Friday 27 December 2013

27th December 1933 - Terrick to Mary

Home

27th December 1933


Dear Mary Pleasant

"Down the Sky" was lovely.  I sat and chuckled through it all Christmas afternoon and evening.  You were a dear to give it me when you were so broke - and to take me to "Havana Windows"!

The quotation that E.V. Lucas took the title from is very appropriate for us:

" - I remembered how often you & I had tired the sun with talking and sent him down the sky."

Talking, in fact, is what we do best.  It is often nonsense, and it's often lies (!) but it goes on sixteen to the dozen.

I started to write you a long letter on Sunday morning telling you what I had been doing in Grindelwald together with a few philosophical observations on love and Mary Ormiston, but then I found that in this Modvinity-Devil-forsaken spot there were no posts out till today.

I am not going to the dance at Oxford on the 29th as I have to work till 5.30 p.m. now and that gives me no time.  So what about "the Cherry Orchard" that evening.  I have an idea that you have something else on, but if not let us go to the Old Vic (or is it Sadler's Wells) that evening (a) because I have an anniversary to celebrate (b) because I have either two dances or one dance and a journey to Switzerland next week.  I'll ring you up this evening about it, probably before you will get this letter.

We have heard from Eileen this morning.  She is arriving in London on Saturday evening.  I shall get Renny to meet her and see if he can get someone to partner her to the Criterion on Sunday if his foreigners will come.

If you are out this evening I'll ring you up to-morrow (Thursday) morning.

In the meantime, a kiss for every word of this letter, and

My Love


      from

                         Terrick xxx etc

Monday 16 December 2013

16th December 1933 - Terrick to Mary

Office

16th December 1933


Dear Mary Pleasant, 

Various developments.  First, don't choose Monday to come shopping as I am lunching with Neat and going to a dance in Wimbledon, where I stay the night with a cousin of an aunt's.  At least I think that is who I got the invitation from.  But I had never heard her name having only met her at the lunch party with my uncle that I told you about.  A few days later I got this invitation signed Elizabeth Royds and was entirely mystified until I remembered that this girl had said she lived in Wimbledon.

Second, I can't see you on Thursday, because I may have to go to Grindlewald, getting back on Saturday.  I hope to get out of it as it will cut a day off my time at home.

Third, I am due to go to Grindlewald again on January 5th, the day of the Empress Rooms affair.  I may get out of that but cannot know until half an hour before the train goes, as it rests with the clients whether they shall be conducted or not.

So I will arrange with Neat on Monday for us to go to the E.R. another day.

Fourth, Paul is too broke to go anywhere on New Year's Eve, so I may get my brother to come, or/and you could press Norah.  Still, I daresay, if the worst comes to the worst we could manage to put up with our own undiluted society for one evening.

This afternoon I am going down to Carshalton for lunch, tea & dinner.  Ring me up tomorrow, Sunday; I shall probably be at home all day revising Edwy and going into one or two questions in the Family History.

I shall have to see you more than once in seven days in future.  It seems months since I last talked to you.

Love

      Terrick   xxx

I am free at 4.30p.m. On your shopping day will you come and dine at 186?  We could get in a flick first.

Wednesday 4 December 2013

4th December 1933 - Mary to Terrick

O.V.S.

Monday

Dear Old Thing,

- My hands are so cold I can't manipulate my pen properly.

Thank you very much for just the kind of letter I needed - perhaps it would be a good idea to keep it for reference, it will save me making a fool of myself to you next time.

Thank you also for the 10/-. The one I lost hasn't turned up, but I can manage alright - the devil looks after his own! - Also, while on the subject, I believe we still owe you 2/1 for elevenses on the Saturday morning of the weekend you stayed with us.  I was going to send it to you last week, but waited until Sturday to ask Mummy if she'd given it to you.  Please excuse lateness.

- I shall see you tomorrow at 8.0,  but I think it would be a mistake to make it a regular thing - it would spoil the 'special' feeling about it.

I'm sitting with the IVth for exams at the moment - and should be doing the III & IV part of Ulysses in Polyphemus's cave - I wish you & Jack were here!

I'm feeling alright now - except for my usual recurring feeling of having no faith in myself - you know, not being able to rely on what Mary Ormiston's going to do next.

Yours sincerely 

M.P.O.   xxx

P.S Hand of honour I don't LOVE you, old thing - unless one can love in patches, which I don't believe.  But I've come to the conclusion that the feeling I had at the beginning is growing stronger - only it's not 'love'!

Monday 2 December 2013

2nd December 1933 - Terrick to Mary

Digs

2nd December 1933


My Dear Mary Pleasant

Whether you had asked me to or not, I should have written and told you not to be a cry-baby.  Remember that:

"It's a great life"
only
"- if you don't weaken".

What would you have been like, I wonder, if instead of being at the dance, you had been having four teeth out and had to stay in bed next day.  After having a good time the night before you ought to be able to take a spot of bother in your stride.  If I have had a good time I consider it as a balance in hand, and if a bad time follows I feel I can afford it.

 And if you want sympathy from me don't be self-pitying.

You will have (at least I jolly well hope so) returned to your sensible self by now, so you had better file the above till next time.

What a snag losing 10/-!  Do you think you left it in one of the houses you visited?  Have you rung them up to ask?  It is just as well I had already told you not to get me a present - but now that you have led me to expect an abstract one, mind you don't forget it.  In the meantime I lend you ten bob which you can keep till after Christmas.

It was wonderful on Friday, wasn't it!  Having the first criticism of "Edwy" and sitting out with you on the stairs.  It's a lovely sensation, living a moment, an hour, that you know you will never forget.

In writing that last sentence I meant "you" in the sense of "one", but read it the other way and it is just as true.

I laughed over your dream.  I didn't dream about you that night but I expect that is only because I do it enough while I'm awake.

You love me.  And knowing that makes me so happy all the time that in the office or in the digs nothing ruffles me and the annoyances that the other take seriously make me smile.

Interruption!

The bell went and I thought it was Marge for her lesson.  I am sitting in the digs waiting for her to turn up, but is is now twenty minutes late so I expect she won't come.  I hope not.

I shall ring you up tomorrow, as promised, at about 12.30.  I suppose you won't get this letter till Monday morning.

Here she is!

Lesson over.  Must now prepare for dance.

Love

      From

             Terrick    xxxxx

Sunday 1 December 2013

1st December 1933 - Mary to Terrick

Old Vicarage School
Richmond

Friday 6pm


Dear Old Thing,

this is a letter from the depths of my heart - (if it has any - which I'm beginning to doubt)

At the moment (being the night after the morning before) I'm simply bowed down with misery - I'm so damnably unhappy and self-pitying that I felt I had to write to you instead of making a fool of myself by bursting into tears. (Bear with me a little!)

It's mostly because I'm a tired, thankless and discontented little beast - and I long so frightfully much just to have you looking at me again.

I had such a wonderful time last night that this anti-climax is too great for me - so I don't know that you're altogether good for me.

Also I've had a stinking day as Miss Olsson had 4 teeth out last night and has spent today in bed - so I've been part taking her classes.

This afternoon I backed out of games (feeling them quite beyond me) and took out an assortment of tickets for our Old Girls Dramatic to sell them to people I knew in Richmond.  I got 12/6 - returned home dead but triumphant to find I'd lost the 10/- note. - It's absolutely gone and I suppose I'll have to fork out - curse, curse, blow, damn!

 - Anyway, now you'll have to content yourself with an abstract Christmas present - because I haven't a bean!

I woke up this morning dreaming we were in a long narrow room crammed with men & girls in evening dress all holding hands and looking at you - and you were systematically dancing with each girl in turn - until I suddenly lost my temper completely and said "you are a fool! - you can't possibly get through them all!" - But it was quite nightmarish the number you intended to wade through!

Another thing that reflects on my present disgruntled disposition is just having seen Mummy and the whole family who are meeting Mr Lingwood and all going home to a hot dinner! - "oh, you envious, selfish, callous, disagreeable little cad, Mary - what is the matter with you"?

Please, Terrick, I can't help any of it just for the moment, and I feel so hellishly as if I was going to cry - Heavens, I must stop this!

Let's pretend I'm standing in a crisp wind on the top of a Scotch mountain - with a red face and cold feet - and you've looked up from the bottom and seen me, and you're climbing up towards me in your new plus four suit which smells so nice and comforting and tweedy that ---

Oh gosh! I don't know - but it'd be jolly good.

Why, oh why, am I such a weak fool? - Pray God I shall grow stronger one day.

Mary P. Ormiston

(and I haven't had any tea either)

P.S. write me a nice sensible - bossy - superior letter - will you?