Letter Three

Dear Amelia,

  Thank you for your speedy reply, I can’t tell you how much it delighted me! I am so glad that you are all well and happy, but sorry to hear of your losses and that you are obliged to work for the Misses Warde! Dear, dear Amelia don’t ever feel yourself inferior to me! You know you have always been my closest friend and confident, I am glad you are still unchanged in that. When I wrote I was half afraid you did not forgive me for having neglected you so long!

  Davie sounds just like a little man now! I suppose he must have forgotten me, he was but three or four when I left. But hug our little doll for me, remember how we used to play with him and try to enrol him in our famous school for infants! Oh what strict mistresses we were, and what unruly students we had in your little siblings. I fear they suffered much for our amusement!

  Give your Coinneach my ‘respects’ in return along with my warm greetings. Assure him I have not become some fancy, modern lady of cold hearted fashion, and don’t let him call me ‘Miss’ when he has always been a trusted friend to me and dared to call me Zinnia! I do still abhor that name I don’t know why I was ever christened so! Zinnia Bethlehem! Papa must have been influenced by some outlandish books back then! I asked him once why I was named so but he didn’t seem to know himself, but I gathered from his vague reply that it was my mother who named me. But of course you know all that. I did feel cold hearted when I signed my last letter to you, but then I was uncertain of its reception.

 Thank you, I am certain now that Miss Warde is the same girl you speak of. Everything you say agrees with what I know of her. A Miss Birkley is an intimate friend of Louise and Annabelle, my cousins, and a frequent visitor here. She seems to be very popular among their circle of friends. I had never really given her much notice before I received you letter, she is one of those girls who tells you  you are her ‘bestest of friends’ and flatters her way into your confidence and then reveals all to your other friends in the strictest confidence!

  I met Miss Rhona at the Birkley’s the other day which is the concluding evidence and should be the end of the mystery. Annabelle urged me to come on a visit to some of their acquaintances as she often dose and I refused as I often do.  I can hardly endure to be amongst her friends, I don’t get on with them and they don’t get on with me and there is an end to the matter. But Annabelle feels it her duty to entertain me and I must say she does her best; she tries harder to get on with me that dose Louise who has given up on me as a hopeless case. Anyway on this occasion she pressed me and I only agreed when she mentioned they would be stopping at the Birkley’s among others.

  The Birkley mansion is on the edge of town and was the last place we visited, probably so my cousins could spend more time there. I did not see Miss Warde among the young ladies and gentlemen in the drawing room and began to feel rather let down in being persuaded to come. But then I noticed the very same young man I had seen with Miss Warde in the park. He was entertaining a circle of young ladies about Miss Birkley whom he seemed to be chiefly addressing. I could not hear what he said but it seemed to be highly entertaining from the expressions of the ladies. As the afternoon went on I observed that the gentleman and Miss Birkley flirted openly to each other; I had almost concluded that they must have an understanding, but Annabelle has since told me that Miss Birkley is engaged to another man not at present in Bristol!

  It was only as we were leaving that I saw Miss Rhona. As I left the drawing room I saw her in the hall discreetly hand the before said gentleman a slip of paper.  I would not have notice it if I had not been observing both parties at the time, for it was done very discretely. Miss Birkley who was just behind me spoke to her in the tone of mistress to maid: ‘Whatever took you so long, Rhona!’ she exclaimed but softly so that none would hear ‘had you been any longer--!’ and she broke off with a warning look then turned her charmed attention to her departing guests, while Miss Rhona quickly hurried up the stairs. I don’t think she saw me; I would have liked to speak to her given the chance. She has spent much time in my own house and is acquainted with my old friends, though she does not know it, I should like to get to know her for I have not many friends here with whom I can speak of mutual interests.

  No you are not a ‘fuss pot’, Amelia, just very caring, and you have a perfect right to ask me any question. My relationship with Papa is as it Papa and Mama are very fond of each other, the way they look at each other and want to be with one another as often as possible as beautiful to see though I have barely got used to in in Papa, he is a different man - a much happier one.

    But we are all happy together, and hopefully will be able to come up to Scotland, my home, in the summer Mama has spoken of her wish to see our old home.

  Next week we go down to Devonshire, to Mama’s family estate. Neither Papa nor Mama seem eager to go, already the journey has been delayed and put off but preparations for departure are finally underway. I will be glad to be out in the country again, and I do hope I will have the opportunity to ride on the estate. Do you still keep the ponies? I have not ridden for so long, and I miss it. Give my love and warm regards to everyone.

  Yours sincerely,

    Bethy