The Miller’s House
16 July
Dear Lupin,
It was very nice seeing you and I hope you will come down again soon, not necessarily in a bread van. I trust your partner has recovered from diarrhoea as apart from the sordid discomfort it is not an easy word to spell. Have you sold any pants yet? With those samples carried in a bag, you look a proper commercial traveller (sales representative?). Aunt Joan has been told by Cousin John that she is very well-off indeed for a single woman and he is making her spend £10,000 on flat improvements, including decent heating. I have no idea who her heir is! I wrote to Cazenoves last week asking to be told the state of my marriage settlement. I was mildly surprised when a Mr Pascoe wrote back and said the settlement did not exist, having been wound up some years ago! This shook me somewhat but I was convinced Pascoe was talking balls. I rang up Cousin John who contacted Cazenoves and found someone had bogged it. In fact, the settlement now stands at £160,000 and I don’t wish it to disappear although it may be a trifling amount judged by Cazenoves’ standards. I have written to Pascoe suggesting some digital extraction on his part! Sarah Bomer came to lunch in v. good form. William has passed his law exams.
Your affectionate father,
RM
P.S. I hear Jane has given up her proposed trip to France. Two people killed at Greenham last night.
A Greek friend and I start a company manufacturing boxer shorts in Asia. We call it Raffateer Boxer Shorts: ‘Are the boxer shorts in your life as exciting as the life in your boxer shorts?’
The Miller’s House
18 November
My Dear Lupin,
Nidnod has just gone off to the opening meet of the Old Berks so I am having a quiet morning at my desk trying to deal with communications from my stockbroker and my accountant. No good news ever comes in a buff envelope.
J. Atkinson Grimshaw is one of my favourite artists. He is having an exhibition in Dover Street. If you have time, look in and see if there is anything I could invest in (£2,000). I might just as well have a picture as keep the money tucked away in a provincial building society.
Nidnod has a sore toe which makes her crusty. Her old boyfriend Rodney Carrott came to lunch yesterday. Tomorrow we go to the B-Atkins’ beano.
Yours ever,
RM
I am in full agreement here. No good news comes in a manila envelope.