He was a man, unhealthily close to his mother, given to even greater flights of dullness than myself, and yet it seemed impolite to turn down his offer of marriage. My dearest David, None of my friends ever suspected our affair and Penelope became insistent on me dating an acquaintance of hers called Geoffrey. Perhaps Mrs Pusey was in her 60s and the pallid Jennifer in her 30s after all! The excitement of such a thought brought an onset of the vapours and Edith excused herself to write yet another letter that would allow her to fill in still more of the back story. He's trade, of course, but beggars can't be choosers.'Įdith considered replying, but thought better of it, concentrating instead on the lines in Mrs Pusey's face that showed up in the pale autumn twilight. Now I do declare that Mr Neville over there, who has just arrived, has quite taken a shine to you. 'Virginia Woolf?' Edith offered hopefully.

'You quite remind me of someone,' Mrs Pusey said two days later after another action-packed chapter.

My dearest David, You never knew how I longed for your visits, but then how could you when I was replete with the repression of the lonely spinster? I would only present my cheerful self to you as it seemed unfair to burden you with my sadness when you could only escape the treadmill of the auction house and your wife once a month. She must be in her 50s, she decided, which would make Jennifer in her late 20s.įatigued once more by the strain of having devoted so many pages to so little, Edith retired to her room, both to dwell on the unhappiness of her relationship with her mother and to commence another letter. Meet my daughter Jennifer.'Īs was her custom, Edith was content to remain silent while Mrs Pusey droned on about how rich she was, how good her husband had been to her before his early death and how she loved shopping, thinking only of how old Mrs Pusey might be. 'Please join us,' said the older woman, introducing herself as Iris Pusey. It was nearly the end of the season and the restaurant was empty, apart from a sad-looking woman with an eating disorder and a dog that made a puddle on the floor, and an equally sad looking pair who appeared to be mother and daughter. My dearest David, After I did that dreadful thing which I won't mention now because I want to maintain some kind of interest, Penelope told me I had to leave the country for a month to let things calm down, so I have come to the Hotel du Lac in Switzerland, a location every bit as dull as me.Įdith dressed for dinner in her dowdiest Liberty print dress.

Hotel du lac brookner