The Secret Chronicles of Henry Dashwood, Vol. 2

Dear Charlie, I do hope you have settled in well at Brasenose and that you are enjoying yourself in Oxford. I must confess that J often wish I had studied harder. I might have been able to persuade Papa to let me leave Morley Hall and see something of the great wide world outside. Oh, I know he means well, Charlie, but life down here can be so crushingly dull! Do you remember how you described the boys you met at the Hunt Ball in June? You called them 'chinless wonders' and that perfectly fits most of the local young men who come weekly to Morley Hall at Mama's invitation as potential suitors. More of this later, but first let me tell you of a marvellous adventure Fanny Braithwaite and I had some three weeks ago. I'm sure you haven't forgotten Fanny, I know she made a great impression upon you at the Hunt Ball! You gave her a nickname as well, you naughty boy – what was it now? Oh yes, I remember, it was 'the firecracker'!

Well, if anything, Fanny looks even more gorgeous than ever, Charlie, and she says I should tell you that if you come down here for a weekend, she would let you see more than her titties which you so enjoyed fondling in the carriage which took you both back here after the ball. Don't even attempt to deny it, Fanny and I have no secrets from one another! Now I don't know what the weather has been like in Oxford, but we've been enjoying an Indian Summer down here in sunny Devon. Even though we are already into the last week of September, the thermometer has shot up to more than seventy degrees. Fanny and I decided to take our swimsuits and go bathing on Mudstone Sands, which you know is usually completely deserted. So we arranged for Polgrave to take us down to St Mary's Bay in the dog-cart and indeed the beach seemed deserted as we went into the bathing-machines to change. I instructed Polgrave to set up two deck-chairs and leave the hamper which Mrs. Hobart had packed for our tea by the chairs. 'You may leave now, Polgrave,' I said. 'Come back at half past four, but naturally if the weather changes for the worse, return here as soon as possible.' Fanny seemed to be in a very subdued mood, which is most unlike her for she is usually such a cheerful soul. When she undressed I admired her firm uptilted breasts and flat white belly which was decorated at the base with a fluffy moss of flaxen curls through which I could see the rolled pink pussey lips when she lifted one leg up on the bench to brush some dirt off her feet. I said nothing until we went outside again. Perhaps a suitor was giving her problems, I thought to myself. But once we had made ourselves comfortable in our chairs, I demanded to know what was troubling my dear friend, for she appeared to be in a very thoughtful mood.

'Tell me what's bothering you, darling, we're the best of chums aren't we?' I said warmly. 'You know that if there is something wrong and there is anything I can do to help…” My voice trailed off as I saw tears well up in her blue eyes. 'There's nothing you or anyone else can do to help me,' she quavered and to my great distress, poor Fanny burst into tears. Immediately, I scrambled across and wrapped my arms around her. 'Fanny, what on earth is the matter?

Whatever it is, you must not keep it to yourself. Remember how Miss Beublette always told us at school that a trouble shared is a trouble halved?' Fanny sighed and said: 'Not in this case, Cassie. Very well, I'll tell you what's on my mind, but you must promise not to breathe a word about it to your parents.' 'My lips are sealed,' I assured her. Then Fanny continued: 'Three years ago, my Papa was advised by one of his colleagues on the committee of his London club to invest all his money in certain shares in the New York Stock Market. At first, he made a lot of money, but last month we had some shocking news. The broker who was handling our business in America has absconded and taken all his clients' money with him.' My hand flew to my mouth. 'Oh my goodness, how dreadful! Has your Papa lost a lot of money?' I asked. Fanny whispered: 'Cassie, he's lost every penny he possessed, more than one hundred and thirty thousand pounds.

All we have left is the few hundred pounds which Mama keeps in the bank so she is going up to London next week to sell her jewellery.'