Running to Paradise by Virginia Budd Page A

announced, while we took tea at Gunters — such delicious ices. ‘The waste there, you cannot believe.’ Poor old Dick, I do feel sorry for him, although he has brought the trouble on himself, silly boy.
    We dine out tonight, Con back to Renton tomorrow. Char to come next week to see Mr Boyce. I’m afraid she will have to have a brace for her teeth. Such a shame, poor child. The latest gov has lasted three months — a record! Perhaps it’s because she lives out; not so much opportunity for discord!
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    Renton House
    12th May 1913
    Dearest Beth,
    So nice to get your postcards from Brittany. I am glad you and Roo had such a splendid holiday, with plenty of opportunities for sketching. I am afraid I have been a little seedy lately with these wretched heads — so absurd. Have managed to carry on with my hospital work, but the Lord knows how sometimes. All well here otherwise and all send their love.
    Now, Beth dear: Dick and I have a proposal to make. We are wondering whether you would consider having Char to live with you in London during term time and attend one of the Kensington day schools; I have it on good authority that there are several good ones. We feel school would be the best thing for Char now. I cannot approve of her going as a boarder and there are no suitable day schools close to Renton. Miss Izzard, the latest gov, is leaving the area at the end of June to be married. Such a nuisance. One would have thought her past all that sort of nonsense. However, the woman has her life to lead, I suppose, but quite frankly I cannot face the thought of finding a new gov to replace her. Now, dear, say right out if you would rather not. You know I prefer people to speak their minds, but I do know how fond you are of the child and she of you, and Dick and I both feel it would be splendid if you agreed. Char is racing ahead at her lessons, but has not enough to occupy her mind. She has become the leader of the little group of children who do their lessons with her now and encourages them into every kind of mischief: for this reason alone, we feel it would be better for the child to be away from home for a time. Please write me your thoughts on the plan, dear.
    Your loving Con
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    Garden Court, Kensington — 15th September 1913
    Dear Char arrives tomorrow — so thrilling! I hope all will go well. The box room looks quite charming and Roo, at the last minute, has bought such a nice little desk; there’s just enough space for it under the window: as my contribution, I have fitted it out with pens and pencils.
    I ’m to take the child to school each morning to start with, until she feels she can do it herself. Only ten minutes’ walk and one road to cross. Cook has made her a special cake — a great honour! The train arrives 3.10 at King’s Cross; Dick to meet her and bring her here. Will she be homesick, I wonder? When I asked her she said: ‘Of course not, it’s home I’m sick of.’ She doesn’t mean that, of course. If nothing else, she will surely miss the animals.
    Garden Court, Kensington — 17th September 1913
    Char has settled in so well. Not a whiff of homesickness, not even on her first night.
    Dick brought her from the station, but couldn’t stay. So there she stood in the middle of the drawing-room, hat on the back of her head grinning at me so wickedly!
    ‘ We’ll have lots of larks, Aunt Beth,’ she said, ‘now we’ve got rid of cross old Ma and Pa.’ I was hard put to it not to giggle, but Roo was a little shocked and looked at me to correct the child for speaking of her parents in that way. But what to say? I funked it, of course, and Roo put on her emu face and rummaged about in her work box: I can always tell when she’s annoyed.
    However, all was well. Char thanked her so prettily for the desk: ‘Oh, Cousin Roo, the very best present I’ve ever had,’ and Roo was all smiles again and even offered to take the child to the Natural History Museum! Wicked little puss, she has her