4 September 1870, Sunday
Goxhill Hall

Dear James,

I’m sorry I missed your visit to London in August. I hope you enjoyed the British Museum. I am certain mother will be pleased to hear that you passed the exams from your summer classes.

I am just returned from visiting the family of my friend Miss Sinclair. She and Mr Benton Frazer have announced their engagement and I was invited to travel with them to Bridgewater. Her family was understandably excited by the announcement as Miss Sinclair is near to my own age. Mr Frazer is a clerk in the Metropolitan Police department but he and Miss Sinclair share a keen interest in botany and the natural sciences.

With two couples in our midst Mrs Cuthbert and I have had an easier time of it, as they can frequently chaperone each other. The date for Sir Cosmo and Miss Chigwidgeon’s wedding has been set for January. I have written to mother to ask her advice on what I should wear. I would really dislike wearing black to their wedding but I do not know what mother’s wishes are in this matter. You gents certainly have a much easier time of it sartorially speaking.

Mother has asked if I might be available to visit during our sister Anne’s confinement. I have written to inform her that Sir Cosmo has given me no indication that we will not be in the country this fall. However, his work is sometimes capricious and so I cannot make any firm plans.

In the meantime, Lord Greyminster seems to be enjoying our company. He hosted a dinner and dance in honour of Sir Cosmo and Miss Chigwidgeon this past Thursday. Miss Sinclair was a bit disappointed as Mr Frazer had been called back to work the previous day. I did not dance but did enjoy watching others of our party have a good time.

I have had a stroke of luck, Lord Greyminster has a neighbour that breeds horses and I have been invited to ride out every morning. That combined with the regular exercise that the ladies of the household and I take has been quite invigorating. As I mentioned in a previous letter, I have taken up fencing again. One of young Edward’s tutors was her school champion and has encouraged me to dust off my gear. I’m afraid I’m not much of a challenge for her but it does feel good to be moving about.

I do so hope you will visit London again sometime when I am at home. I suppose your studies will prevent you from coming out to Cheshire while I am there (assuming I am not called away before hand).

Your loving sister,
Victoria

5 September 1870, Monday

Miss Chigwidgeon, Mrs Cuthbert, Miss Sinclair, Edward and I have resumed our usual routine. We rise early to work with Mr Salmalin and Miss Bertilde on our physical defence lessons. We then dress for the day and join the rest of the household for breakfast. After we have eaten we meet up on one of the patios, or in a parlour if the weather is inclement, and practise our languages. With the recent interest in Arabic we are going to have to start a rotation to ensure that we make progress in the new language while, at the same time, maintaining the others we have learned.

Our German and French is much improved after our trip abroad. Having the opportunity to hear native speakers has sharpened our ears and given us some new vocabulary to work with. It is interesting the kinds of words we pick up given the unusual nature of our work. We could almost devise a curriculum for agents of Our Employer listing the top twenty phrases an agent is likely to need in any language…

6 September 1870, Tuesday

Repercussions of the League’s work continue to surface. I read in the paper today that King Wilhelm of Prussia accepted the resignation of Otto von Bismarck as: Chancellor of the North German Confederation, Foreign Minister of same, and Prime Minister of Prussia. The paper mentioned that several other resignations and removals of government officials were accepted by the King. I wonder if von Bismarck was behind the actions of Herr Bopp or if he is the victim of failing to closely supervise his subordinate?

7 September 1870, Wednesday

The paper today reported that the HMS Captain was lost with nearly all hands. Sir Cosmo and Lord Greyminster were both greatly affected by the news. The HMS Captain was a controversial design and one of the reasons that Mr Reed resigned his post and was available to form the B, C, & R Powered Boat Company with Sir Cosmo and Mr Balderstoke. Telegrams have been flying in and out of Lord Greyminster’s study all day.

8 September 1870, Thursday

I went riding this morning before our usual exercises. Lord Greyminster’s neighbour made good on his promise—saying that I was welcome to join the string every morning if I would.

I may see if I could ride out with the second string later in the day. I feel like I am finally making some headway learning the lessons that Salmalin has been trying to teach me. I’ve been struggling to improve my skills and for the past several months it has been very frustrating not to see any progress.

I’m a bit more stiff than usual. In addition my riding today, Mr Salmalin and Miss Bertilde supervised a sparring session. I was paired with Miss Sinclair and then Mrs Cuthbert—the latter has certainly been practising—I went down in a tangle because I was watching her hands, forgetting how quickly she can execute a leg sweep. I was able to bounce back to my feet before she could get a good hold on me. I practised the running-away-very-fast technique to get some space between her and me. We were both panting by the time Mr Salmalin called a halt to our efforts.

Now I’m off to wash up and join the others for breakfast. I’m ravenous.

9 September 1870, Friday

I read in yesterday’s paper that Kaptain Wymms late of the Berlin Police was appointed head of the Royal Police by King Wilhelm. I must remember to send him a note of congratulations on his promotion and his up coming marriage to Lady Sophia von Rammkin. He seemed more like a man married to his work when I met him. Of course that was under unusual conditions (what other kind are there for the League) so I may not have his full measure.

11 September 1870, Sunday

Mrs Cuthbert and I attended services with Sir Cosmo and Miss Chigwidgeon this morning. Special prayers were offered for the 480 sailors killed in the sinking of the HMS Captain. It is hard to compass that so many men lost their lives so quickly. Sir Cosmo says that there is sure to be an investigation as the other ship that was with the Captain came through the storm with no casualties.

12 September 1870, Monday

We continue our quiet routine at Goxhill Hall. I’m very much enjoying riding regularly again. My experience with the Belgian Horse Cavalry on our last assignment has provided strong encouragement to regain and improve my riding skills. I do not know when or if such a skill will be needed in future nor will I be able to predict how well trained any future mount might be.
That is one of the difficulties of our assignments. Each has been different and has drawn on different skills and abilities. I feel as though I am always running to catch up. New languages, new spells, new foes all combine to be overwhelming at times.

Hopefully all will remain quiet for some time longer and I can make up lost ground.

15 September 1870, Thursday

Things have remained quiet here at Goxhill. I have decided it is past time that I visit my cottage again and check to see that all is well. Sir Cosmo informs me that he plans to remain at Goxhill through the end of the month at the very least (with the usual caveat that Our Employer could summon us at any time). I will plan to leave Sunday next and stay for a week. Lord Greyminster’s Graves has said he will see to my travel arrangements.

17 September 1870, Saturday

I received a letter today from Inspector MacGregor. Upon his return to London he had been assigned to the Brixton Horror case. He wrote to tell me that he and his colleagues have made several arrests. The letter was pleasingly neutral. I have hope that he and I will be able to go forward on some form of professional footing the next time we work together. I do not know if friendship is too much to hope for. The Inspector has a generous heart but words said cannot be unsaid and I would not want to burden him with a relationship he may not wish for.

I have spent the last hour attempting to craft a reply, fortunately the days grow cooler and I have a fire going in my room. Fifteen drafts of carefully worded, neutral but appreciative, removed but supportive letters have gone into the fire so far. My stationer will be quite happy to have the extra custom I am certain. In the meantime I hope that my sixteenth draft will be the final one. I do not want the Inspector to wait upon my reply. Though I am certain he has better things to do than calculate how long it might take his letter to reach me and how long it would then take my reply to make its way to London.

Before I close up my writing case I will jot a quick note to Lady Ottoline. I am interested to hear how the new Society for the Support of Young Mothers and Infants is coming along. I pledged a small part of the income from my annuity to the fund and have given Lady Ottoline the names of some of the women I went to school with who might have both the means and temperament to support such an organization. Since I have not seen many of them for years and have a rather dubious status I have left it to Lady Ottoline to find an appropriate person to contact them.

18 September 1870, Sunday

I arrived at the cottage just as the sun was setting. Young Bill picked me up from the train station and drove me here in his father’s carriage. The leaves are beginning to turn. They are green yet but there is a faint hint of gold and red underlying everything. I have checked my woodpile. It is well enough stocked for the occasional visit but I should arrange to lay more in before I return to Goxhill.

The foodstuffs I purchased last time are in good condition. Mr Frazer’s contributions were well thought out. I have a picnic basket from the cook at Goxhill that will see me through dinner tonight and I see that the Brown Men have come and left a bit of milk and few eggs for my breakfast.

I must set something out for them this evening. It is cool out, perhaps one of them would be willing to sit by my fire and tell me the news of the parish. First I will air out my bed and get my suitcases unpacked before I lose the last of the daylight.

19 September 1870, Monday

It is quiet here. One of the Brown Men came by last night and was willing to come in and take tea with me. He told me the latest news, though with the Brown Men it seems that the most recent news encompasses events that happened in my great-grandmother’s time. It was pleasant to listen to the cadence of his voice and learn some of the stories of my home. If I am to be the witch of Darlson it is past time I learned about my charge.

20 September 1870, Tuesday

I walked down the lane today to get a better sense of how the land lies. Miss Chigwidgeon, Salmalin and I covered a fair bit of it when we were here in June. We visited the standing stones and the dragon stone. I took out the map Great Aunt Hethalyn left behind and got a better feel for how the map describes the territory.

This afternoon I am going to spend some time working though the spells in Great-Aunt Hethalyn’s book. Unlike some of the other spell books I have found, the family book is more of a diary. Each owner recorded his or her own thoughts rituals over the years. It is in Gaelic and English and for the most part each new owner seems to have added their thoughts wherever they felt it best in the book. Many of the rituals are disguised– presumably so that anyone seeking the book as an artifact of witchcraft would find only an old, annotated, family record. As a result it is sometimes difficult to figure our just what notes are observations about the weather and which are actual rituals that can produce reliable results.

21 September 1870, Wednesday

Young Bill picked me up as arranged and I spent the morning in town. I found someone willing to cut and haul wood for me. He took some convincing– asking me several times if I knew that the property was haunted. I didn’t think I should tell him that it had been haunted and now it was only guarded. He agreed to deliver the wood just outside my gates tomorrow. At least I will get some exercise...

22 September 1870, Thursday

Spent all afternoon restacking wood. Fingers too tired to hold pen.

23 September 1870, Friday

I am on the train home to Goxhill. I have mostly recovered from my labours. I left the house clean and prepared for my next visit. The firewood is laid in for the winter and the pantry stocked with preserved goods. I left a small feast out for the Brown Men last night– it was all gone this morning.

It was odd to be on my own again. Restacking the woodpile was a lot of work but very satisfying none-the-less. I used the time to meditate and practise the mantras that Salmalin has taught me. I did have a small mis-hap while working and dropped a log on my foot. I was very glad of my steel-toed work shoes in that moment. I need to see about getting my other foot wear modified as time and my budget allows. I have no way to predict when I’m going to need to kick something good and hard.

24 September 1870, Saturday

There was a letter waiting for me when I returned to Goxhill yesterday. My mother wrote to say that Anne’s confinement would begin in October. I have been invited to come and stay from the beginning of October until Anne is delivered. As there seem to be no crises looming on the horizon, I will write a return letter telling them to expect me in a week.

25 September 1870, Sunday

There were no services at the church this Sunday. There is a three man rotation to cover a four church area. Lord Greyminster grumbled about it at breakfast this morning. From the tone of Sir Cosmo’s replies I gather that Lord Greyminster has been arguing with the church for years about getting a vicar for St. Wilfred’s for twenty years at least. Given that we doubled the size of the congregation when we arrived in Goxhill it does not surprise me that it has no vicar. I didn’t say so aloud not wanting to feed the flames of a long-standing argument.

I spent part of the morning in prayer. The most recent manifestation of Kali was a bit overwhelming, to say the least, and I am not quite certain what to think when the goddess worshipped by my colleagues manifests in the world while my own God remains shrouded in mystery. I am a bit worried that I might get in to trouble with Kali, given that I use what I have learned from Mr Salmalin while at the same time retaining my allegiance to my own faith. Perhaps I should discuss matters with Mr Salmalin and get his advice.

26 September 1870, Monday

I have started packing for the visit to my family. It is a long process without Tattvik to help me. She has an amazing eye for how to pack a trunk efficiently. I keep loading things in, thinking the better of it and unloading again. I plan to leave the bulk of ritual supplies here as well as my travelling chemistry set. Most of what I need to take with me are clothes and since they are all black it shouldn’t be as difficult to pack as it is.

I have a week. There is no rush. I’ll take the opportunity to ensure that everything is put away clean and mended.

I am back to riding daily. I missed the horses while I was at my cottage. Unfortunately I am there rarely enough that keeping a horse for my use would be impractical, and hard on the horse.

27 September 1870, Tuesday

We learned today that Captain Moriarty, Lieutenant Wooster, and Mr Caine were awarded medals for their efforts to preserve the Belgian Peace. It is good to hear that their service is being recognized. That is one problem with being a secret agent– when you succeed no one knows. In all fairness Wooster was nearly killed at least twice during our recent expedition and he made some very sound decisions regarding getting Miss Magda and her Watcher to us in a timely fashion.

30 September 1870, Saturday

I am packed at last. A week of wrestling with my trunks and they are now latched and ready to go. I have packed a few books Miss Chigwidgeon kindly leant me. If the weather holds I can always go riding. Why do I feel like I am preparing to do battle?

Proceed to Feeling very alone

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