apparently the students were all instructed (briefly) in the Japanese art of intricate paper folding.  I think he made it exceedingly well!

I hope to have more to tell you tomorrow.  Perhaps I will find Mr Ho, but truthfully, I despair of it.  If it is sunny again, I may well find myself tidying the gardens a bit more. 

I hope this letter finds you well.  I am as always,

Your Loving,

Mumsy