Saturday, 23 April, 1870
The household is beginning to recover from the harrowing events of the past week. Having Salmalin on the premises to assist us with household chores is a great relief.
I may have neglected to record the arrival of the invitations to Lord Greyminster's Ball. The master was flabbergasted. The Earl has not only invited the master, but engraved invitations have arrived for Miss Whitnell, Miss Sinclair, Miss Namaste, Dr. Wilson, Mrs. Cuthbert, Mr. Cuthbert, and Lt. Wooster. Miss Pinker even sent a note suggesting that making it clear that Edward would be welcome with the other coachman in a back room. It has set the household into quite the frenzy. I had to reveal the Master's other surprise, so now Miss Namaste knows that her wardrobe will soon include several dresses appropriate for formal occasions.
Mr. Ramsay visited, taking tea with Miss Whitnell and discussing in some detail the educational resources which his order can offer her.
We interviewed to potential cooks today. The master and I agreed that neither would be satisfactory. The master also interviewed a woman who had sought employment as a housekeeper. After the interview he wrote several letters to appropriate employment agencies, explaining that he is not interested in a housekeeper. We have been trying to keep our inquiries limited to persons known either personally to me or Mr. Willoughby of Sir Anthony's office, but I suppose word does get around. I was pleased to note that the master has now sent a letter to Lady Ffolkes, asking if she might be able to recommend a suitable cook.
While walking my customary last round through the house, after the household had retired, I encountered Salmalin doing a similar inspection for intruders or other problems. He complimented me on how quietly I walk the house, and implied that last night we had only just avoided a similar startled meeting because he happened to hear me first. I tried to explain that my light step comes from a lifetime of practice at moving unobtrusively in and out of formal dining rooms. I had the distinct impression that he didn't believe me.
Sunday, 24 April, 1870
Our usual Sunday lunch visitor presented a distressing sight, arriving as he did with a prominent black eye. It seems that young Mr. Graham got into an altercation with one of his cousins over a slur on Miss Namaste's virtue. I must admit to being pleased that Mr. Graham did not, in this instance, subscribe to the philosophy of turning the other cheek. It was also heartening that he wasn't boastful about the incident, and that it took some coaxing on Miss Namaste's part to extract the story from of him.
The master was quite clever in paying a visit to Messr. Rothstein today. Under guise of "finding something to keep Edward occupied" and thus not banging on the hull of his sinkable boat, disturbing our neighbors on the sabbath, they went out for a drive while the rest of the household was otherwise engaged.
Miss Namaste has determined that an official visit to the Graham household is in order. I'm not certain she was prepared for Miss Whitnell and the master to have the same idea almost simultaneously.
Monday, 25 April, 1870
The master was away for much of the day with Edward in tow. They did not leave before he had gone through his lessons with Miss Sinclair. Among the master's errands was a private debriefing with Sir Anthony as well as visits to the tailor, Mssr. Rothstein, and his accountants. Upon arriving home the master took me aside to tell me of an amazing stroke of luck in that regard. The late Baron Scarisbrick had entrusted his accounts to the same firm as the master, and it seems the young Mr. Cratchet has been dispatched to the Scarisbrick country estate to help sort out things. The League may have a reliable source of information regarding the financial and legal affairs of the household.
Miss Whitnell and Mrs. Cuthbert appear to have reached an agreement on how to proceed with Miss Whitnell's sorcerous studies.
Tuesday, 26 April, 1870
Today was a very busy day. There were dresses and suits to be picked up for all concerned. Then there was the selection of jewelry and hairstyle. I was not entirely surprised to see the master retreat to the workshop to help Edward work on his "pumping motor."
I did not get to witness the presentation of the master's gift to Miss Namaste, but I did hear Miss Whitnell's account afterward. And Miss Namaste seemed to be stunned for the rest of the day. The Rothsteins did a lovely job on the pendant. Amber and rubies seem to go well with Miss Namaste's complexion and with her favored colors.
Salmalin and I have worked out an agreement about the late night patrols. I hope the new system works. I think we have startled each other quite enough now.
Wednesday, 27 April, 1870
Another very busy day, but the entire household was properly coiffed, scrubbed, and dressed in ample time to arrive at a fashionable hour at the ball. It was quite nice to see everyone dressed up and leaving the house for some reason that did not involve a murderer. The ladies of the household was each quite breath-taking in her own way, and the men all dashing and handsome.
Salmalin went along, in his new footman livery. Miss Pinker indicated his help would be needed.
Patsy and I enjoyed a couple hands of whist before she retired to read one of those shilling shockers that Miss Namaste has loaned her. I'm now thinking I should have availed myself of an opportunity to visit my club. Perhaps later in the week. I believe I will make the rounds one more time.
Thursday, 28 April, 1870
(midafternoon)
It appears that everyone, except Lt. Wooster, had a wonderful time at Lord Greyminster's ball. The poor man is completely dispondent since Miss Glossop called an end to their courting.
After breakfast, the master suggested I pop over to lunch at the Junior Ganymedes and ask around about two names he was given for the cook position. The club is rather more busy than I expected, and the room is abuzz with gossip. Quite a bit of it pertaining to our household!
I am reliably informed that Miss Namaste turned several heads at the party. Her dance card was filled most of the night. There was an unfortunate incident with a marble bust of the third earl. Fortunately, he was quite vain and I know for a fact that at least six more busts hide somewhere in the attic of the town house, with perhaps another dozen stuck in various crannies out at Goxhill Manor. I'm not certain that Miss Namaste believed me when I told her that the present earl probably was happy to see it smashed.
Miss Sinclair, Miss Whitnell, and Mrs. Cuthbert did not escape notice, either. I should not be surprised to see some gentlemen callers other than Mr. Graham and Mr. Frazer in the near future.
I have heard several people comment in surprised tones that Dr. Wilson danced a very spirited quadrille. It seems some are given to think that Americans don't dance.
Edward was also quite busy. His pockets were weighed down with considerably more coins than when he left last evening, and I have already heard the tales of how fiendishly "lucky" he was playing cards against the other coachman. I suppose that I ought to report his activities to the master or Miss Sinclair so that one of them can give him a lecture on the ethics of card playing, but I know for a fact that that scoundrel Parrington, who drives for Baron Blackhall, would have only agreed to let someone as young as Edward into the game on the assumption that he could fleece the child. Perhaps the turn-about took Parrington down a notch or two.
The matter of the false gossip is an affair that I simply must report, though I would be quite surprised if other members of the household aren't already aware of the rumors. Edward led several of the servants at Lord Greyminster's to believe that Miss Namaste is a wealthy indian princess from Punjab or somewhere similar, visiting London incognito. By dinner time the rumor had spread from servants to guests, and speculation was running quite wild.
Our household was so busy dancing and socializing that everyone was exhausted by dinner, and decided to come home rather than participate in the second round of dancing.
There is other gossip which I infer from the whispered comments just out of earshot and the furtive looks some were giving me. Apparently Sir Phillip Bond said something the master in the smoking room. Words were exchanged. I did not overhear anyone reporting the particulars, but given all the whispered references to "Dearingforth" I assume that the master did not mince words. Perhaps this explains why Dr. Wilson was asking the master about "a friendly target shoot sometime" over breakfast this morning.
I think I hear the afternoon post being delivered. Duty calls.
Proceed to the testimony to two witnesses: So Terribly Disorganized and An Agent of Destruction
~ or Proceed to Mr. Grave's account: 5. A Grim Business
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