Monday, March 16th, 2009

Time	Event
5:12p	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). Anyway, do take care of Cassie. Yours sincerely, Viviana (Comment on this)
10:43p	4 April 1982 Viv, darling! I'm so sorry it's been a few days. I've pined for you terribly, and told Syd twenty times how silly he was being but he said the world could get along without me for a couple days. I'm not sure I like the implication there, that I'm not the absolute most important person in the world. Aren't I supposed to be, to him at the very least? I very nearly attempted escape, but he was always about and I was a bit well, it doesn't hurt to give a man his way every once in a while. I suppose. Just so long as he doesn't start getting used to it, that is. That wouldn't do at all. I'm not sure all that rest was restful, to be honest. There were so many things to do that just lying there thinking about them was dreadfully tiring. But it was that or risk being sat on. I'm fairly certain he would have sat on me, too, and he's not exactly light as a feather. He said to give his apologies, by the way, for being a bit brusque. He wouldn't say why - he's keen on privacy these days, it seems. Why, he actually told me you sent him two owls while I was "bedridden" and then refused to show them to me! He claimed they were his correspondence. His correspondence, and reading it behind his back was against the law and rude besides, and anyway, it wasn't as if I ever told him what my correspondence said. I think he's a bit sulky from turning away visitors. No one as important as you, my love - I wouldn't let him turn you away for the world if you'd come - but a few people did come by to chat or to pick something up from me, and he was a bit annoyed when he came back. The poor man. He doesn't do well with company, and I gather there were quite a few people the first day. It died down a bit after that, I suppose everyone spread the word that I was out for the count, or down, or whatever the phrase is. But whatever the reason, he said to give you his best, and no hard feelings about... whatever. I do think it's unreasonable of him to not tell me what my dearest friend said, or if you fought. The only thing he did let slip was something about Acantha, and I'm sure he must be mistaken about that - I told him, no Syd, it's not Acantha that's missing, you're thinking of Sam, and he said, I'm not stupid you know, Sam doesn't sound anything like Acantha what sort of silly mistake would that be to confuse the two? And he looked like he was going to say something else besides but he shut his mouth in time and I'd be quite mad to know what it was if it weren't for the fact that, well, I am pretty sure he was confusing them. I went back to the salon today, and everyone was very nice. I walked again, too - no sign of Madamoiselle of the Cafe, sadly. And it wasn't raining, so I shan't take ill again, even as briefly and unimpairably as I was this time. But enough about me, my love. How are you? How is your house? How is your ankle? How is your ghost? How are your neighbours, and have you met them yet? And of course I ask this, I'd hardly be a friend if I didn't, how is your John? I've been wild to hear from you since April played its little trick on me, and nearly snuck a bit of parchment to bed with me while Syd wasn't looking, but I do like my sheets and I've never been good at removing stains so I refrained in the end. I feel like I'm forgetting something, but I'm not sure if it's something I'm supposed to do or something I'm supposed to ask you. But if it's for you I'll just write you again and if it's something I must do I guess it will just have to wait! (Peaches? Something about peaches? I have no idea, really.) I am, Madam, Your Moste Humble Servante, Cassandra (Comment on this)

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