Look homeward
Saturday, 29 May 1875
Mr Balderstoke's train arrived only a few minutes late, but he still apologized. He had originally been scheduled to arrive two days previously, but had wired from Uzes, in the South of France, with the new arrival date. I thought this was the tardiness for which he was apologizing, but then he said that it was just the delay from Dover. He pointed out that as one of the Directors of the Railway Company he probably owed an apology to every passenger, but would not wish to delay them futher by delivering it.
With the Master and Lady away, Mr Balderstoke has
returned to London to attend the quarterly Directors meetings of the B
& C Great Locomotive Company and the B.C. & R. Powered Boat
Company, as well as to attend to other business which he has been
neglecting. He anticipates the latter as to be far less onerous than
the former. It is nice to have someone to look after. It has been so
quiet. Mrs Whitnell and Miss Betty have only stayed in town briefly to
complete some shopping in preparation for the wedding of Miss Betty to
Major Haywood, and to attend to some of Mrs Whitnell's charity work. I
am afraid that Mrs Salmalin will not be back in time for the wedding.
He needed to make one stop along the way, to report
about what he learned in Uzes regarding that terrible tragedy with the
aeroship, Zenith. Mr Balderstoke tells me that the gentlemen had been
equipped with an adequate supply of oxygen, but that because the ascent
was more rapid than intended, they were not prepared. They had become
too weak and disoriented to operated the breathing mechanisms.
He is still awake, working in the master's study. He
made a number of drawings during the train, ferry, and train rides
since Uzes, and is now copying them and "cleaning them up a bit."
Sunday, 30 May, 1875
Mr Balderstoke took Sunday dinner at the home of his
brother, Mr Elijah Balderstoke. His sister and husband, not to mention
numerous more distant residents were all in attendance. He seems more
than a bit chagrined at the fuss his family is making over his
appointment at the palace later in the week.
Monday, 31 May, 1875
I delivered Mr Balderstoke to his tailor five
minutes early, as I had promised his sister and sister-in-law I would
do. It was no small task pulling him away from his engineering
drawings. After his fitting, he took a late lunch at his club, where I
understand he met with both Mr Reed and Mr Scuddamore.
I had a number of errands to do in the City while Mr
Balderstoke was occupied.
Tuesday, 1 June, 1875
Mr Balderstoke spend most of the day in the music
room with Young Mr Cratchett. They had the table buried in ledger books
and other papers. During the course of the day Mr Balderstoke also
received several visitors, including Lord Greyminster, Sir Sebastion
Ffolkes, Mr and Mr Cheryble, Mrs Enoch Balderstoke, and Sir George
Elliot.
No one has had any news concerning the household
since they left Port Victoria on the 18th of April. What news there has
been from the region of the China Sea has been troubling to say the
least.
Wednesday, 2 June, 1875
Today was quite busy. Mr Balderstoke had another
appointment with his tailor in the morning, then luncheon with several
associates at his club, a meeting at the accounting firm of Scrooge,
Marley, and Cratchet in the afternoon, a light supper at the townhouse,
and now he is at the offices of the B & C Great Locomotive Company
at the dreaded quarterly meeting.
I attended a meeting of the Protocol Committee of
the Junior Ganymede Club, after which I enjoyed a more private
conversation over cigars and brandy with my brother.
The Evening
Standard carries a story reprinted from an American newspaper
claiming that Sir Cosmo Cowperthwaite's and Sir Spencer Cuthbert's
yachts assisted in the rescue of an American passenger liner from
pirates in the South China Sea on or about 27 April. Five pirate ships
were sunk by the USS Monterey,
all but two of the passengers and five crew of the SS Americus were saved.
Thursday, 3 June, 1875
Mr Balderstoke spent much of the day at the offices
of the B & C Great Locomotive Company. The business meeting last
evening was productive, but there are still several things to attend to.
Received a note from Mr Willoughby at A's office.
The accounts in London papers are not entirely accurate, but our
American friends confirm that Selene
and Foxglove were
seen, all hands alive and well, on 27 April.
Mr Balderstoke's sister and brother-in-law, Mr &
Mrs John Applethwaite, attended for dinner, along with Sir Robert &
Lady Nitterdale, and their eldest daughter, Miss Mary Nitterdale.
Patsy informed me later that she had the distinct
impression that Lady Nitterdale has hopes of a matrimonial sort for her
daughter and Mr Balderstoke, the twenty-eight year difference in their
ages notwithstanding. I suggested that Lady Nitterdale might more
likely have her sights set on Mr Balderstoke's nephew, Jacob, who is
closer to the girl's age and in line for an inheritance as substantial
as Mr Balderstoke's. Mrs Murphy agreed with Patsy: wealth and an
impending knighthood make Mr Balderstoke a more attractive prospect
than his nephew.
Friday, 4 June, 1875
I had a rather disturbing dream just before awaking,
of the master and the household on the Selene, but wholly
submerged.
Mr Balderstoke spent most of the day at the offices
of the B. C. & R Powered Boat Company. The quarterly meeting was
held in the afternoon. If Mr Balderstoke is to be believed, it was
considerably less dreary.
Arthur stopped in midafternoon to give me a bit more
news concerning the siting of the Selene and Foxglove in the South China
Sea on 27 April. According to our sources, the Selene and Foxglove did not assist USS
Monterey--- they had already destroyed three of the pirate ships
and
captured another on their own before the American warship arrived.
That sounds more like our League.
Mr Balderstoke is attending dinner at the London
home of Mr & Mrs George Beeswax. Mr Beeswax is the member of
parliament representing the district which includes Edenfield, and has
been a lifelong neighbor of the Balderstokes. It is to be a rather
large affair, with several other old acquaintences in attendance.
Saturday, 5 June, 1875
Yet another visit to the tailor. Mr Balderstoke is
getting quite tired of the entire affair. We was also not pleased that
his sister brought along a Mr Ponsonby who showed Mr Balderstoke how to
properly walk in, and then back out of the monarch's presence.
Received a very odd note from Mrs Cake, of
Edenfield, in the morning post. It was dated 4 June:
Lady Cowperthwaite and
others returned to substantial world. Violence and victory in their
wake. Her ladyship cut a more intimidating figure than usual. Sir Cosmo
soared to new heights. Mrs Salmalin's cooking has improved greatly.
Children are all fine.
If you see Her Ladyship
before I do, please tell her I have started knitting a new blanket. I
know how much he likes red.
There was also a note from Mrs Earwig, similarly
cryptic but reassuring:
Pleased that Lady
Cowperthwaite and others in household have survived their latest
ordeal. Disappointed I could not be there to help dear Elethea, who is
simply exhausted, though she remains a pillar of strength and
inspiration to us all.
Mr Balderstoke must attend another dinner party
tonight. This one at the townhome of Mr Andrew Earwig, Esq.
Sunday, 6 June, 1875
If Lady Nitterdale had been hoping to snag young
Jacob Balderstoke, she has failed. I am given to understand that last
evening Mr Andrew Earwig announced the engagement of his daughter, Miss
Hortense Earwig, to Mr Jacob Balderstoke. I know that Mrs Earwig was
beginning to worry, as Hortense is nearly 24 which is considered almost
too old to marry in some circles.
If Patsy and Mrs Murphy are correct, of course, Mr
Balderstoke is still available, though I don't know how interested he
is in any of the young ladies who have lately been introduced to him at
the various social functions.
Monday, 7 June, 1875
Mr Balderstoke's final fitting at the tailor went
well. He has endured two more days of rehearsing with Mrs Applethwaite
and Mr Ponsonby. I believe he is as ready as he can be.
We received more odd notes today. Mrs Murphy found a
note attached to the box with the morning cheese delivery:
Master Galen worries that
the salamanders may not be well without his mother to look after them.
He also wished to assure Mr Graves that Mama and Papa and Daru and
Wilhelmina and Owen and the others are fine.
And there was another letter from Mrs Cake in the
midday post:
If I sent word about the
Admiral's assassination, disregard it. Also pay no attention to any
messages about the sinking of the Griffin. Her Ladyship's sojourn
aboard the submersible was most educational. The tropic air seems to
have done them all no end of good. Will knit a cozy for the clockwork
peacock once baby blanket is finished.
I had resolved not to read any further notes from
Mrs Cake when another envelope arrived in the late afternoon post. On
the outside of the envelope she had written:
Didn't mean to frighten.
Have left the inside blank since you're not going to open it
regardless. My congratulations to Mr Balderstoke.
Tuesday, 8 June, 1875
Had another disturbing dream this morning. In the
dream I received another letter from Mrs Cake. She had written again on
the outside of the letter that the interior was blank. Out of
curiosity, I opened the letter, and inside it said, "Changed you mind!
Knew you would." Which has simply strengthened my resolve not to unseal
the second letter from yesterday.
We got Mr Balderstoke pressed, dressed, and
delivered to the palace on time. He left the house this morning as Mr
Balderstoke, he returned in the afternoon as Sir Ichabod. There is yet
another celebratory dinner at the home of Mr Elijah Balderstoke this
evening. It is too bad that the master isn't here to congratulate his
oldest friend.
We will all be relieved once the household returns.
Thursday, 10 June, 1875
Sir Ichabod is on his way back to Constantinople. He
confided with me that he has never been so happy to be returning to a
construction site. He also expressed his heartfelt hope that the master
is back in London before the next quarterly meetings.
The Times
and Standard both
report from Madras that there has been a major naval engagement in the
Bay of Bengal under the command of Admiral Naismith. Initial reports
indicate that the Royal Navy has emerged victorious. Later in the day I
received a note from Mr Willoughby at A's office, confirming that Selene and Foxglove were involved in
the battle, and that initial acounts indicate both ships survived. Mr
Willoughby says it will likely be several more days before we have any
more specific news.
I pray that everyone is all right.
Proceed to Additions to
the households
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