Scope and Content
"As usual, I have a large pile of letters awaiting replies, and I am trying to get through them before setting off on my winter voyage on Sunday week, December 13th. when I leave Dover for Genoa. I have to go to London on Tuesday for the New College dinner at the Savoy, and fulfill two or three other engagements; then back here for the packing-up, clearing-up, and shutting-up of my flat till next year.
I have had a very busy autumn, with a succession of guests from all parts of the world. November seems to be my busiest month, oddly enough. Mr. and Mrs.Stavert were here for a few days; then he went off abroad and she remained here for two weeks, during which time I had a Pakistani boy who is at Repton, and a Japanese boy staying at the Embassy in London, a friend of the Satsuki Eda who shared my cabin two years ago coming from Japan to Jugoslavia. Mrs.Stavert eventually left for Portugal, and then I had two Bishops - Peterborough and Warrington - for two nights after Church Assembly meetings. Both of them were brother curates of mine at S.J.D.K. It was amusing to see them in the twin beds in the spare room: I felt there ought to be mitres suspended over the bed-heads! Fortunately, I have the help of the invaluable Mrs.MacLeod, and also Sydney Crouch's flat to push any overflow into. I often wish now that I had bought a bigger flat, but everyone says this is so comfortable that I ought to be content.
I expect to be somewhere in the south Atlantic on Christmas Day, heading for Trinidad. Then we go on to Curacao, Caracas, Panama, Acapulca, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Vancouver. I shall be the guest of a doctor friend and his wife in L.A., and my American cousins are going to San Francisco to meet me there. In Vancouver, the Frazer twin brothers will meet me, and carry me off in their Pontiac for a week's stay in the mountains. It is very useful to have friends planted in strategic places around the world!
No, I did not know that one of the Misses Eagles was in Steppingley. I have never had any direct communication with either of them. Everything is done through the lawyer at Richmond. He sends them their cheques each quarter, and charges to my account. The people who acknowledge them inform him of their movements, and (if he remembers) he passes the information on to me. The last I heard was that Miss Ada, who had moved from Nottingham into Kent to be nearer Jack Williamn, who, I always understood, is her adopted son, had gone to live with Miss Constance at Kempston. So I imagine it is Miss Ada who is in Steppingley. They are certainly a wonderful pair of old ladies. Miss Constance is 94, and Miss Ada, 92.
I had heard of Mrs.Akin's death, but not from Kenneth, I'm afraid. I have not heard from him for two or three years. He borrowed a considerable sum of money from me - I believe it was £800. They were trying to move from Arlesey, and buy a house somewhere else, and hadn't enough money to buy it until the house the mother-in-law occupied was sold. However, everything fell through, but Kenneth did not return the loan. After a time, I pressed the matter, and after some months, it was returned minus £50! Since then, I have not heard a word from him!
Yes, Mrs.Olley is still my neighbour. Mrs.Grant (senior) is out in Aden, with her husband, who is an officer in the RAF (I forget his rank). Mrs.Grant was originally Mrs.Wade, and her daughter Sylvia Wade. Then this Czek officer (15 years Mrs.Wade's junior) came along. He was a friend of the Czek officer who took the name Fantle on assuming British nationality at the end of the war. There was a divorce, and Mrs.Wade married the young officer, who took on the name Grant on assuming British nationality. Mr.Wade soon comforted himself with another wife, and they live in Cornwall. After Fantle killed Horace Lindsay, while he was in gaol, he divorced Mrs.Fantle, who then changed her name to Mrs.Grant. We have never been able to understand why she chose the same name as her mother, as it is very confusing. But no one has liked to ask her. Meanwhile, her son Paul, is now known as Paul Wade! A very confusing business altogether. The interesting thing is that they are all really charming people! Sylvia, Mrs.Grant junior, is liked by everyone. Indeed, it would be very difficult to dislike her. Her husband, Fantle, was not very popular here. He was in the habit of denigrating the British war effort, which put up the backs of most of the men in the Castle, many of whom had served in the Forces. So it was natural sympathy went to Sylvia at the murder of Lindsay. Mrs.Grant (senior) is a pleasant woman, and her husband a really charming man. No one would call any of them immoral. The marriage seems to be a complete success. Anyway, Sylvia and Paul are flying out to Aden for a month's visit on Dec.20th. Paul now works for the BBC, and hopes to be a sports commentator. He is a delightful lad, and we all like him.
Don't expect too many p.c.s this time. I am cutting down, since my postcard list is anything between 50 and 80, and as each p.c. costs me 1/- on average, you can imagine it is a pretty expensive business. However, I can promise you one from Vancouver, where I shall have time to knock them off.
I wish you all a Happy Christmas in what is I hope now a nice warm house after the central heating installation.
Yours sincerely,"