Dear Diary,How cold it is! I am constantly ashiver! I have spent much of the day warming my cockles by the fire and grateful of Mrs Crutchlow's hot broth. I have remained industrious by writing seasonal epistles to distant friends and my wrist is quite limp with the exertion. Fanny's wrists are equally aching, though she has been kneading baps down at Cobbler's End in the company of Miss Lott and Miss Noring who are expecting guests this evening. I have seen nothing of Mr Fairweather, though he is often on my mind and I wonder how he is engaged these frosty days. I hope his cockles are warm. Mrs Norris is to come for Christmas. I wonder, only to you, if Mrs Crutchlow knows how to stuff a pug!
Dear Diary,Nothing of great consequence or importance has occurred since I last fingered my quill. The Christmas season is approaching apace and I have scarcely had time for social intercourse. On Tuesday Ned assisted me in searching for a suitable tree for the parlour and on Thursday, after a spirited and festive session upon the Parson's organ, he accompanied me to Farmer Clamp's to pick out a goose. Ned certainly knows how to appreciate a finely formed bird whereas I confess I have no inclination in that area. I am sure when we finally fetch it from the farm that Mrs Crutchlow will be glad to stuff it.
Dear Diary,Forgive me my absence but I have been otherwise engaged. I must confess I believe Mr Pratt's balls to be somewhat overestimated. I had been looking forward to attending with much anticipation but found it lacking in atmosphere as his countenance lacks a chin. He was quite attentive to Fanny until she drew him aside and informed him that she would and could not return his affections and entreated him to pursue a more persuadable suitor. I fear they shall also have to be blind and without taste whatsoever. Poor Jane was shadowed by the limping Mr Scrote. I thought at one moment she had been careless with her wine but it transpired it was dribble on her shoulder and not her own. Mr Ashforth enjoyed the spectacle immensely and I was almost forgotten. He spent much of the evening guffawing with Titus Canby. I shall say no more on the matter. Miss Honey Pott was also in attendance and Mrs Norris contrived to bring us together at every opportunity. She is dainty on her feet; I refer to Miss Potts and not Mrs Norris, who looked like an overstuffed badger in her black and white gown. All talk was of the recent engagement of Miss Emma Chisett to Justin Nuth. They are to live in the North. May God help them! It was a great relief to return to Thrushcock Grange and I vow to avoid Mr Pratt's balls hereafter.Mr Ashforth departed Saturday morning. My farewell was not as effusive as my greeting. I know not when I shall see him again. I hurried to the pond in the hope of chancing upon Mr Fairweather but he was not there. However, how happy I was to come across him in the woods, after Chapel on Sunday, and we spent a day of delightful conversation. I have invited him up to the Grange at his earliest convenience. I wonder if he would like to become acquainted with Blind Man in the Buff?
Dear Diary,Such weather! When I stepped in a puddle atop the stairs this morning in my stocking feet I supposed the roof to have sprung a leak. Consider then, my relief and horror when I discovered that the leak had not, as supposed, come from the roof but from Father's Willie! Jane was most amused and Mr Ashforth roared so much he had to quickly attend his chamber pot before another leak occurred. We remained in the parlour much of the day and played Blind Man's Bluff. I was somewhat surprised when Mr Ashforth suggested we continue to play after my sister's had departed but came to appreciate its appeal. We are all eager to experience one of Mr Pratt's balls tomorrow and retired early... yet, Mr Ashforth desired to introduce me to a variation of our earlier game, he called Blind Man in the Buff that he had discovered in Greece and therefore we did not retire as early as intended.
Dear Diary,
I am quite wearied in my desire to keep Mr Ashforth stimulated. I earnestly crave him to look back on his time at Thrushcock Grange with affection. We forsook playing upon the Parson's organ for a lengthy constitutional and for the most part the weather was kind. This evening we have practised our Cotillion and Scotch Reel and Mr Ashforth is indeed an accomplished dancer with much experience of balls. I confess I trampled Fanny's foot a number of times but she remained serene and composed. I have come to my chamber early and left him in the parlour. He is quite taken by Fanny's Tuppence and spends much of his evening stroking her.
Dear Diary,I am quite exhausted with a surfeit of hard riding this past weekend. The journey to Netherton was through a storm, the like of which I have never seen. I can only liken it to riding through a waterfall for four hours. On arrival at the residence of Mr Ashforth's Goolies there was not a dry inch upon me nor in my saddle bag and after very quick introductions I was whisked up to the guest chamber to change into dry attire loaned by my good friend. When comfortable once more I returned to the sitting room and an evening of pleasant intercourse ensued. I am very much taken by these Goolies, large and small. Mr Ashforth and I remained as long as was polite before retiring to my bed chamber where we engaged in rigorous badinage until the early hours. I cannot tell you how my heart soared to be once more in my good friends company and I finally heard tell of how he came to eat beaver in the Canadian wastes. On Sunday, we accompanied the Goolies to Chapel and after a sumptuous repast, bad farewell and returned to Thrushcock Grange. Mr Ashforth has a great deal of riding experience and I had to ride hard to keep at his rear. How pleasing it is to have Mr Ashforth in the comfort of my own home. I am so glad Mr Ashforth has finally come!
Dear Diary,December is upon us. How time flies. I ventured to the pond to fish once more this morn and came upon the Huntsman who had admired my rod last weekend. He is a Mr Fairweather from a place called Morley, staying with friends in the vicinity. He also was handling a magnificent rod and we compared length and stoutness. What an agreeable fellow he is and the morning past with a swiftness I have not known in recent weeks. I had to take my leave of him to return to the Grange after a time. We parted on good terms and hope to rendezvous once more at our earliest convenience. He expressed a desire to show me a ruined cottage he had found hereabouts.Now I must away to Netherton to acquaint myself with Mr Ashforth's Goolies. I hope I find them pleasant.
