1 April 1982
Dear Sydney (not in the least bit beastly anymore),
How was I to know that you'd mind so very much being called a beast? Why it's practically a term of endearment (for Cassie's sake, I do think you're a dear, truly I do). Really, if I'd wanted to be rude I could do so much better than that, but I hardly ever do want to be rude, and even then I usually refrain, so I apologize most sincerely for the misunderstanding.
And thank you for telling me about Cassie. I'm sure you're taking absolutely splendid care of her, and no doubt I should have seen that from the first letter but I was too too worried to read straight. I do think you ought to understand, just pretend you're off somewhere and awful things keep happening and then you hear that Cassie is ill. See, I do know she's your Cassie too (at least, as much as she's anyone's Cassie but her own, but since she likes feeding you and such I suppose that makes her yours so long as you're hers too).
As for Jake, I'm sure it's nice of you to think of it (actually, I'm not entirely sure, but I'm assuming the best, truly, and I don't think you can ask for more than that, all things considered), but I have such a hard time not making silly mistakes with you, so I do wonder if your friends would be just as difficult to get on with. And I've had enough of people who are hard to get on with lately, I promise you, but I am trying. I suppose you'll just have to tell me if I've said anything that turns out to be dreadfully offensive, though you might consider the fact that the world is not made up entirely of blokes, which I would have thought was completely obvious but I can't make any sense of judging Cassie and I by the standard of two blokes if you don't think something of the sort. Really, can't you see how terribly silly that is?
(Oh! And don't tell Cassie I said that (about Jake, I mean, and your friends), I wouldn't want her to think I was doubting her judgment, and I'm not, I'm sure your friend is a perfectly splendid fellow but -- oh, there's a very big but, but on further reflection I don't think it's any of your business what I think about men and happiness and how Markus still pops right into my mind when I.
I was thinking about answering all your questions, but on rereading your letter I don't think I must write any more, and you could always ask Cassie. And I have quite enough to do what with Sam and now Acantha too (though I don't think she's really missing, that would be absurd, and it hasn't even been a day, and that's what I told Jasper, but he didn't pay any attention to me until Dardanos came in on my side, which was such a pleasant surprise you simply can't imagine).