Letter Eight
30/12/22 16:04
My dearest Bunty,
What a time of it here on the Estate since my last letter. Poachers have been out and about this season and we are a couple of stags short from the wild herd, but at least the does are fine and gadding about. Indeed I spotted one fairly close to the House the other day. They get less skittish at this time of the year when food is short and I am sure Cook leaves something outside for them to feast on, but I do worry that the loss of a couple of stags will to little for the fawning next year. Catriona, the Estate Manger, has been out with her gun looking for traces of the poachers, but they are clever in covering up their tracks and there is not a sign of them anywhere. I must say that a couple of salmon taken now and again is not going to harm the Estate that much, but when it comes to deer, I am very angry.
The Nativity Play at the local school was very enjoyable and once again Sir Hector and I were invited to give the prizes to the little children for spelling and counting. They are so in awe of us from the Big House that it is quite touching really. Sir H managed to steer clear of the headmistress this year and as sherry was in short supply for the adults in the audience, it was a fairly sober event. I was seated next to Dr Williams, the Episcopal vicar who informed me that he is being translated again, this time to Cornwall! The poor man never gets much time to settle down to his new parishes and has no idea who will be taking his place. I hope they let him stay a little beyond New Year; otherwise he will miss the lovely mountains covered with snow that usually greets us on New Years Day. I had hoped that Dr Williams would still be here when you next visit but as that is not going to be for some months, I think it will be the new vicar when you get the chance to come back to the Estate.
It gladdened my heart to read of your wise decision to drop association with that man from the Royal Albert Hall concert. Mark my words, you will be reading about him soon enough in the scandal sheets - he was just not for you dear. What a shame that there are still rogues about the place. I thought that ladies of a certain position no longer were fair game to their advances. You have to remember, dearest, that with your limited income and more limited looks that an attentive suitor will always be suspect. I am sure you know your limitations, but be more careful in the company you keep when on your evenings off. As for your plan to visit a pantomime show with the Countess, well need I say more than I think this is an unwise decision as the modern ones are nothing more than smut shows, and you can get quite enough of that on satellite. Do you know I had to turn over the television the other evening, as it was most unsuitable viewing for Sir H at his stage of life. Too much excitement is bad for the blood I think. I mentioned to you before that the meeting regarding British Telecom and broadband was taking place in the Kirk hall recently. We did not attend of course but Cook tells me that the village has had an agreement in principle with the phone company to upgrade the exchange to digital. I worry about the effect this will have on our community. As you are well aware we have had satellite for many years now, but it is hidden within one of the ramparts of the House and is not visible from anywhere, so I have always felt it correct and indeed my duty to oppose villagers getting a dish and having it on display. It spoils the look of the community don't you think? Just like a council tower block in Glasgow I always feel.
I hope you have had the doctor give the Countess her influenza inoculation in time this year. It is such a dreadfully debilitating and dangerous disease for the elderly, and let us face it she is not getting any younger.
Your ever friend, Flora
This story first appeared on www.panetwork.co.uk in 2004
What a time of it here on the Estate since my last letter. Poachers have been out and about this season and we are a couple of stags short from the wild herd, but at least the does are fine and gadding about. Indeed I spotted one fairly close to the House the other day. They get less skittish at this time of the year when food is short and I am sure Cook leaves something outside for them to feast on, but I do worry that the loss of a couple of stags will to little for the fawning next year. Catriona, the Estate Manger, has been out with her gun looking for traces of the poachers, but they are clever in covering up their tracks and there is not a sign of them anywhere. I must say that a couple of salmon taken now and again is not going to harm the Estate that much, but when it comes to deer, I am very angry.
The Nativity Play at the local school was very enjoyable and once again Sir Hector and I were invited to give the prizes to the little children for spelling and counting. They are so in awe of us from the Big House that it is quite touching really. Sir H managed to steer clear of the headmistress this year and as sherry was in short supply for the adults in the audience, it was a fairly sober event. I was seated next to Dr Williams, the Episcopal vicar who informed me that he is being translated again, this time to Cornwall! The poor man never gets much time to settle down to his new parishes and has no idea who will be taking his place. I hope they let him stay a little beyond New Year; otherwise he will miss the lovely mountains covered with snow that usually greets us on New Years Day. I had hoped that Dr Williams would still be here when you next visit but as that is not going to be for some months, I think it will be the new vicar when you get the chance to come back to the Estate.
It gladdened my heart to read of your wise decision to drop association with that man from the Royal Albert Hall concert. Mark my words, you will be reading about him soon enough in the scandal sheets - he was just not for you dear. What a shame that there are still rogues about the place. I thought that ladies of a certain position no longer were fair game to their advances. You have to remember, dearest, that with your limited income and more limited looks that an attentive suitor will always be suspect. I am sure you know your limitations, but be more careful in the company you keep when on your evenings off. As for your plan to visit a pantomime show with the Countess, well need I say more than I think this is an unwise decision as the modern ones are nothing more than smut shows, and you can get quite enough of that on satellite. Do you know I had to turn over the television the other evening, as it was most unsuitable viewing for Sir H at his stage of life. Too much excitement is bad for the blood I think. I mentioned to you before that the meeting regarding British Telecom and broadband was taking place in the Kirk hall recently. We did not attend of course but Cook tells me that the village has had an agreement in principle with the phone company to upgrade the exchange to digital. I worry about the effect this will have on our community. As you are well aware we have had satellite for many years now, but it is hidden within one of the ramparts of the House and is not visible from anywhere, so I have always felt it correct and indeed my duty to oppose villagers getting a dish and having it on display. It spoils the look of the community don't you think? Just like a council tower block in Glasgow I always feel.
I hope you have had the doctor give the Countess her influenza inoculation in time this year. It is such a dreadfully debilitating and dangerous disease for the elderly, and let us face it she is not getting any younger.
Your ever friend, Flora
This story first appeared on www.panetwork.co.uk in 2004