Letter 15
16/01/23 14:29
My Dearest Bunty,
I hope my last letter caught you in time and that 2005 is as exciting for you as it could be for me. The American Bank people have gone at last. They were fairly sad to be going I have to admit as we had put on the most wonderful show of Scottish hospitality.
Hogmanay was, as the leader called it, 'a blast' with the local band in great form and the Great Hall of the House resounded to reel after reel and Schottische. Lots of the locals had taken time to come along and I was pleased to see that hungry guests demolished Cook's triumph of a buffet. At 6am the party was still in full swing and a cooked breakfast was called for those surviving the night's festivities.
Sir H and I had retired at about two o'clock and rose again at seven to see what was happening. Many of the more distant revellers were still up and now having coffee, and I am glad to report that the Mackenzie's of Newtonmore were flowing with praise for the events of the evening. Even the Americans had joined in. I had not even thought that they would have taken part, but it seems that the team leader was something of a whiz at the Scottish Country Dancing in his youth at the American Clan Gatherings, and hence his idea to come to Scotland for Hogmanay. I must say that I did manage to dance a 'Pride of Erin Waltz' with him and he moved most graciously across the floor, which is a nice thing to see in a fairly young person these days. He was most charming on the days following their arrival. I think that the bonus cheques from their employers must have cleared in their accounts! Poor Catriona was most put out that not one of the guests was a single, eligible bachelor, but she seemed to have a great time dancing away with one of the Mackenzie sons. Pity he is a younger one and will not inherit much, but seemingly he has a good position in some WS firm in Edinburgh. Sir H was slightly the worse for wear (hence our early retirement to bed) otherwise I would liked to have stayed at the party a little longer as I was keeping my eye on the cantilevered dress that Strathmichie was wearing! At her age she should at least cover those arms of hers. They were flaying about during a reel like bags of sugar I can tell you and no amount of dazzling paste (for sure it was paste as she is as poor as a church mouse I hear these days after her contracts at Lloyd's went whistling off) will keep the eye from them. It would be cruel to call them names, but with her dowager's droop she is not looking the best, not that she could ever have been called a 'beauty' even in her youth. How she managed to get hold of Lord Strathmichie and hold on to him I shall ever be in wonder.
You can guess that once everyone had gone on their way the house would have returned to some semblance of calm, but no the American bankers were up at twelve in time for lunch and then took themselves off on a brisk walk about the Estate. I am glad it is still looking at its best and I could hear the snow crunching as their footsteps receded down the gardens to the haw-haw and beyond. I left them for a few hours napping and got up when they returned about five for some very strange parlour games indeed. They all seemed to know the rules of these tests so it was very difficult for me to follow but it seemed that they had to build some little fortress at each end in the Great Hall and then by answering questions of a very financial nature, bowl plastic balls towards their opponent's fortification. It seemed harmless fun I have to say and I shall be using their equipment (left carelessly in a large bag on one of the upper hallways) for some of our next guests. Oh yes, despite my initial trepidation, I have to agree that paying guests can be great for the Estate. Even Cook was pleased with her little bonus from the group leader, though how much I did not dare to ask!
Yours as always, Flora
This story first appeared on www.panetwork.co.uk in 2004
I hope my last letter caught you in time and that 2005 is as exciting for you as it could be for me. The American Bank people have gone at last. They were fairly sad to be going I have to admit as we had put on the most wonderful show of Scottish hospitality.
Hogmanay was, as the leader called it, 'a blast' with the local band in great form and the Great Hall of the House resounded to reel after reel and Schottische. Lots of the locals had taken time to come along and I was pleased to see that hungry guests demolished Cook's triumph of a buffet. At 6am the party was still in full swing and a cooked breakfast was called for those surviving the night's festivities.
Sir H and I had retired at about two o'clock and rose again at seven to see what was happening. Many of the more distant revellers were still up and now having coffee, and I am glad to report that the Mackenzie's of Newtonmore were flowing with praise for the events of the evening. Even the Americans had joined in. I had not even thought that they would have taken part, but it seems that the team leader was something of a whiz at the Scottish Country Dancing in his youth at the American Clan Gatherings, and hence his idea to come to Scotland for Hogmanay. I must say that I did manage to dance a 'Pride of Erin Waltz' with him and he moved most graciously across the floor, which is a nice thing to see in a fairly young person these days. He was most charming on the days following their arrival. I think that the bonus cheques from their employers must have cleared in their accounts! Poor Catriona was most put out that not one of the guests was a single, eligible bachelor, but she seemed to have a great time dancing away with one of the Mackenzie sons. Pity he is a younger one and will not inherit much, but seemingly he has a good position in some WS firm in Edinburgh. Sir H was slightly the worse for wear (hence our early retirement to bed) otherwise I would liked to have stayed at the party a little longer as I was keeping my eye on the cantilevered dress that Strathmichie was wearing! At her age she should at least cover those arms of hers. They were flaying about during a reel like bags of sugar I can tell you and no amount of dazzling paste (for sure it was paste as she is as poor as a church mouse I hear these days after her contracts at Lloyd's went whistling off) will keep the eye from them. It would be cruel to call them names, but with her dowager's droop she is not looking the best, not that she could ever have been called a 'beauty' even in her youth. How she managed to get hold of Lord Strathmichie and hold on to him I shall ever be in wonder.
You can guess that once everyone had gone on their way the house would have returned to some semblance of calm, but no the American bankers were up at twelve in time for lunch and then took themselves off on a brisk walk about the Estate. I am glad it is still looking at its best and I could hear the snow crunching as their footsteps receded down the gardens to the haw-haw and beyond. I left them for a few hours napping and got up when they returned about five for some very strange parlour games indeed. They all seemed to know the rules of these tests so it was very difficult for me to follow but it seemed that they had to build some little fortress at each end in the Great Hall and then by answering questions of a very financial nature, bowl plastic balls towards their opponent's fortification. It seemed harmless fun I have to say and I shall be using their equipment (left carelessly in a large bag on one of the upper hallways) for some of our next guests. Oh yes, despite my initial trepidation, I have to agree that paying guests can be great for the Estate. Even Cook was pleased with her little bonus from the group leader, though how much I did not dare to ask!
Yours as always, Flora
This story first appeared on www.panetwork.co.uk in 2004