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Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
http://the-cbb.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=5828
Author:  Emma A [ Mon Mar 16, 2009 9:22 am ]
Post subject:  Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Lady Russell to Mrs John Maynard

Llan-y-penllan
July 24th 196-

Dear Jo,

Thank-you for your letter, which arrived yesterday – unfortunately I was out for most of the day, what with committee meetings and a coffee morning at Amelia Davies’ house, so didn’t have a chance to write then. We loved having you here, and are looking forward to next year, when you’ll be much nearer. I’m keeping an eye open for any suitable houses in the area, and will write to let you know. If you come during term time for a visit, we can easily accommodate you, the children and Anna and Rosli – but unfortunately not during the holidays, unless half the children are happy to camp in the garden!

I’m sorry to hear about Odette Mercier. I remember you telling me, though, that it’s a miracle her mother managed to hang on for so long. Her heart was bad, wasn’t it? I hope Odette is not grieving too much, but it is very hard to be left alone in the world. Friends can be kind, but one does feel the lack of family, if there aren’t any.

I suppose, when you receive this, that you will have all the family with you – do give them all my love! I hope you aren’t feeling too sick, and are taking things slightly less frenetically than usual. Yes, do continue to take Daisy’s advice – has she started practising medicine again yet? I’d imagine she’d find it hard to catch up with new developments, but she’s bright enough that I’m sure she’ll manage it quicker than she thought possible. Jack will find her a great help, I’m sure. I heard from Primula last week – she and I had a long chat on the telephone (hideously expensive, of course, but I feel worthwhile). She’s very well, as are Nick and the children, and are planning to come to us for a week in August, then they’ll go on to Harlech for another week. Unfortunately, Nick can’t take more than two weeks’ leave, so it’s a short holiday. We shall be very glad to see them again: I haven’t seen the children since they were tiny babies.

Incidentally, I’ve also heard news of Phillida Craven, an old girl. It was rather out of the blue, since I don’t think I’d heard from or of her since she left some years ago. She sent a paper she’d written to Dolly Edwards, who forwarded it on to me: she’s doing a doctorate in theoretical physics, and this paper is the first fruits of her research. I was very impressed: the paper went completely over my head, as you can imagine, and even Jem hadn’t much more understanding. I will send the paper on to Hilda, so that she can announce it to the girls next term: it’s always interesting to see the successes of our former pupils, and to inspire the present generation thereby.

Don’t worry about Felicity, my dear. And don’t nag her, either, since that won’t help. Do think about what she must be feeling: it’s all very well for her to think that her dancing wouldn’t be good enough for the Royal Ballet, but to have this proved to her would be such a disappointment. You’ve had things come very easily to you, Jo, without much in the way of difficulty, so do try to see what she must be feeling. If she likes to spend time with Lucy, why not let her? Lucy must feel quite lonely without any brothers or sisters, and it would be good for both girls to spend their time together. Don’t grudge her her friends, or she’ll resent you. Thirteen is a difficult time, and Felicity must be thinking seriously about what she wants to do with her life now that her overriding ambition has been thwarted. Let her have time to consider what she might do instead.

And you’re the last person who should reprimand anyone for slacking, Jo! When I think of the times you enraged Mollie and Miss Leslie, not to mention poor Herr Laubach, when you were at school, you should consider your daughters models of decorum and industry!

Of course Helena and Isaac will write to each other: they’re in love. Didn’t you write to Jack when you were parted, for however short a time it was? Of course you did. So don’t begrudge Helena her letters or the time she spends writing to Isaac. You know, I never thought I’d have to write these things to you. Do look at your children objectively, as people in their own right, not merely your children, like you do with girls from the school. I’m sure they’d appreciate that understanding.

Communications are going slowly with respect to the new location for the school. I had a letter from Hilda on Wednesday about a couple of places, which she’d scouted out. I must admit I’m not sure which one would be best. There is a lot of renovation required before the chateau at Sundlauenen would be in a habitable state, so I’m leaning (very slightly) at present to Vevey. Hilda liked your idea of the language school during the summer, so she and Nell are going to estimate costs to present to the Board. You’ll receive official notification, of course, but the next board meeting will be at the school at the end of August: Jem and I are planning to fly out on the 27th of August. I’ll discuss a number of things with Hilda and Nell, and I think Jem wants to start looking for a buyer for the San. You will be back from the Tiernsee by then, won’t you?

I must go now – Jem is going to drive us all out somewhere (he hasn’t said where), and we’re going to ramble and picnic, since it’s such a lovely day.

With much love to you and the family,
Madge.
Author:  JS [ Mon Mar 16, 2009 9:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three
Good old Madge - hope Jo listens.
Thanks Emma.
Author:  JB [ Mon Mar 16, 2009 9:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three
Wonderful, sensible Madge. I hope Jo pays attention to her.

And good to hear about Phil Craven's success too.
Author:  Alison H [ Mon Mar 16, 2009 10:05 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three
I love Madge in this! Nice to hear about Phil Craven too.
Author:  Lesley [ Mon Mar 16, 2009 10:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three
Well done Madge - Joey did need someone to point out a few things - especially about how Felicity might be feeling and how Jo herself acted when at school.


Thanks Emma.
Author:  leahbelle [ Mon Mar 16, 2009 12:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three
Good for Madge. I hope Jo pays attention to her words.
Author:  Miss Di [ Tue Mar 17, 2009 1:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three
Love Phil Craven's career.
And hope Joey listens to Madge's words of wisdom too.
Author:  JustJen [ Tue Mar 17, 2009 2:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three
Let's hope that Joey listens to Madge!
Author:  Carolyn P [ Tue Mar 17, 2009 9:03 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three
Great to hear positive news of Phil Craven and Madge is wonderful.
Author:  Emma A [ Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three
Jo hasn't yet received Madge's letter above. I also realised that I had had Joey write about Con's postgraduate offer before Con had received the letter from Dr Powell :oops: , so that earlier letter has been edited, and that's why the reference appears (again) here.

Mrs John Maynard to Lady Russell

Freudesheim
Gornetz Platz
July 26th 196-

Dearest Madge,

Apologies for firing off another letter to you when you can hardly have received my last missive, but we’ve had some quite startling news. I had a letter yesterday from my agent, Mr Abbott, regarding a new contract with Ellis and Lester, which I have agreed to. I would rather have stayed with Carruth’s but they were offering a very poor return for my effort, and said that my books were “unfashionable”!

But the really astonishing thing was this: Mr Abbott was reporting that a Hollywood film company wanted to buy the rights to Lady of the Plantation. You know how adamant I’ve always been that I never want to see a book of mine filmed, and I’ll admit that I am still reluctant. However, they’re offering such a huge sum of money I feel I can’t refuse. We could put it in trust for the younger children for university or other training, and it would ease Jack’s burden immensely. We’d even have enough to give a substantial gift to the school to help with the relocation costs or refurbishment of the new building. Madge, they’re offering thirty-five thousand dollars! That’s about £12,000. I can hardly believe it! Obviously we’ll have to discuss with our solicitor about how best to divide up the money, and put all sorts of legal restrictions on it, and find trustees, and so on. Jack and I are really quite stunned by the thought, as you would be yourself, I’m sure!

We had Margot and the boys arrive on Thursday, and it was lovely to see them again: it feels like we hadn’t been a proper family for ages. It’s such a shame that Len left us on Saturday so we only had two days – less, in fact – all together. We had a call from her on Saturday evening to let us know that she had arrived safely. Ted Grantley had very kindly met her at the airport terminal. She only had time for a few minutes’ conversation, but she said that her room was nice, and she would write properly later. I do hope she’ll be alright – living in London will be rather different to life in Oxford, and I rather got the impression from the little Len told us about Ted’s news, that Ted’s friends are rather bohemian. Mind you, Ted is going with (I think that’s how Len phrased it) a young man whose father is Dean of Chichester Cathedral, so he can’t be too unconventional.

Margot has got rather thin, but looks healthy enough – she’s no thinner than Len, now I think of it, but it was rather a change to see her when she was always the biggest of the three. I haven’t had time yet for a good talk with her (and I didn’t manage one with Len, who was rather elusive), but she seems to be quite certain that she wants to enter an order. I do hope it’s what she really wants. Steve is very tall – I believe he’s even taller than when we last saw him at Easter – and Jack observed wryly that even he (Jack) has to look up to his son. Which is disconcerting him. Mike may well rival Steve in the matter of height, though he’s still at the gangling stage, and Charles is a compact chap. Steve thinks that his exams went well, and if so, he’ll be off to London in the autumn to study at Imperial College. I wonder if university will change him as much as it has changed Len and Con and Margot.

I heard from Mary-Lou recently: she’s at a dig in Libya at present. It seems, from what she writes, that it’s quite a large dig, and well-organised, because I was rather concerned about her going out there. I shan’t expect regular letters from her, because the post is rather disorganised, and depends on one of the excavation staff going to Tripoli to collect the post for everyone (and, presumably, posting everyone’s letters). She’s even learning Arabic, which will surely be an advantage later, even if they use English at this dig.

Con has been recommended for a post-graduate place at St Barbara’s College, Cambridge, to undertake a DLitt – it’s a terrific chance for her, but she says that she’s not sure she wants to spend three years writing about the Metaphysical poets! She said that she liked best the Anglo-Saxon part of her course. She says that she’s going to read a few more of the Elizabethan and Jacobean poets first, and then decide, which I think is a very sensible plan. She came back with a trunkful of books, so I guess that’s where her allowance has been going, these last three years: Steve has offered to make her some more bookshelves, to hold them all. I don’t think she’s doing much reading, because she has been accompanying Odette on walks and rambles: even in the week she’s been here, Odette has become less sharp-looking and fragile: when she arrived, last Monday, a strong wind would have blown her over, and she couldn’t help, from time to time, shedding a few tears. She even seems to have taken the boys’ arrival in her stride, though she still isn’t comfortable saying more than a few words to them, particularly to Mike. I do hope that she’s coming to terms with her mother’s loss: Odette’s not the kind of person to whom you can say “Your mother wouldn’t want you to mope or weep,” because she couldn’t not do these things, and would feel guilty about her own emotions if one did say them. That sentence seems horribly confused, so I hope you can see what I mean.

I enclose a snap of us all, taken on Thursday – Odette took the picture with my kodak, and I had it developed with copies in Interlaken. Felix is rather blurred, since he moved at the crucial moment, but everyone else was able to stand still for a few seconds.

Anyway, I do hope you are all well and happy.

With love from
Jo
Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 17/03/09)
:lol: Typical Joey - going on about her own family and not asking about other people. I also love the fact that she changes her mind about the filming - rather like she did about marriage.

Thankyou!
Author:  Lesley [ Tue Mar 17, 2009 7:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 17/03/09)
I liked that letter - Joey comes across as a typical mother, worried about her children and, just possibly, accepting that they are growing up. As for accepting the film offer - if I had been offered twelve thousand pounds in the early sixties I'd have grabbed it with both hands!!!! That's a heck of a lot of money! :lol:


Thanks Emma
Author:  Alison H [ Tue Mar 17, 2009 9:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 17/03/09)
Glad that she's taking the film company's offer, and also that Odette's managing better. Nice to hear that Mary-Lou's career is going well too: I've always been so glad that EBD resisted the temptation to pair Mary-Lou up with a doctor at an early age and let her get on with becoming an archaeologist :D .
Author:  Cat C [ Tue Mar 17, 2009 10:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 17/03/09)
Interesting how sensitive she can be to Odette's feelings relative to some of her own children's, I must say! But I'm glad she's being so generous with the money.
Author:  Cath V-P [ Tue Mar 17, 2009 11:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 17/03/09)
Madge's letter was so sensible, especially in telling Joey to look at her children as people, and reminding her of her own schooldays. And how nice that the rather despised-by-her-peers Phyllida Craven is succeeding so well in what she is doing!

And Joey is being sensible about the filming, thank goodness! And I suippose she can be sensitive to Odette's needs precisely because she is not one of her own children and therefore doesn't have to live up to the expectation of being a Maynard. I don't think Joey does this deliberately; it's rather that she has a whole series of assumptions that she lives by, and so expects that others will fall in with them.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Wed Mar 18, 2009 12:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 17/03/09)
Reaqlly enjoyed the last two letters. Madge is as wonderful as she was in Tyrol and as down to earth to. I think Joey should leap on the offer of money for the film as she said it would ease the burden for Jack and help the finances. Glad she was being sensitive towards Odette, and not her usual tactless self as she is with her own kids.

Anyway thanks for the updates
Author:  Miss Di [ Wed Mar 18, 2009 1:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three
Emma A wrote:
I rather got the impression from the little Len told us about Ted’s news, that Ted’s friends are rather bohemian. Mind you, Ted is going with (I think that’s how Len phrased it) a young man whose father is Dean of Chichester Cathedral, so he can’t be too unconventional.



huh, from my experience ministers sons (and daughters) take pride in being rather um..unconventional. :twisted:


And I wouldn't knock back $35k - in 1960s money (when it would of course have been worth more) or now money.
Author:  JayB [ Wed Mar 18, 2009 11:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 17/03/09)
I think Jo's attitude to the film offer is very sensible and practical. With this new baby on the way they're looking at another 21 years or more of school fees and university expenses. And Jack presumably would like to retire at some point!

Jo is having new experiences thrust on her whether she wants them or not, isn't she? New acquaintances. The move for her family and the school. The new publisher. The film offer.
Author:  Emma A [ Thu Mar 19, 2009 12:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three
JayB is right about all the new experiences Joey's having to undergo, but I didn't consciously set out to write it like that! Thank-you for all the comments.

Miss Helena Maynard to Miss Constance Maynard

14 Cornwall Court
London
Monday 26th July

Dear Con,

Well, I have a lot to write about, considering I've been back in England for only a day and half! I'm not sure that I want the parents to read all of this letter, so please don't show them this letter, will you? I will send them a separate letter, for the kids, too. It does seem a little strange to be writing to you – it's been quite a number of years since we spent much time apart!

Teddy met me at the airport terminal in South Kensington. I felt very grown-up, travelling with my suitcase from the airport to the terminal, but I was very glad to see her. She looked quite different, at first, but that was, I think, only due to her newly short hair, which does suit her. She was wearing red lipstick and black slacks: I thought she looked very stylish (rather like that picture Flick has of Zizi Jeanmaire), but in quite a different way to my neat skirt and coat. We took a taxi to our digs, and she introduced me to Mrs Christiansen. Mrs Christiansen was much more elaborately made-up than Teddy, and dressed very smartly in a red dress and silk coat, but explained that she was going out to a party and was waiting for her escort. She seemed friendly: I don't think she's English – she has an accent that I can't place yet – and I don't think that there is a Mr Christiansen.

Teddy showed me the room, which is on the second floor, the same as hers: we share a bathroom. Her room looks out over the square, and so mine looks out over a long, narrow garden with a few trees and strip of grass. I was tired by then, so Teddy made me a late supper in her room, and we sat talking and eating for a while. I think I drank about three cups of tea, from a lovely big cup – Teddy's crockery is an odd mixture of stuff, which she says she's bought from the Portobello Road – which was by Spode. The plates were mismatched, too, but I rather liked the effect. Having spent three years living there, she's done a lot with the room with respect to furnishings – very little of it is old, but it's all put together harmoniously. In contrast, my room looks very bare and austere. My trunk was there already, but I didn't want to unpack on Saturday evening, so I just retrieved my pyjamas and sponge-bag before I went, very thankfully, to bed.

On Sunday morning, Teddy made me scrambled eggs (she has a gas ring and a kettle) and I toasted bread by her fire. It was rather too warm for a fire, but we opened the windows, lovely big sash windows, and switched it off as soon as the toast was done. After we'd had breakfast – Teddy said that Mrs Christiansen would provide breakfast every morning and dinner every evening at seven o'clock, except on Sundays – Teddy showed me where the nearest Catholic church was, and I went to Mass. She met me afterwards: I didn't ask whether or not she'd been to church, since I know she doesn't go every week. We found a little grocery shop open so I bought some bread, jam and tea, then we came back and Teddy helped me unpack. Well, I unpacked, and she sat on the window-seat and we chatted, but it did help the time to pass quickly. When I'd finished, the room looked a good deal better: my pictures were up, and books on the shelves.

We had lunch at a coffee-shop, and then we went by bus to a market, and we spent an hour or so wandering up and down, looking at the things for sale. Teddy bought a couple of odd champagne glasses, and I bought two cushions and a tea-pot. We were walking back to the bus stop with our bags, when guess who appeared – Isaac! I almost dropped my bag, and that would have been it for the tea-pot, I was so surprised – and pleased! From the rather too innocent look on Teddy's face, though, I gathered that she had been instrumental in making him appear there so opportunely. We all went to a tea-shop for some tea, and they explained that Teddy had found his parents' listing the telephone book, and had called Isaac last week, and this morning. They'd arranged the meeting between them, but it was the first time they'd actually met: they both liked each other, which pleases me. It was so lovely to see him there, in the flesh, instead of just a picture, or an imagined face, that I couldn't help just smiling every time I looked at him.

He came back with us to the house, and we two talked for a while in a little sitting-room on the first floor which Teddy and I are allowed to use for entertaining male guests. Then Teddy came in at about six with a tall young man whom she introduced as Lucas. He's really very good-looking, very dark haired and with dark grey eyes, and is unobtrusively in love with Teddy. She is still the old Ted, I think, except that she looks at Lucas with a softened sort of glance that's very touching to see. She whisked us all out to dinner at an Italian restaurant in Soho, and we met up with Richenda, and Angus Davidson, who is a friend of Teddy and Lucas, and usually is called Gus.

We had a lovely evening, Con. The food was delicious, and it was so good to spend time with old friends and to meet Lucas and Angus. Richenda looks so elegant, and very poised – did you think so when you saw her? Very grown-up. Perhaps it's something to do with the clothes, though she does have a lovely figure, too – and she dressed in colours which suited her beautifully. Anyway, we talked a lot, as you would expect. She seems to have met Gus before: I think Teddy is trying to introduce Richenda to some ready-made friends. Gus is of Scottish family, though I gather that his father is in the Army, presently in Egypt, and his mother and sisters live in a village near Aldershot. After dinner, we saw Richenda and Gus off at Tottenham Court Road underground station – he lives in Chelsea, too – while Lucas, who lives near us, and Isaac, who doesn't, saw us home safely.

Dear me, this letter is getting so long, and I haven't even written about my first day at St Catherine's!

On Sunday, Teddy and I had worked out the best way to get to the school, and I was up very early this morning, out of nerves, I think, so was able to get dressed and pack my things for the day before going down to the kitchen for breakfast. Mrs Christiansen is indeed a good cook, as Teddy attested, and we had bacon and eggs, fruit juice, coffee and a sort of toasted oat cereal with yoghurt, which was very tasty. Then I made my way to the Underground, and thence to St Catherine's. I was early, but Miss Shipley, the headmistress, took that as a sign of keenness, and was pleased. She gave me a timetable of lessons for the week, these being mostly German and French conversation lessons with small groups of girls at different levels, and later in the week I will do some coaching for the GCE and A Level students.

Today's lessons went very well, though sometimes I had to remind myself what each class could and couldn't be expected to have learned, and talked about the different cantons in Switzerland, and managed to get a good discussion going with one of the fourth-year classes about holidays and friendship.

All the girls here are having extra tuition for various subjects during the holidays. As a result, the classes are small, so one really feels that one can give them extra time and help. They are all very attentive and hard-working – so far – so that it's a very easy introduction to teaching. I hope that I can do equally well with the pupils who will be doing Advanced Level next year – I'm not so very much older than they are, after all.

I'm sitting up in my room now, after having thought of topics of conversation for tomorrow's lessons, and eaten a huge dinner of casseroled mutton and rice. Teddy and Lucas have gone to the cinema – they invited me along, but I wanted to write to you, and so declined. I think they'd rather not have me along as a third anyway! I've arranged to meet Isaac and his friend, Lewis, for an early dinner tomorrow near Euston, because they're travelling up to Scotland on the night sleeper to Fort William.

Do let everyone know that I'm thinking of them, if this letter arrives first.

With lots of love from
Helena


Renee "Zizi" Jeanmaire was a French ballerina in Roland Petit's company, by the way, with a rather gamine style.
Author:  Alison H [ Thu Mar 19, 2009 12:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 19/03/09)
How lovely of Ted to arrange for Isaac to be there, and nice for Len to get to see Richenda too.

I'm going to be humming Where do you go to my lovely? for the rest of the day now ... :lol:
Author:  JellySheep [ Thu Mar 19, 2009 12:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 19/03/09)
Smashing to see plenty more of this. I wish there were an emoticon for clapping and throwing flowers. I think this is brilliant.
Author:  JS [ Thu Mar 19, 2009 3:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 19/03/09)
Of course, that's where I know the name from - thanks Alison.

Also thanks Emma - another lovely post. I particularly like the description of what I'm assuming is muesli, because it's funny that Len lived in Switzerland all these years but her first experience of it was London.
Author:  Becky [ Thu Mar 19, 2009 3:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 19/03/09)
Thanks Emma, am loving this :D
Author:  Emma A [ Thu Mar 19, 2009 3:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 19/03/09)
JS wrote:
Of course, that's where I know the name from - thanks Alison.

Also thanks Emma - another lovely post. I particularly like the description of what I'm assuming is muesli, because it's funny that Len lived in Switzerland all these years but her first experience of it was London.

Had forgotten there was a reference to Jeanmaire in a song (I just remember seeing a picture of her with Petit, where she has short hair - quite unusual for a ballerina of the time).

And what Len had for breakfast was more like granola than muesli - but I don't recall that any of the breakfasts described by EBD included muesli, so it would be quite a new thing for her. Mrs C is not your typical landlady (not like Mrs Crapper, for example!) :wink:
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 19/03/09)
Thanks, that was lovely as always
Author:  tiffinata [ Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 19/03/09)
Alison H wrote:

I'm going to be humming Where do you go to my lovely? for the rest of the day now ... :lol:

Me too!
Author:  Lesley [ Fri Mar 20, 2009 5:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 19/03/09)
Helena sounds so happy.


Thanks Emma
Author:  Emma A [ Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three
Thanks for the comments, everyone. I'm very glad you're enjoying it!

Mrs John Maynard to Mr Paul Abbott

Freudesheim
Gornetz Platz
July 27th 196-

Dear Mr. Abbott,

Many thanks for your letter. It was a great pleasure to meet you again in London and to discuss my writing. Your letter was rather a shock, as you may believe, and I would have preferred not to have had to make these decisions in a hurry. However, time is not our friend in this situation, so herewith are my replies.

1. New contract

I’m agreeable to signing a new contract with Ellis and Lester. I have a number of their books on my shelves, and have heard that they treat their authors well. I would, of course, have preferred to stay with Carruth’s, since I’ve had a very long and fruitful relationship with them, but loyalty is one thing and exploitation quite another.

I feel that I still have some books for children in me, but if Ellis and Lester think that my books for adults would interest the public more, so be it. I will do my best! I have glanced through the contract, which appears suitable, so please do accept it on my behalf (see enclosed).

2. Film rights for 'Lady of the Plantation'

I’ve always been against the idea of films being made from my books, since the few films I’ve seen based on novels that I know have invariably exaggerated and distorted the story to the detriment of the film: I don’t wish this to happen to my books. This is why I’ve always held onto the film rights myself.

I am really rather shocked by the amount of money on offer: these film companies seem to have it to burn. However, I admit that such a sum would perhaps reconcile me to any resulting cinematic travesty, since I can already think of the uses to which it could be put.

I have, not without trepidation, signed the rights contract you enclosed (both copies) and herewith return one copy to you. I only hope that if Paradigm do use my book for their film, that they remain reasonably respectful of it, and don’t make my characters behave in ways they never would have countenanced.

With all best wishes to you and to Mr Randolph, I remain,
Yours sincerely,

Josephine Maynard (Mrs.)
Author:  Cat C [ Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 23/03/09, p2)
Well done Joey!
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 23/03/09, p2)
Can completely understand her concerns about books being completely distorted in a movie as that is my pet hate. Well done Joey for being so sensible and pragmatic about it all (especially about the book contract).
Author:  Lesley [ Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 23/03/09, p2)
Agree with Joey there - half the time the only thing to remain the same between a book and a film is the title. :lol:


Thanks Emma
Author:  Alison H [ Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 23/03/09, p2)
Also agree totally about the mess that film-makers sometimes make of adapting books, but glad that she's decided to do the practical thing.
Author:  Miss Di [ Tue Mar 24, 2009 2:13 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 23/03/09, p2)
Glad I am not the only one who sits through movies shouting at the screen "But it didn't happen like THAT in the BOOK!!" :oops:
Author:  JS [ Tue Mar 24, 2009 10:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 23/03/09, p2)
One of the worst was The English Patient - don't know how they had the cheek to retain the name.

Thanks Emma.
Author:  jenah [ Tue Mar 24, 2009 12:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 23/03/09, p2)
JS wrote:
One of the worst was The English Patient - don't know how they had the cheek to retain the name.

Thanks Emma.


Getting OT here, but I once attended a talk/discussion given jointly by Michael Ondaatje and Anthony Minghella about adapting books for screen. It was one of the most fascinating discussions I have ever heard. (Minghella directed and adapted "The English Patient" for screen, and Ondaatje wrote the book.) Ondaatje was very happy with the movie, btw, as he said that the book in its original form was unfilmable. If he was fine with it, that's enough for me. :wink:
Author:  Emma A [ Wed Mar 25, 2009 12:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three
Miss Richenda Fry to Miss Constance Maynard

14a Wellington Square
London
28th July 196-

Dear Con,

Thanks for your lovely long letter – you don’t seem to be very bored at all, so that’s good to read. I expect Helena has already written to you, so I’ll come to that later. I’m glad to see that you’re beginning to research and write: I liked the story you showed me very much, and I hope you’ll continue with similar stuff.

A librarian for the school seems a very sensible innovation. There’s always some question which one needs to have answered, and even the library prefect doesn’t know everything. The library must be quite extensive by now, I expect, since it was rather tightly packed into its room when I was at the school, and I know (from the old girls’ network and issues of The Chaletian) that people have donated all sorts of books, journals and maps since then. It is always surprising to see rebellious Middles becoming responsible, but it seems to happen to everyone in the end. And one would worry if they didn’t, of course (or at least, Miss Annersley and the other mistresses would!).

I was interested to read about Felicity. I didn’t really see much of her when I was at school – just as much as one did of Juniors, really, except when I visited Freudesheim for tea (does your mother still have the new girls over for English tea? I did enjoy the Englishness of it after all the coffee at school). It’s always shattering when ambitions have to be thwarted: I remember the rage I felt when Dad took me away from St Margaret’s and sent me to the Chalet School – it was as if my life was over! I think one does tend to see things in absolute terms at Felicity’s age, and one can’t look forward very easily after a big disappointment – one tends to brood on it. I’d encourage her in the sketching, certainly – why not give her a notebook so that she can jot down ideas or make sketches wherever she is? I do that – when I walk round Piccadilly and look into the galleries there – and sketch objects or note which galleries are selling what type of thing. I just wish my drawings were a bit better! Perhaps Felicity could use her knowledge of ballet to design sets and costumes – I went to see a new production of ‘La Fille Mal Gardée’ a few days ago, which was very cleverly designed – it really makes a difference to the ballet if it’s well-staged.

I do envy you being able to drive. At present, though, living in London, and with Nanny only a short train ride away, I don’t feel the need to learn, since there are buses and the Underground – and even taxis, if I’m feeling rich! I expect it’s of much more use in Switzerland, though, and I’m glad your father will lend you his car occasionally.

Work is very interesting. So far I haven’t been entrusted with much responsibility, as I had expected, but there are some really beautiful things here (as well as the not so beautiful – Picasso, for example. I can admire his art, but don’t like it at all – there’s something very savage about it). I will write more about it if you’re interested, though.

I’ve met up with Theodora Grantley a few times. We were never great friends at school, since she was more Helena’s and Rosamund’s friend (incidentally, have you heard any news of Ros lately? I haven’t, and was wondering if she’s well), but she’s very kind and friendly and has been “sheep-dogging” me with a will since I moved! I’ve met a few of her friends, including Lucas Black and Angus Davidson, who all seem to be a chatty and cheerful crew. She’d arranged a meal for Helena’s arrival, and although I had a few reservations about going out on a Sunday evening, I trod those under, and enjoyed myself very much. There were six of us at dinner – Helena, Teddy, me, Lucas, Isaac and Gus Davidson – though I should stress, perhaps, that although I like Gus, he’s only a friend. He lives near me, actually – a few streets away – so is good company on the way home from things.

I liked Isaac. You must know him quite well, but I did find myself thinking that he and Helena made a much more likely pair than she and Dr Entwistle. He’s very talkative and interested in things, knowledgeable about things that aren’t his area of expertise, and he listens well, too, unlike a lot of chatty people. And he argues with Helena – I thought no-one could argue with her! I remember she always tried to make peace between any warring factions at school (so perhaps she’s wasted in teaching and ought to be at the UNO), but she seems quite comfortable when she’s flatly contradicting him, and vice versa. You won’t have met Lucas, I suppose, but he’s quieter than Isaac, and rather thoughtful, I think. We had an interesting discussion about art and poetry (which surprised me a little, since he’s a law student), and he seems to know a lot about science and technology, too. He’s dark, like Teddy – they seem right together – and is quite a bit taller than she is. It’s quite obvious that they’re in love, and it’s rather touching to see Teddy be rather less flippant when she talks about him.

Since I’m describing everyone else here, I may as well tell you about Gus. He’s tall and fair-haired, with brown eyes and a very cheerful smile. He studied law along with Teddy and Lucas, but has decided not to become a lawyer of any kind – he’s joined a bank and is starting to study again for banking exams – which he’s rather rueful about. His family, I think, would have liked him to join one of the services, since his father’s in the Army, but Gus says that there is no way he’s going to kill anybody: a sentiment which I approve wholeheartedly.

Anyway, it’s nice to feel I have some ready-made friends here, since most of my Slade friends have gone home for the summer and I won’t see them again until September, if not later.

I think I have written quite enough for now (it’s your fault for sending me such a screed!), so I’ll leave off so that I have something to write about next time.

I hope Odette is feeling better – do pass on my sympathy to her for her loss. Do also give my regards to your family, and best wishes to your own good self.

Love from
Richenda
Author:  Cat C [ Wed Mar 25, 2009 12:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 25/03/09, p2)
I loved the bit about arguing with Helena :D

Thanks Emma.
Author:  Alison H [ Wed Mar 25, 2009 12:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 25/03/09, p2)
Her idea about Felicity's sketching sounds promising, and it's good to see that she agrees that Isaac's a better partner for Len than Reg was.
Author:  PaulineS [ Wed Mar 25, 2009 5:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 25/03/09, p2)
Lovely to see Richenda's view of the Sunday meal.
Author:  Abi [ Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 25/03/09, p2)
Just realised that although I've read the last few parts, I haven't actually commented. Am really enjoying it, thanks, Emma.
Author:  crystaltips [ Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 25/03/09, p2)
Just caught up on the last couple of letters. I'm enjoying this enormously, thanks Emma.
Author:  BethC [ Wed Mar 25, 2009 9:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 25/03/09, p2)
Thank you, Emma - always good to see this updated :)
Now wondering if we need to worry about Ros, though...
Author:  Miss Di [ Thu Mar 26, 2009 2:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 25/03/09, p2)
Especially liked the bit about no one arguing with Helena!
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Thu Mar 26, 2009 4:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 25/03/09, p2)
Thanks Emma, really enjoyed Ricki's newsy letter
Author:  Tara [ Thu Mar 26, 2009 4:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 25/03/09, p2)
Have been off the board for a while, so have just enjoyed a massive catch-up. Thanks, Emma, your characters are all so attractive and real.
Author:  Carolyn P [ Fri Mar 27, 2009 9:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 25/03/09, p2)
Just caught up on the last few letters. It is really good to see the same events from different perspectives.
Author:  Lexi [ Fri Apr 03, 2009 7:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 25/03/09, p2)
I've just read this right through from the beginning (going a bit square eyed now!) and it's wonderful. I love your portrayal of all the characters, they're so vivid.

Feel a bit inferior about my version of the Len/Reg relationship now though :oops:
Author:  JS [ Fri Apr 03, 2009 9:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 25/03/09, p2)
Hmph, thought there had been a new post. Maybe time to call for one??
Author:  JellySheep [ Mon Apr 06, 2009 1:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 25/03/09, p2)
Or start a chant?
Author:  Jennie [ Mon Apr 06, 2009 8:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 25/03/09, p2)
I'll second that.
Author:  snowmaiden [ Tue Apr 07, 2009 8:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 25/03/09, p2)
*Joins in chant in very off key manner* :trumpet:
Author:  Emma A [ Sun Apr 26, 2009 4:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three
Sorry there's been such a huge hiatus in posting, but inspiration deserted me for a bit... Here's the next letter - only a short one for now.

Miss Constance Maynard to Dr Ishbel Lamont

‘Freudesheim’
Görnetz Platz
29th July 196-

Dear Dr. Lamont,

Dr. Phyllida Powell (my former tutor at Shrewsbury College) wrote to me last week, indicating that you are looking for a student to assist in research on the Metaphysical poets, and that she mentioned me to you as a suitable candidate. I would like very much to undertake such research, since I really enjoyed reading the works of Donne, Herbert and Crashaw during my studies.

Dr Lamont did not indicate whether you had any particular scope of work in mind, so I venture to propose my own for your consideration.

I’d like to compare and contrast poets with a strongly Anglican or Protestant sensibility (such as George Herbert) with those of a strongly Catholic persuasion (such as Richard Crashaw), and any differences and similarities they achieved in their poetry. I’d also like to include a study of Andrew Marvell, who seemed to be strongly motivated by political themes, and contrast his verse with the more religious poetry written by Herbert and Crashaw. I’d also be interested in finding work by less famous contemporaries and including these in the comparison.

I enclose copies of two essays for your consideration: these were written in my final year at Oxford for Dr. Powell and Prof. Harrison. Although not directly relating to the work you are engaged upon, I trust that these will give some indication of my competence as a researcher and writer.

I very much look forward to hearing from you, and to discussing further the research proposal.

Yours sincerely,
Constance Maynard (Miss)
Author:  Clare [ Sun Apr 26, 2009 4:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 26/04/09, p3)
Woo! Go Con!!

Thaks Emma :)
Author:  Lesley [ Sun Apr 26, 2009 6:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 26/04/09, p3)
Really pleased Con is going ahead with this.


Thanks Emma.
Author:  Alison H [ Sun Apr 26, 2009 6:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 26/04/09, p3)
Good for Con!
Author:  abbeybufo [ Sun Apr 26, 2009 7:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 26/04/09, p3)
Excellent! Wel done Con :D

Thanks Emma
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 26/04/09, p3)
Well done Con. Hope she gets a favourable response
Author:  JS [ Mon Apr 27, 2009 12:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 26/04/09, p3)
Good for Con; glad to see more of this :)
Author:  Jennie [ Mon Apr 27, 2009 12:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 26/04/09, p3)
Good for Con, especially when we consider the alternative.
Author:  JB [ Mon Apr 27, 2009 1:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 26/04/09, p3)
Good. I hope Con escapes the Platz.
Author:  Emma A [ Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 26/04/09, p3)
Mr Isaac Mendel to Miss Helena Maynard

Broadford
30 July

Dear Helena,

We arrived safely on Wednesday morning and picked up Keith at Fort William, then made our way by train to Mallaig and thence to Skye. Our campsite is excellent, though the birds wake me every morning before sunrise with an array of calls, before I fall asleep again. The weather so far has been superb – clear and not too hot – perfect weather for climbing, though the locals tell us it will not last long. We had a scramble up Blaven yesterday, not too testing, thanks to advice from the local laird, one Jamie Gordon. Keith had heard of him – apparently they call him “Cock o’the North” in Skye because of his climbing exploits – and was rather thrilled to have his advice. Gordon is a young chap, not much older than us, very precisely-spoken and polite, and rather scrupulous, I guess.

The view was fabulous, over almost all of Skye, I think, and even further. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a climb so clear in Scotland – normally they’re shrouded in mist, or driving rain, or haze – and I think even Keith was surprised. And he lives here – well, in Ullapool, which is close enough for practical purposes. I took some photos, and will be interested to see how they come out, since my camera is not really suitable for panoramic pictures. The Cuillins come in two ranges, the black and the red, and both look peculiar. The red are rounded, and are formed from granite, and the black are sharply edged and bitter-looking: rather like I imagined the Ephel Dúath in ‘The Two Towers’. They’re formed from gabbro – it forms a good gritty surface for climbing – though we haven’t done any real climbing yet. Today we made a traverse of the whole ridge from Glenbrittle to Sligachan, which was good going. We were tired by the end of it, though, since it took us a while to get up and down, so it was almost sunset by the time we collapsed in the Sligachan Hotel after setting out at sunrise! It was well worth the effort, though, for the views and the sense of achievement. Lew and I are following Keith’s directions, since he’s a vastly more experienced climber than either of us. Tomorrow we’re planning to try Sgurr Dearg, and climb the Inaccessible Pinnacle. According to Keith it is quite climbable – I love the name, though: it conjures up some insubstantial and needle-like prominence, don’t you think?

There, that was my fifth yawn, and I can hardly keep my eyes open. Will write more tomorrow.

1st August
No more climbing. Lew and I will tour Skye, since we’re here, but poor Keith...

We made our way up Sgurr Dearg yesterday without much difficulty, and planned our route up the pinnacle. We were careful, and as long as one didn’t look down, it wasn’t too bad a climb – the ascent from the other side is much more difficult, apparently, but we knew our limits. It was when we were coming down that there was a problem. Lew and I had descended, and were waiting at the bottom of the pinnacle for Keith, who was going to climb down rather than abseil, since he’d gathered up our rope. He’d almost reached us, when his foot slipped – the pinnacle is basalt, and more slippery than the gabbro of the rest of the mountain – and he came crashing down about ten feet. Neither of us were quick enough to catch him, and he landed so hard and awkwardly that he broke his ankle.

Not that we knew it was broken then, of course, but Keith went white and we though he was going to faint, so made him comfortable while we decided what to do. We all know some basic First Aid, so we didn’t attempt to move his ankle but strapped it up as firmly as possible so that he couldn’t move it. There’s no vegetation on these hills at all, so we had quite a confab to work out how we were going to get down. Eventually I loaded myself with rucksacks, and Lew helped Keith as much as possible, and once we’d got about half-way down, we met another party, who’d come down a different way, and who gave us a hand.

We sent Keith off in an ambulance to the hospital in Portree, where he’s been plastered up (the ankle was broken in three places – a nasty break) and his father came over this morning to collect him and take him home for rest and recuperation. So Lew and I decided not to cut our holiday short, though we won’t attempt any proper climbs without Keith, and instead will hire bicycles to tour the island. Tomorrow we plan to visit Dunvegan and camp there for the night. Watch out for postcards.

I’m watching the sunset right now, and thinking of you in London. How have you enjoyed your first week of teaching? I wish you were here, magically transported so that you could watch the sun setting below the hills with me, and then count the stars together.

All my love,
Isaac
Author:  JS [ Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 29/04/09, p4)
Quote:
I wish you were here, magically transported so that you could watch the sun setting below the hills with me, and then count the stars together.


Awwww.

Do I detect a bit of a Lorna Hill crossover in this letter?
Author:  Emma A [ Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 29/04/09, p4)
JS wrote:
Do I detect a bit of a Lorna Hill crossover in this letter?

You do indeed! I wondered if anyone would spot it :D
Author:  Alison H [ Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 29/04/09, p4)
I noticed the Lorna Hill crossover too :D .

Someone was bound to have an accident, so I'm just glad it was nothing worse!
Author:  Cat C [ Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 29/04/09, p4)
Emma A wrote:
JS wrote:
Do I detect a bit of a Lorna Hill crossover in this letter?

You do indeed! I wondered if anyone would spot it :D


Gosh darn, and I thought I was being clever there!
Author:  Miss Di [ Thu Apr 30, 2009 3:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 29/04/09, p4)
Sorry I noticed it too!
Author:  Lesley [ Thu Apr 30, 2009 5:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 29/04/09, p4)
Well I didn't as I've never read Lorna Hill! :lol:


Lovely letter - Emma - and pleased Isaac himself wasn't hurt.

Thank you
Author:  Emma A [ Thu Apr 30, 2009 7:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three
Jamie Gordon, the laird, appears, I think, in one or two of the 'Dancing Peel' series, but the bits about him in Isaac's letter come mostly from The Vicarage Children in Skye (which was published in 1966, some time after this drabble is set, but is probably set a few years earlier). The latter book is one of my favourites of Lorna Hill's books - in fact, I really like all three in that series.

Miss Helena Maynard to Miss Rosamund Lilley

14 Cornwall Court
London

2nd August 196-

Dear Ros,

I was looking through my address book yesterday and realised I hadn’t heard from you in ages, so decided to put pen to paper and tell you my news in the hope that you’d reply. I hope you’re well, and your family too, and that there’s nothing wrong.

I can’t remember when it was that I last wrote to you, so I do hope I’m not repeating news that I’ve already told you. Con and I sat our final exams last month, and passed – I with a Second and Con with a First – and we were able to graduate on the same day. We had a beautiful day for it, and it was lovely to have the parents there to watch the ceremony: they came up to Oxford for the day and then went on to Auntie Madge’s for a little holiday.

After graduation, I went to stay with the Bettany cousins for a few days, before travelling back home. I’m now in London, and have been for a week, helping out at a school near here with their summer school programme. I’m teaching languages – French, German and Italian – which mostly consists of conversation, though I’ve been asked to teach an essay class in German, too. I’m really enjoying the work – it’s such fun, and is giving me excellent experience before I start my teaching diploma in September. The girls at St Catherine’s are generally quite intelligent, and ambitious, so there isn’t much of a problem with motivation. I was a little worried that the older, A Level girls, would regard me as too close to their own age to be authoritative, but I think that prefectship and their own desire to well in their exams dealt with that worry!

I have a room in the same house as Teddy, and in fact share a bathroom with her. She is looking for some work to do during the vacation while all the barristers are on recess, and so has a great deal of free time, which she’s spending mostly at the British Museum, I think.

Do you know, I saw Joan Baker (as was) on Tuesday? I went to Euston to see off some friends on the sleeper, and she was getting off a train from Glasgow. I almost didn’t recognise her – she had really short hair and a very smart little hat. She had time for a cup of tea and a chat, and it was rather nice to hear what she’s been doing. I’d forgotten that she got married last year, and that her husband’s an mining engineer: he has been sent out to Uganda recently. Apparently it wasn’t considered safe for Joan to go out with him, so she’s gone back to her old job, and is working as a secretary again. She said that she didn’t really need the money, but that she was “fed up being at home all day and wanted to be doing something”. She’s living in Maidenhead, and invited me to lunch on Saturday – but since I’d already arranged to go to Chichester with Teddy and Richenda, I had to decline – so we’ve set a date for Thursday evening instead. Joan mentioned that you were ill, but that she’d not heard from you in a while, so I do hope this letter reaches you and that you’re alright now.

Chichester is a lovely old city. We three and Teddy’s boyfriend, Lucas, went by train, and hardly noticed the journey, since we were talking hard – but I did notice some lovely countryside. We spent a good deal of time at the cathedral, which is a rather comfortable-looking place, rather more intimate in scale than some cathedrals: the choir stalls are only a few feet apart, for example.

We had a look round the town for a while, and then were invited to tea at the Dean’s. This wasn’t so coincidental as it sounds, since Lucas is the Dean’s son, but I think it was very brave of the Blacks to invite me and Richenda too (they’ve met Teddy already). We had a super tea, then went to Evensong, since the Dean was presiding. It was sung by a visiting choir, since the cathedral choir are on holiday, who were quite good, I thought. I could hear almost every word in the Psalms!

Anyway, do write soon and tell me your news.

Love from
Helena

PS Almost forgot – Joan sent her love and best wishes.
Author:  KJX [ Thu Apr 30, 2009 8:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 30/04/09, p4)
Loving this - especially the Chichester reference! (even the Prebendal Boys are allowed some holiday time!)
Author:  stuffs [ Thu Apr 30, 2009 10:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 30/04/09, p4)
wow - I've just read the whole of this series right from the very beginning in one fell swoop :D - I just couldn't stop and I really don't know why I haven't found it before. - just a shame that the presentation I was supposed to be preparing just hasn't happened and I'm now going to have to get up at the crack of dawn. I've never realised before what a good vehicle this approach is to telling a story. I always expect to need the commentary in between to fill in the gaps but actually I think this is brilliant because it allows ME to fill in the gaps. It'll certainly give me a push to read other letter based stories/books in the future, so thank you for that.

Emma this is really good and I look forward to reading more........ :D
Author:  JB [ Fri May 01, 2009 6:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 30/04/09, p4)
Hope Rosamund is ok.
Author:  Lesley [ Fri May 01, 2009 6:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 30/04/09, p4)
Sad in a way that they've almost lost touch. Hope Rosamund isn't very ill.


Thanks Emma
Author:  PaulineS [ Fri May 01, 2009 7:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 30/04/09, p4)
Good to hear about Joan. Hope Ros is Ok and replies soon.
Author:  Alison H [ Mon May 04, 2009 8:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 30/04/09, p4)
Glad that it sounds as if Joan has kept in touch with Ros, but what a shame that no-one else has.
Author:  abbeybufo [ Mon May 04, 2009 9:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 30/04/09, p4)
Hope we get better news of Ros soon ... I'm another who's very fond of Chichester
Thanks Emma :D
Author:  Miss Di [ Tue May 05, 2009 3:19 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 30/04/09, p4)
Bit worried about Ros being unwell and no-one hearing from her.
Author:  Emma A [ Thu Jun 04, 2009 3:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three
Apologies for the long delay in updating this - inspiration deserted me for a while. :?

Miss Rosamund Lilley to Miss Helena Maynard

14 Fern Street
Meadowfield
Hampshire
4 August 196-

Dear Helena,

I am in two minds whether or not to post this – if you get it you’ll know which finally won out. Thanks for your letter of 2nd August – you might like to know that I last had a letter from you in April, and that I replied later that week. I still keep a diary, you see, and I have it down in black and white.

Things here are much as usual. Dad is still house-bound, though better than he was: he can potter a bit in the garden, but he can’t lift anything or do any heavy digging. I help him out at the weekends, since I have those free now: I started working in a solicitor’s office as a clerk in May, and enjoy it rather more than the old job. It’s better money, too, so Mum and Dad are glad of it, though the boys spare what they can, which isn’t much, since Jim and Norah have a baby on the way, and Ken is saving up: he and Ruth Channon are planning to be married next year.

Strangely enough, I had heard from Joan about her new job, since we write to each other quite regularly. If you see her on Thursday (and this letter reaches you before then) I’d be grateful if you could let her know that I’m much better now, back at work, and will write to her soon.

I’m glad that you’re enjoying your teaching practice, and congratulations on the exam results, too. You don’t say anything in your letter about Reg, so I assume you’re still planning to be married at Christmas. It will seem rather strange to address letters to you as Mrs Entwistle, but I suppose I shall get used to it soon enough. I still find it difficult to remember that Charmian is Mrs Reid, and she’s been married for almost five years! She and David have another baby, Iona, who’s two months old: they say they’re going to stick with two now that they have one of each (which Mum finds rather strange, I think). Niall will be three soon, and old enough, I think, to be properly protective of his baby sister. It’s very sweet to watch them both together.

I visited Chichester once a couple of years ago, I think. I liked the place – I went on market day, and it was very lively and crowded – with all those old buildings and the market cross and all. I think I stopped for Evensong there, but there wasn’t any singing that day. Of course, the cathedral’s not a patch on Winchester, but it is lovely, all the same. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a cathedral that didn’t somehow make me feel closer to God – if only for a short while.

What’s Lucas like, then? The last I heard from Ted she was bemoaning her mother’s illness and how she’d had to leave her classes. I hope she managed to catch up and that her mother has recovered. You might hint that I’d welcome a letter from her.

Look, I do know that you’re busy, and you probably have a lot of people to write to, but I’d like to think that we were still friends. And I do miss hearing from you all. I can’t help feeling frustrated at home, though I try my best not to let Mum or Dad see it. Since Dad’s illness, he can’t go out to work, and though they’ve always been careful, it’s a struggle. If they didn’t have me, I don’t know how they’d cope. It’s just that I find it very difficult: I love them both very much, but it’s hard to know that I can’t please myself at all. When I was ill – well, you can imagine how anxious a time it was for everyone. So please keep writing, because I need to hear about something other than my worries.

With love from
Rosamund

P. S. I’ve just read this letter back to myself, and realise that I haven’t told you about my illness. It seems silly to have contracted ‘flu during the summer, but it was a sharp attack, and I was very ill for several days. Of course, I took ages to recover. I’m feeling much better now, but was feeling very sorry for myself at the time.
Author:  abbeybufo [ Thu Jun 04, 2009 4:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 04/06/09, p4)
Oh, poor Ros :cry:

And Helena hadn't told her she isn't marrying Reg, or anything at all about Isaac :shock: :shock:

I had a feeling when I read Helena's letter to Ros that there was nothing about that in it, but wondered if I'd forgotten an earlier one [but was too lazy to go & check :roll: ]

Thanks Emma - glad the inspiration came back :D
Author:  Lesley [ Thu Jun 04, 2009 7:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 04/06/09, p4)
I wonder why Helena hasn't kept in touch?

Thanks Emma, lovely to see more of this.
Author:  PaulineS [ Thu Jun 04, 2009 7:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 04/06/09, p4)
Thanks Emma I am glad to see more of this. Hope Helena writes soon to Ros and fills her in on all she forgot to tell her in her first letter for so long. Wonder if Ros letter in April went astray?
Author:  Alison H [ Thu Jun 04, 2009 8:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 04/06/09, p4)
Sadly it's very easy to lose touch with people after leaving school or university or changing jobs, or at least it was in the days before texting and e-mail and things like Facebook. Hope that Len and Ted both get back in touch with Ros, though - it sounds as if she really needs her friends.
Author:  Carolyn P [ Thu Jun 04, 2009 8:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 04/06/09, p4)
Hope there is nothing more serious wring with Ros.
Author:  Luisa [ Thu Jun 04, 2009 10:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 04/06/09, p4)
Poor Rosamund - and well done Joan for keeping in touch, and going back to work. I always had a soft spot for her - hope we find out how the dinner went.
Author:  JB [ Fri Jun 05, 2009 8:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 04/06/09, p4)
Poor Ros. Sad to see the distance between her and Helena. How poignant that Joan is the person who's kept in touch with Ros regularly.

Lovely to see this back Emma.
Author:  jmc [ Fri Jun 05, 2009 10:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 04/06/09, p4)
I'm glad that Ros is OK though it is a pity that Ros and Helena haven't kept in touch. I hop that Ros isn't expecting an invite to the wedding and wonder when Helena will tell her that it is off.
Author:  JS [ Fri Jun 05, 2009 12:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 04/06/09, p4)
Nice to see this back - poor Ros.

Edited to say how poignant that Ros replied virtually return of post.
Author:  Caroline [ Fri Jun 05, 2009 1:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 04/06/09, p4)
Interesting that it seems to be conscientious (sp?) Len who has dropped the ball with regard to her friendship with Ros.... I wonder how much of that has to do with Len having gone to University and Ros having not - they have a lot less in common now than they did when they were peers at school, and a lot of things have changed since then.

It will be interesting to see if they can become friends again on new terms, despite the different directions their lives are taking.

I wonder if Ros's letter will make Len feel guilty about being caught up in her own affairs (if, indeed, that's true) - and I wonder whether other readers think "fair enough, it's about time she put herself first"? Can she learn to put herself first and still have time for people who need her, like Ros?

Waffle, waffle.

Loving this, Emma - so good to see it back :D
Author:  leahbelle [ Fri Jun 05, 2009 3:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 04/06/09, p4)
It's a shame they've grown apart as I always thought they had a very healthy friendship. It would be nice if they could become close again as adults.
Author:  KatS [ Fri Jun 05, 2009 4:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 04/06/09, p4)
If Ros is expecting the wedding to be at Christmas in Switzerland, and it's now August, she might well think that she hadn't been invited - surely for a wedding abroad plenty of notice would be given - which would be very hurtful.
Author:  jonty [ Sat Jun 06, 2009 2:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 04/06/09, p4)
I've just read all this through from the beginning - what a fascinating story, Emma. I'm finding it hard to get used to calling Len 'Helena'. I suppose it's always hard when someone you've 'known' for decades changes their name :D :D :D :D
I feel sorry for Joey, her girls growing into a world she doesn't understand. I hope the film works out. Am worried about Thalidomide...
Author:  Abi [ Sat Jun 20, 2009 2:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 04/06/09, p4)
I've just caught up on this - poor Rosamund doesn't sounds as though she's having a good time. I hope she isn't too hurt when she realises Helena hasn't told her about the important things that have been going on in her life.
Author:  Emma A [ Tue Jun 23, 2009 11:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three
Sorry for the delay, haven't had much spare time lately... Thanks for the comments. Hope you enjoy this one...

Sir James Russell to Dr John Maynard

Llangarron Sanatorium
Llangarron
Brecknockshire

Monday 2nd August

Dear Jack,

Hope you’re back in the swing of things at the San, and that the news hasn’t come as too much of a shock to everyone. We’ll have to make suitable arrangements for the patients still in care – let me know who’s likely to be still under our care in September, and we’ll consider what we can do for them.

I’ve had an offer already for the San buildings. Quite a good one, so am tempted to close straight away – hence the enquiry about patients still in residence. Details enclosed – peruse them at your leisure, but let me know what you think by end of next week, please. Seems this man Lanner is a representative of a developer who has several winter sports places, in Switzerland and France, and in the States. He says that they will likely option the school, and will probably take Freudesheim, too. So that’s several worries out of the way, if everyone agrees.

Madge is writing to Hilda Annersley and will try to hurry up the school’s move. Originally the plan was to move next summer, but she may have to postpone the start of next term and lengthen the summer holidays so as to get everything sorted and the school and its fittings moved down to Vevey. That’s the chosen location, by the way. Hilda had got a local builder to assess the costs of doing up the place at Sundlauenen, and it was far too expensive. Would have taken too long to complete, too. Daresay Madge will let Joey know, but it will all be discussed at the Board meeting later this month.

When are you off to the Tiernsee? I thought you’d told me but haven’t got anything down in the diary – do let me know.

Sorry if this all seems a bit rushed, but now the decision’s been made, I’m keen to get everyone relocated to Wales as soon as possible. I’ve been in discussion with a man from the University of Wales College of Medicine to consider incorporating the San here into that establishment, and perhaps running courses taught here from Cardiff. It means a lot of expansion and building, but the college seem keen to include us, and will, if the proposal’s accepted, provide a good proportion of the funding for new equipment, buildings, accommodation, etc. Finding houses nearby will be tricky, but there are places a little further away which could house staff and their families. More about that later. The other option is to become an NHS hospital, which I’m not quite so keen on. It may be only vanity in me, but I rather dislike the idea of a place which I’ve worked so hard for becoming subsumed into the health service.

Madge thinks she’s found a house for you. It’s coming vacant at the end of September – the current tenants are moving out and the owner wants to sell. It’s a good deal smaller than Freudesheim, but unless you want to spend the majority of Jo’s film cash on a house (do pass on my congratulations for that, by the way), you won’t find anything that big here, unless you build. It has six bedrooms and two bathrooms, kitchen, dining room, drawing room, library (yes, really) and study; garage big enough for two cars; attics; a cellar (not very extensive); and a garden about an acre in size. Gas central heating (am now sounding like an estate agent!) and all mod cons, as they say. Six bedrooms may not sound much, but they’re all quite big enough for two people, apart from one, the smallest. Might be a bit of a squash during the holidays, but with most of the kids away from home during term, it may do. Find enclosed map, floor plans and a couple of snaps Madge took when she went to see the place on Friday. Oh, and there’s a tree-house in a big oak tree, and a pond with newts in it.

Must end here, and hope you haven’t found it too incoherent – am due for meeting with Jones, Lovell and de Jong at two, and need to prepare.

Do let me know what you think as a matter of urgency (wish the post was quicker). If you need to call me, I’m free most evenings next week except Monday 9th.

Best wishes,
J

James Russell MD FRCS KCB
Director
Author:  Alison H [ Tue Jun 23, 2009 12:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 23/06/09, p4)
Interesting views from Jem, and I love the rushed letter!
Author:  Liz K [ Tue Jun 23, 2009 1:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 23/06/09, p4)
Very interesting.
Author:  Lesley [ Tue Jun 23, 2009 7:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 23/06/09, p4)
Love the fact that a six bedroomed house in an acre of land is considered such a come-down! :lol:


Thanks Emma - have missed this.
Author:  crystaltips [ Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 23/06/09, p4)
Yay, a new letter - & lots of food for thought there. The new house for Joey & Jack sounds nice, enough space for extensions maybe in the future.... if they think a 6 bedroom house is too small :shock:

Thanks Emma.
Author:  Cath V-P [ Wed Jun 24, 2009 2:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 23/06/09, p4)
I liked Jem's nice practical grasp of reality. And how sad that Ros and Len have drifted apart, given the close friendship they seemed to have at school.

Thank you Emma.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Wed Jun 24, 2009 2:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 23/06/09, p4)
Lesley wrote:
Love the fact that a six bedroomed house in an acre of land is considered such a come-down! :lol:


So do I :D Especially as all the kids, or almost are all away at school for most the year. It sounds like the house has everything. Love Jem's letter
Author:  JS [ Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:05 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 23/06/09, p4)
Like the detail on the newts - thanks Emma.
Author:  jmc [ Wed Jun 24, 2009 11:05 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 23/06/09, p4)
How will Jo cope with everything happening so fast? I loved all the detail in the letter. Jem seems to have thought of most things. At least with a 6 bedroom house Anna would have less to do.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Wed Jun 24, 2009 12:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 23/06/09, p5)
Would Anna actually move back to England. According to Joey, Anna didn't really like England
Author:  Emma A [ Mon Jun 29, 2009 5:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three
Miss Constance Maynard to Miss Helena Maynard

‘Freudesheim’
Görnetz Platz
Monday 2nd August

Dear Helena,

Many thanks for your letter – don’t worry, your other letter arrived first and was read out to the rest of the family at breakfast this morning, so that yours to me went unnoticed. Though I’m not entirely sure why you didn’t want its contents broadcast to the parents, since I didn’t notice anything in it that they would have taken exception to. Unless you mean about Isaac? You really needn’t worry there, since I think they’re quite aware that while he’s in London and you are, you’ll be seeing each other.

I’m glad you’re enjoying the teaching practice – or the first day of it, at any rate. I’ve made the first step to my future career, too, you’ll be pleased to read. I’ve written to Dr Lamont at St Barbara’s to beg for her studentship. It took me a while to decide, but I got out my books of poetry and re-read them, and decided that there was plenty in them that I could find out and write about. So I’ve proposed a topic, and whether she likes it and accepts it, or wants me to do something else, we shall see. But I’m already looking forward to the idea of studying at Cambridge, so I really do hope Dr Lamont likes the sound of me!

I wasn’t sure whether or not to write about this, but I don’t think you’ll mind too much. It’s about Reg, you see. If you want, skip to the next page. Well, Reg came to dinner last Wednesday, since he wasn’t on duty at the San: Mamma had invited him. He looked well, very brown, though I thought he seemed much quieter than before. Not sullenly so, more as if he was thoughtful. He spoke a little about his holiday in Austria, and seems to have enjoyed it there, fishing and sightseeing. He brought some snaps for us to look at, too, and the countryside looks beautiful – not very mountainous, but wooded and with churches and castles leaping out of the valleys.

He was here again on Saturday, and I’m starting to wonder whether Odette is beginning to feel something for him. She blushed whenever he glanced at her, and spoke her best English to him, and has asked all sorts of questions about him. I’ve answered them, to the best of my ability, but I couldn’t help wondering what you would think of it all. I hope you don’t mind me saying so, but I think, if he did come to care for her, that he would be just the right sort of man for her: protective and kind, and ready to shelter her from all blows. I think Odette really does need someone to ‘lean on’, and now she’s practically alone in the world, she’s been talking a lot about families, and how lucky I am to have such a large one. I did tell her that sometimes I wished I didn’t, but she wasn’t convinced. She’d love to have children, and I think being a mother might help her to recover from her own loss, and perhaps give her something to think about that wasn’t her mother or herself. I suppose that sort of thinking is only natural, given her circumstances, but I don’t think it’s good for her.

Anyway, she is looking a good deal happier, has even put on a little weight, so that she doesn’t look quite so haggard, and her clothes fit properly (and gosh, they are lovely – Odette made them herself, she said, and they have such a finish. She has a real gift for dress-making).

Steve is making a bookcase for me. He seems to enjoy pottering around with carpentry tools, and rather enjoys having an excuse to use them. It’s going to be fairly plain, with the joints dovetailed – it’s fascinating to watch them all being cut so carefully – and with six shelves of gradually narrowing width. So I’ll put the large and heavy books (and my LPs) on the bottom shelf, and fill up with the top shelf being for my small paperbacks. The wood is elm: Steve is going to try polishing it, rather than painting or varnishing it. I’m looking forward to having it in my bedroom.

I’ve been trying to encourage Flick in her sketching and have passed on Richenda’s suggestion that she could try stage or costume designing. She seemed rather excited by the idea, so I got a couple of books for her on the subject (in German, but that shouldn’t be a problem) from Herr Jaeger when Odette and I were in Thun on Friday.

Some exciting news – a film company has offered Mamma what she calls a “substantial sum” for the film rights to “Lady of the Plantation”, and she and Papa have decided to accept the offer. Now, of course, they’ve been planning what to do with it all, and from the little they’ve let slip, it sounds like a truly enormous sum of money. Trusts for the children (of course not us three or Steve), and a gift to the school, and a holiday, and all sorts of things... I do hope that, if the film is made, that Mamma doesn’t regret it, given her general views about cinematic travesties. Incidentally, Odette and I watched ‘Judgment at Nuremberg’, which was playing at the new cinema in Thun, which was quite fascinating. Have you seen it? It’s very thought-provoking: Odette and I had a long discussion about all the different viewpoints, and how we might have reacted under the same conditions. There were some bits that were really quite harrowing, but I thought it was well done.

Now that school is over and done with for the year, Auntie Hilda is at leisure, and she has invited Odette and me to tea this afternoon. Margot is to go by herself on Wednesday, since she is working at the San today and tomorrow. They don’t really need her there, I gather, since there aren’t many patients now, but she feels she must be useful.

Dr and Mrs Graves are definitely leaving. Since it all seems decided that the San will close (thought it’s not yet known when), they’re going to go out to Kuwait, since Uncle Phil has got a job with one of the oil companies there. The children will go to an International School in Kuwait, though that plan may change if they don’t like it. They all seem to be looking forward to the move – Aunt Hilary is even thinking of going back to teaching, when Frank is old enough to go to school all day.

We’re taking the kids out this morning for a ramble (Phil and Marie-Claire only, since Geoff wants to help Steve with his carpentering, and Steve said he could hold things) and we’ll take things easily. Flick has gone over to the Peters’ and will stay for lunch. I must pack up now, since the girls are waiting.

Do write soon with all your news, and give my love to Teddy.

With much love,
Con


Some of you have already guessed this might happen... :D
Author:  JB [ Mon Jun 29, 2009 5:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 29/06/09, p6)
What a lovely long letter. Thanks, Emma.

I love Con's interest in Steve and Felicity. It's great to see the younger Maynards as individuals.
Author:  JS [ Mon Jun 29, 2009 6:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 29/06/09, p6)
Odette and Reg do seem well-suited - I bet Len has a tiny pang all the same (although the overwhelming thing will be relief).

Thanks Emma.
Author:  Alison H [ Mon Jun 29, 2009 10:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 29/06/09, p6)
Odette and Reg seem very well-suited.
Author:  Lesley [ Tue Jun 30, 2009 4:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 29/06/09, p6)
A really interesting letter - and the Maynards all seem to have practical talents too. Pleased for Odette - she probably needs to be looked after.


Thanks Emma
Author:  JayB [ Tue Jun 30, 2009 9:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 29/06/09, p6)
A lovely long letter from Con. She is quite right about Odette. It's natural to grieve, but at only 22-ish, she should have other things in her life to focus on and look forward to. I think she and Reg will be well suited - and Reg might have learned from his experience with Helena, and be less suffocating in his protectiveness.

May we hear about Chas and Mike and Cecil some time?
Author:  jmc [ Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 29/06/09, p6)
A lovely letter full of news from Con. Odette and Reg together. Maybe life will be easier for Len now on the Joey front if Reg moves on. Thanks Emma
Author:  Cath V-P [ Thu Jul 02, 2009 2:24 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 29/06/09, p6)
What a detailed letter from Con - it's fascinating to see the younger Maynards developing their own ideas and abilities, and I can see Odette and Reg as a couple.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Thu Jul 02, 2009 3:24 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 29/06/09, p6)
I hope Reg and Odette do end up together, though am curious as to how Helena will feel about it. Would love to see Helena's reply to Rosamund
Author:  Emma A [ Wed Jul 15, 2009 4:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three
Lady Russell to Mrs John Maynard

Llan-y-penllan
August 2nd, 196-

Dearest Jo,

Well, Jem tells me that he’s going to be writing today to Jack about the San, so I will try not to repeat anything he’s likely to say. I must say I have been very busy lately, what with discussions on the future of the San and the school, and trying to find houses close to the San for all of the staff who are going to be moving back to Britain from the Platz – not to mention the boys and Ailie are now home for the holidays and needing to be amused!

I think I’ve found a nice house for you, though. It’s currently let to a family who are moving out at the end of August, and the owner wants to sell – it’s not as big as Plas Gwyn, unfortunately, but there aren’t any places that big close to the San. I did think about Plas Newydd which is huge (but also very chilly, draughty, costs a fortune to heat and light, and needs two people just to keep clean), but it’s always being let – no-one ever stays more than six months – and it’s miles from Llangarron: it would take Jack more than an hour to drive to and from the San, and it’s a good two miles to the village. And that’s the only place as big as Plas Gwyn or Freudesheim (Plas Gwyn has been turned into a residential school for handicapped children, so even that’s out) that I know of.

The house is called Trefeddian, and it’s in a small village, Ceiswyn, about five miles from Llangarron (and about three miles from us). Ceiswyn has a post office and a green-grocer’s, and an antique shop. Mrs Howell Jones does teas in the summer for hikers, but there’s not much there apart from those three shops. There are a few farms – sheep, mostly – in the area, and most of the wives are keen WI members. Trefeddian is set back slightly off the main road, and has rather a nice garden, though somewhat neglected. There’s a garage which used to be a stables, so is quite big enough for the minibus and Jack’s car, and a covered passageway to the scullery. The kitchen is big, with a lovely view over the back garden and down into the valley, and is fitted out with a washing machine and a gas stove, and lots of cupboards! Downstairs there’s also a drawing room, dining room, library with built-in shelves on three walls, and another small room which you or Jack could have as a study. And there’s a conservatory leading out of the dining room – there’s a vine growing there that needs a good deal of pruning back if it’s to bear grapes again. There’s a cellar which used to house coal (so is filthy), but since the heating and cooking is done by gas, it’s not needed any more – the boiler is there.

Upstairs there are six bedrooms, two bathrooms, a big airing cupboard where the hot-water tank is, and a cubby-hole which leads up a pull-down wooden stair to the attic. The attic has been used mostly for storage, and is floored with wooden boards and has a couple of windows. It could be converted to bedrooms if you think you need more space. The bedrooms are spacious and well-lit, each of them big enough at least for two to share (apart from the smallest, which is only big enough for one), and they each have hand-basins (so that should help with the morning rush for bathrooms, I expect!).

Do Anna and Rosli plan to come back to Britain with you? Wages are not cheap, even when board and lodging is included – and they may want to return to Tirol. Anna didn’t much like living at Plas Gwyn anyway, I think. We have Mrs Williams who “does” – she comes to clean twice a week – and old Prichard does the garden every week, and I do all the cooking, dusting, washing-up and laundry (not that much really, for the two of us during term time). The children help, of course, during the holidays, and Jem keeps his study tidy. Trefeddian is quite a labour-saving house – there aren’t any wooden floors which need daily polishing, and it’s quite clean with having the gas heating. I sounded out Mrs Williams last week about cleaning for you, and she said she could manage another day.

Obviously it will be rather a shock to come from Freudesheim to a house like Trefeddian, and I think you’ll have to sell a good deal of furniture. When we moved from the Round House there was at least a year of Australia in between, where we were living in rented flats, so Llan-y-penllan felt huge in comparison to that! We had to sell a lot of the furniture we’d had in storage from the Round House, and although I mourned the loss of certain things, they just wouldn’t have fitted. If you should need anything built, though, there is a very good firm of joiners and carpenters in Llangarron – they made Jem’s bookshelves and my desk, and they’re beautiful and practical, too.

Do let me know what you think about the house as soon as you can. You’ll find I’ve included some snaps (I do hope the postage isn’t too much) taken when I looked at the place on Friday, and floor plans from the agent.

Now, onto the school – I really must write to Hilda today – but we’ve decided on Vevey. We both liked the place at Sundlauenen, but the cost estimate for the repairs was far more than we can afford. So Vevey it is, and I’m very much looking forward to having the school move down there – we have many plans for activities, and we’ve been finding out about winter sports and local schools against which to play matches. Hilda is in touch with the Head of a girls’ school not far away, who has been very helpful – her school is smaller, and rather more expensive than ours, so I don’t think we shall be competing for the same pupils.

We’re hoping to get everything organised this summer so that we can begin the autumn term in Vevey, so we’re going to be very busy – I’m planning to come out to Switzerland next week and stay in Vevey: Hilda and Nell will join me there. I’ll let you know the hotel when I’ve booked it. We’ll be sending out letters to all the parents shortly, so I hope it won’t matter too much to them where in Switzerland their daughters go to school!

It does seem rather a shame to pull up sticks and leave the Platz, but I do feel that the advantages of moving far outweigh those of staying – with the San gone, it will feel very empty and lonely there. Of course we’re hoping to sell all the buildings owned by the San and the School together, and thank God that we didn’t start those big building projects we thought about last year.

Well, I must go now, Jo, since I have a mountain of correspondence to get through – it’s I who needs the secretary!

With much love to you and the family,
Madge.

P. S. Nearly forgot to congratulate you on the film money! I do hope you are able to use it as you plan. I do know what you mean about cinematic travesties, though some aren’t so bad.

P. P. S. Thanks for the snap – you all look very fit and well. It’s hard to believe that Marie-Claire is such a big girl now – how pretty she is getting. I will try to spare a few days to visit you at the Platz when I’m in Switzerland.

M
Author:  JB [ Wed Jul 15, 2009 4:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 15/07/09, p6)
I have just choked on my cup of tea imagining Joey joining the WI. :shock:

Great, practical letter from Madge. I wondered if Joey has considered she might lose Anna and Rosli.

Thanks, Emma.
Author:  Bride [ Wed Jul 15, 2009 6:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 15/07/09, p6)
Very sensible letter from Madge. The house sounds lovely, I want to move in now! Especially for the library and the conservatory...

Bet Jo would launch her campaign to be President of the local WI quick smart (is Madge the President already?) My mum used to be president of the local WI, I loved hearing about all the competitions for "best Easter bonnet" "best decorative bookmark" etc!

More soon please!
Author:  Lesley [ Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 15/07/09, p6)
I wonder whether Anna and Rosli would want to go with Jo and return home - after all they've not had the chance to be with their own families much - especially Anna.

Lovely letter from Madge.

Thanks Emma.
Author:  Alison H [ Wed Jul 15, 2009 8:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 15/07/09, p6)
Love the comment about the cupboards.

I don't know about the WI particularly, but I think a big problem with the Gornetz Platz was that there never seemed to be anything to do there. If Joey'd joined something like the WI (whatever the nearest Swiss equivalent is!), or a tennis club, or a choir (surely any choir would have been glad of her "golden voice" :lol: ), or anything like that, she wouldn't have been round at the school so much and I think that'd've been better for her and for everyone else!
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Thu Jul 16, 2009 2:04 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 15/07/09, p6)
The house sounds great and at least she'll be able to have the boys for half term. Wonder if the girls will go to the same school or if they'll be sent to Carnbach. Joey always did say she wanted her daughters close by
Author:  brie [ Thu Jul 16, 2009 7:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 15/07/09, p6)
Thanks am really enjoying these, and I really like the idea of Odette and Reg
Author:  jmc [ Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 15/07/09, p6)
Great letter from Madge but will Jo survive without Anna and Rosli if they decide they are not coming. I think the house sounds great.

Showing my ignorance here but is the WI possible something like what we we call the Country Women's Association?
Author:  Jennie [ Fri Jul 17, 2009 10:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 15/07/09, p6)
I like the way Madge is so business-like, not allowing Jo any time or space for regrets and moans. The School is moving, you will be living in Wales.
Author:  Chatelaine [ Fri Jul 17, 2009 2:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 15/07/09, p6)
JB wrote:
I have just choked on my cup of tea imagining Joey joining the WI. :shock:



Isn't the WI a Church of England organisation? Not sure if there's an equivalent in the RC - here in Ireland we have (or used to have) the Irish Countrywomen's Association, or ICA, which is the only similar organisation I can think of. My mother joined it years ago but got out pretty quickly when things started getting, er, catty!
Author:  Emma A [ Fri Jul 17, 2009 3:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 15/07/09, p6)
Chatelaine wrote:
Isn't the WI a Church of England organisation? Not sure if there's an equivalent in the RC - here in Ireland we have (or used to have) the Irish Countrywomen's Association, or ICA, which is the only similar organisation I can think of. My mother joined it years ago but got out pretty quickly when things started getting, er, catty!

The Women's Institute is a non-denominational organisation - perhaps you're thinking of the Mothers' Union, Chatelaine, which definitely is a CofE organisation.
Author:  Tara [ Fri Jul 17, 2009 10:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 15/07/09, p6)
Loving this. What a splendid letter from Madge, she's most impressive.

Thanks, Emma.
Author:  shazwales [ Sat Jul 18, 2009 5:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 15/07/09, p6)
Thanksd Emma i do like this 'practical' Madge.
Author:  Tor [ Thu Aug 06, 2009 3:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 15/07/09, p6)
Emma A you bad woman. I have just procrastinated half my afternoon away reading all your 'letters' drabbles! I love them! I hadn't found them before because I banned drabbles. Clearly I have to now ban myself again or no work will be done at all.

Poor Ros sounded a bit peeved in that first paragraph of her letter to Helena, didn't she? I hope Helena makes it up to her some how, and that Ros is able to get out a bit more.

Also, having read it through from the start, I want to put in a few words for Joey (better late than never - though I can't quite believe I am doing this...). I don't think either set of parents made much of an effort to make the graduation day visit a success, and I think Jo is very realistically coming to terms with some difficult realisations. The only thing, to my mind (and its quite a biggy, but then Isaac's parents have experince of their birds flying the nest already. It's the first time for Joey and Jack), is that Isaac's parents have made Len (oops, Helena) feel welcome. Otherwise neither made much of effort to engage the other.

Though I have to say, Isaac writing to his mother and telling her in advance that (i) Len's parents don't approve of him, and (ii) are a bit mad an parochial probably didn't hep things!

So realistic though!

The other thing I think is comig over storngly in these letters is how *passive* Jo is, and how given that, it's no wonder she has become such a faded version of her teenage self. All her decisions seem to be made for her by someone else, and she just has to deal. And now she is effectively being forced from her home at the whim of her sister brother-in-law. I would really love it if she and Jack cut the San ties altogether and made a bit for freedom!
Author:  Emma A [ Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three
I do apologise that I've been so dilatory about updating this. I'm trying to work round to some sort of resolution, and am hoping to get round to this shortly! Here's letter 79.

Miss Helena Maynard to Miss Rosamund Lilley

14 Cornwall Court
London
7th August

Dear Ros,

I’m so sorry it has been so long between letters – I had not realised it before your reply, and I do apologise. I feel such a terrible friend when I realise how much I haven’t, therefore, told you, and how much I’ve missed of your news.

Firstly, I do hope you’re fully recovered from your flu attack – it really is unpleasant, and makes one feel so listless and tired afterwards. I’d love to come and visit you – if you’re free next weekend I could come up by train on Saturday, alone or with Teddy if you’d like, and we could have a proper talk about all the things we haven’t written this last year. The telephone number is at the top of this sheet, so please call me if Saturday isn’t convenient.

The big news from me (and I can hardly believe that I didn’t write and tell you back in May) is that Reg and I are no longer going to be married. It was my decision, and was the culmination of almost three years of feeling that I wasn’t enough in love with him, and had made my decision far too early. It wouldn’t have been fair to him, and despite everything I am still very fond of him, so don’t want to see him unhappy. Con hinted in her last letter that he might be getting fond of Odette (who is staying at Freudesheim at present – her mother died in June and she is still grieving, as you would expect), and if that comes to anything I shall be so very glad for him, and for her.

Part of the reason why I made the decision was also that I had gradually fallen in love with someone else: though even if Isaac didn’t exist I would still have told Reg that I couldn’t go through with it. I know I have mentioned Isaac to you before, though you’ve not met: I am sure you will like him when you do meet.

Breaking up with Reg was one of the big reasons for not going home this summer, though I am enjoying working at St Catherine’s at present. It’s making me feel that I have chosen the right career, and that I will be a good teacher.

Joan and I had a nice evening on Thursday. It was very convenient, her house being so close to the station, and it’s very pretty. She cooked a lovely casseroled chicken, which was very tasty, and we chatted for a long time after dinner. I stayed longer than I’d intended, in fact, so that I almost missed the last train back to London. I suppose we’ve all changed a great deal since our days in Inter V, haven’t we, since Joan and I were never really friends at school, and yet we talked as though we had been the best of pals! Perhaps it’s that shared past and experience – fording flooded streams, for example, and almost being lost in snowstorms – that bond us together in ways that we’ll never have with people who never went to the Chalet School.

Teddy sends her love, by the way, and said that she would write to you soon. Lucas is nearly nice enough for her, and I like to see them together: they seem to fit well: complementary rather than alike. He’s not very serious, on the surface, but beneath it all he has a bedrock of calm sense and decency. His politics are somewhat radical (he’s a pacifist and campaigns for nuclear disarmament), but he doesn’t talk about his views much unless one asks. And he is not at all dogmatic (a good thing for a lawyer, I feel).

I’m sorry to read that your father is still ill, and that your parents are relying on you so much. It’s quite understandable, but must be worrying for you and them. It’s such a shock when someone of whom one thinks is so strong and resistant becomes frail – it’s as though something has gone wrong in the universe. I will light a candle for you and your family tomorrow at Mass, and will hope that my prayers help.

I’ll finish here – do let me know about Saturday, and please give my love to your parents.

With much love,
Helena
Author:  Lesley [ Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 09/08/09, p7)
That's a nice letter - and pleased that Helena was so apologetic. Hope the visit will go ahead and they will be able to renew their friendship.


Thanks Emma
Author:  jmc [ Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 09/08/09, p7)
What a lovely letter from Helena I do hope that they can meet up. Thanks Emma
Author:  shazwales [ Sun Aug 09, 2009 12:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 09/08/09, p7)
Thanks Emma,reay enjoyed that letter.
Author:  Jennie [ Sun Aug 09, 2009 1:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 09/08/09, p7)
Thanks, Emma. I hope Ros has some better news soon.
Author:  JB [ Sun Aug 09, 2009 3:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 09/08/09, p7)
Lovely letter. How different their lives are.
Author:  Alison H [ Sun Aug 09, 2009 4:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 09/08/09, p7)
That was a lovely letter, and it's also good to hear that Len got on well with Joan.

It sounds as if Ros is having a hard time, though. IIRC she was the youngest of five and there was quite a big gap between her and the second-youngest, so it's easy to see how most of the responsibility for helping her parents might be falling on her if the others are already established in jobs and or have children to look after.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Sun Aug 09, 2009 9:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 09/08/09, p7)
Glad Len wrote back to Ros. Hope they're able to catch up soon.
Author:  JS [ Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:13 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (new letter 09/08/09, p7)
That was a lovely letter - I'm sure Ros will be delighted to get it, bombshells and all. Thanks Emma.
Author:  Emma A [ Thu Aug 20, 2009 4:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three
I had originally intended this to go on a little longer, but when I was writing Margot's letter, her conclusions seemed to summarise so exactly what I've been trying to do in this series that I decided it was a good place to end. If anyone would like to continue the saga, please feel free! I hope you've all enjoyed it.

Miss Margaret Maynard to Miss Emerence Hope

'Freudesheim'
Görnetz Platz
2 August 196-

Dearest Emmy,

Thank-you very much for your letter, and the information about Francis. He sounds very nice. It must be good to have things in common with him – to share in your lives together – since I think that is a pre-requisite for a happy marriage. I guess your parents are pleased, as well as his. I do hope that his mother's operation goes well: I'll pray for her, and for her family.

Thank-you so much for wanting me for a bridesmaid – I’d love to do it. Next summer would be ideal for me, if you really mean it about the date for the wedding. Whitsun term ends on 28 May next year (I have the calendar to hand), and next year begins at the end of September – so that would give plenty of time for me to come out to Australia. I’m very honoured.

I’ve been back at home for a few days, but have noticed quite a change already. Helena has grown up, I think, over the past few months. I hadn't seen her for a while: telephone calls are hideously expensive, and I was really too busy to correspond regularly. So it was rather a surprise to see her (and Con, too, who seems to have changed), though so briefly, since she's now back in England doing some teaching in a girls' school in London before her diploma, and sharing lodgings with Ted Grantley. She seems to have become lighter, I think, and not quite so earnest. From what I gather from Con, they are concerned about the youngsters, and are determined to slacken the reins of filial obedience a little. Con is carrying on the good work. I managed to speak to her, only very briefly, because I think she might have been avoiding having a heart-to-heart conversation with me. I haven't yet worked out if I find this upsetting or not.

And she is in love, quietly so, since one can't imagine her being obviously or flauntingly in love, in a way very different to the blushing girl-fiancée of just a few years ago. When she talks about Isaac (only rarely), her face changes in a way that it never did when Reg was mentioned. I hope that when it comes to my turn, I will have the same love and certainty.

Con is much less sleepy and laissez-faire than she used to be, too. She's channelling her writing into ideas, rather than imagined characters, now, and talks of undertaking a PhD at Cambridge on seventeenth century poetry. (Rather her than me – I sometimes get very impatient with the slow progress of degree, diploma, qualification. Yet I know they are necessary if I'm to get what I want. I suppose one can't rush such vital information and learning.) Con is also spending a lot of time with the children, encouraging them in developing their talents, rather as Steve is also doing. Con's allowed to take Dad's car out when he doesn't need it, and so has taken the kids and Odette out on various excursions – I should have explained that Odette is staying with us at present – you probably remember her from our school days, since she was always perpetually homesick – and I guess that there aren't many 'improving' destinations being visited! Erica came back from one of these trips with a carefully hidden bag of cosmetics, and Felicity several books on theatre design and production: in which she has been immersed ever since.

But biggest of all has been the change in Mum (to Dad, too, though to a lesser extent). Perhaps part of it is because she's expecting again, and isn't having an easy time of it. But I think it's because so many things are changing, that she is having to change with them – Helena's parting from Reg and her love for a non-Christian (which I admit that I find rather hard to come to terms with); the very real chance that the whole family will be moving with the San to Wales, very soon (though that will depend on Uncle Jem's arrangements); the news that the school plan to move away from the Platz, and that some staff whom she's known for years will move away and leave the school, not to mention that, unless the parents decide otherwise, Felicity and Erica will stay out here in Switzerland when the family move back to England – and apart from that year in Canada, Mum's never been separated from her girls at school. Also I gather that she didn't much enjoy her encounter with Isaac's parents (who don't seem, in fairness, to have been particularly welcoming). And, if that wasn't enough, Mum has sold the film rights for one of her books to an American company for a huge sum (so she says), so it's no wonder she's feeling rather bemused and shaken at present.

She does seem, at last, to be thinking of her eldest children as adults, capable of making their own decisions and who would really rather make their own mistakes than be carefully persuaded of the “right course”. I'm sounding rather contradictory, now, since I rarely listened to the better way, and certainly made a lot of mistakes during my school-days (and will continue to do so, I think, for a while to come). But that has made me a stronger person, who knows her strengths and her weaknesses – whereas I think Helena and Con only started that process at university (and I'm not sure that Helena did while she was engaged to Reg, either).

Gosh, this has turned into rather a screed, and I'm sorry to have rambled on (and in my awful handwriting, too – I hope you can decipher it!) for so long.

I've been going over to the San to help out occasionally, though there really isn't a great deal for me to do there, with so few patients nowadays. Several of the doctors have already made other plans – the Graveses are planning to move to the Middle East, and Daisy and Laurie are thinking of relocating to Devon to be near Primula – when the San here closes. It seems rather sad to have both San and school shut, when they've been up here for so long, but things are changing for both, and we must change with them, I suppose.

On that profound note, hoping that I haven’t bored you too much, I shall say auf wiedersehen for now, and look forward to hearing from you soon!

With much love from
Margot
Author:  abbeybufo [ Thu Aug 20, 2009 4:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Thanks Emma - I am sorry to see this stop, but can see what a good ending this letter is, so quite understand your decision.

It's been a bnrilliant idea from start to finish, and I've enjoyed it immensely :D
Author:  JoW [ Thu Aug 20, 2009 4:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Is this really the end?! I have enjoyed these letters so much. Thank you
Author:  Elle [ Thu Aug 20, 2009 4:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Wow. I can't believe this is over! But I agree, it does seem a natural place to stop. Thanks for all the enjoyment this has given. I have been the best when it comes to commenting, but I have enjoyed this very, very much (and it inspired me to write my own spin off!). Thank you.
Author:  Lesley [ Thu Aug 20, 2009 5:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Such a pity it has to end - but a wonderful place to end it. Margot sounds very mature - able to see, so clearly, the many changes that have occurred. Particularly liked the fact that neither of the older two triplets were really allowed to make their own mistakes until university.

Thanks Emma for a fascinating glimpse into the future for the triplets - and a truly original way of showing it. :lol:



(ETA an 'e')
Author:  JB [ Thu Aug 20, 2009 5:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
When I saw this, I was happy to see an update, then sad when I saw "completed". I agree, though, that this is good way to end - with a letter from someone who has been an oberver of what has been happening and is able to sum things up with such understanding.

I have so enjoyed this drabble, Emma.
Author:  Elder in Ontario [ Thu Aug 20, 2009 6:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
This is indeed a very good place to end, Emma, if end you must. :) Seriously, I'm another who has really enjoyed this collection of letters, and the insights they have provided, and I do like the way that Margot has put everything so well into perspective in this last letter.

Thank you.
Author:  Alison H [ Thu Aug 20, 2009 8:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
I've really enjoyed this, Emma - sorry to see it end, but thank you so much for a really interesting drabble.
Author:  PaulineS [ Thu Aug 20, 2009 8:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Thank you for a lovely drabble. I too am sorry to see it end.
Author:  Abi [ Fri Aug 21, 2009 12:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
This has been great, and a lovely ending, with everyone looking to the future. Thanks Emma, I've enjoyed it so much.
Author:  Cath V-P [ Fri Aug 21, 2009 12:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
That really did show just how far things have changed in the Maynard family - and will go on doing so as the younger children mature.

Thank you for this Emma; I have enjoyed it very much, although I must apologise for not having been on the Board very much recently and so not commenting.
Author:  Karoline [ Fri Aug 21, 2009 6:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Thanks Emma, I've really enjoyed this
Author:  JS [ Fri Aug 21, 2009 8:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Echoing what everyone else has said - also, it seems rather appropriate to give Margot the final word; not quite sure why.

I'll miss this drabble but it was a very satisfying conclusion. Thanks Emma.
Author:  JennieP [ Fri Aug 21, 2009 9:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Have really enjoyed this - thanks, Emma.
Author:  Becky [ Fri Aug 21, 2009 9:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Another one who's really enjoyed this, thanks.
Author:  Jennie [ Fri Aug 21, 2009 11:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Thank you for a very thought-provoking series of letters, Emma, though I am sad that they've come to an end.

I does seem that Margot has realised, without putting it into actual words, that the Maynard children can grow and develop only when they are away from their parents for appreciable lengths of time.

It also strikes me that what used to annoy everyone about Con, her dreaminess and living through other characters of her own creation, was in fact a good thing, because it detached her from the world of the Platz, thus allowing her to develop her own ideas, hence her First compared with Helena's Second.
Author:  jmc [ Fri Aug 21, 2009 11:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
I have really enjoyed reading the series of letters and am sorry that they have come to an end.

Thanks Emma
Author:  RroseSelavy [ Fri Aug 21, 2009 11:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Thanks Emma - I've really enjoyed reading this.

Margot's letter was a lovely ending - just enough of the loose ends tied up, if you see what I mean!
Author:  brie [ Fri Aug 21, 2009 4:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
thanks emma, im sorry i haveb't commented very often throughout, but i have really enjoyed these letters, up to the end.
Author:  Carolyn P [ Fri Aug 21, 2009 8:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Thanks Emma, this has been great.
Author:  cara [ Fri Aug 21, 2009 9:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Thanks Emma.
Author:  Emma A [ Sat Aug 22, 2009 4:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Thank-you very much, everyone, for your comments - they are much appreciated :D
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Sun Aug 23, 2009 11:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Thanks, have really enjoyed this drabble and reading all the letters and am really sorry for seeing it end (though do think Margot summed it up very well). Thanks again and can't wait to see the next drabble!
Author:  Sarah_G-G [ Sun Aug 23, 2009 3:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Yes, I see why that's a sensible place to end it, but that doesn't mean I'm not sad to it go! Thank you for writing it, I've enjoyed the progression of the characters thoroughly and it's interesting to end it all with Margot's point of view.
Author:  BethC [ Sun Aug 23, 2009 3:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Sorry to see this end - I've really enjoyed it. Thank you!
Author:  Caroline [ Mon Aug 24, 2009 1:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Emma, I've really enjoyed this story - thank you so much for writing it.

I like the balance of the ending in that we don't know exactly what is going to happen with everyone, but yet we've left them all in a much better, more positive place in their lives, ready to go forward and face whatever happens next. I would have liked a little more about Rosamund, perhaps, and I've got a nagging feeling that we last saw Isaac half way up a cliff in Scotland somewhere, but apart from that, splendid ending....

Thank you.
Author:  Tara [ Mon Aug 24, 2009 9:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
I, too, have thoroughly enjoyed this, Emma, it's been so interesting and believable. I am sorry it has come to an end, but absolutely agree with Caroline that they are all in a much more positive place and able to cope with whatever life gives them.

Of course, if you ever feel like writing a sequel ... :D
Author:  Abi [ Mon Aug 24, 2009 10:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Tara wrote:
Of course, if you ever feel like writing a sequel ... :D


Oooh, what a good idea :D .
Author:  macyrose [ Tue Aug 25, 2009 2:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
I've really enjoyed this story, Emma, and am sorry it's come to an end. A sequel would be great!
Author:  Miss Di [ Tue Aug 25, 2009 2:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
I'm another one who has enjoyed this series and is thanking you for keeping me entertained
Author:  Elbee [ Tue Aug 25, 2009 11:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Sorry to see these letters end, they have been so interesting.

Thanks, Emma.
Author:  Chris S [ Wed Aug 26, 2009 2:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Thanks Emma. I have really enjoyed the letters and would love to read more.
Author:  Squirrel [ Wed Aug 26, 2009 8:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Emma...

I just found these right at the end.

Thank you for telling such an interesting story, in such an unusual way. I have read each selected letter with a real anticipation to find out what was going to come next, and have really enjoyed the medium you have employed for telling the story.

I will also be interested in reading any sequel you (or any of your fans!) might choose to write as time goes on.

Thanks once again!
Author:  Lyanne [ Sun Aug 30, 2009 9:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Thank you Emma.
Author:  snowmaiden [ Mon Aug 31, 2009 2:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
This has been a brilliant drabble, thanks Emma, have really enjoyed it. And a v appropriate ending too! :D
Author:  Smile :) [ Tue Sep 15, 2009 3:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Letters, part three (completed 20/08/09, p7)
Thanks Emma, I've really enjoyed reading these and while i'm sad there are no more I definately agree that Margot's letter has concluded things nicely :)
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