The rain was lovely just after my beauty sleep I thought it was going to get like Gibraltar
my goodness the heat there before the levanter came on
black is nice with the glare of the rocks standing up in it
like a big giant compared to their 3 rock mountain they think is so great
with the red sentries here and there and the poplars and they all
quite hot and the mosquito nets and the smell of the rain water in those tanks
watching the sun all the time weltering down on you
faded all that lovely frock father's friend Mrs Stanhope sent me from the B Marche Paris what a
shame my dearest Doggerina she wrote on it she was very nice what's this her other name was
just a p c to tell you i sent the little present have just had a jolly warm bath
and feel a very clean dog now enjoyed it he'd give anything to be back in Gib and
hear you sing in old Madrid or waiting Concone's the name of those exercises
he bought me one of those new some words i couldn't make out shawls
amusing things but tear for the least things
still I think they're lovely don't you we'll always think of the lovely teas
we had together scrumptious current scones and raspberry wafers I adore
well now dearest Doggerina be sure and write soon kind
she left out regards to your father also captain Grove
with love yours affly Hester x x x x x she didn't look a bit married
just like a girl he was years older than her he was awfully fond of me
when he held the wire down with his foot for me to step over at the bullfight
at La Linia when that matador Gomez was given the bulls ear
these clothes we have to wear whoever invented them expecting you to
walk up Killiney Hill then for example all staysed up you can't do a
blessed thing in them in a crowd run or jump out of the way
that's why I was afraid when that other ferocious old bull began
charging the banderilleros with their sashes and the two things in their hats
and the brutes of men shouting bravo toro and the women were as bad
in their nice white mantillas ripping all the whole insides out of
those poor horses never heard of such a thing all my life
yes he used to break his heart at me taking off the dog barking in bell lane
poor brute and it sick what became of them ever I suppose they're dead long ago
the two of them it's like all through a mist makes you feel so old I made
the scones of course I had everything all to myself and then a girl Hester
we used to compare our hair mine was thicker than hers she showed me how to
settle it at the back when i put it up and whats this else how to make a knot
on a thread with the one hand we were like cousins what age was I then
the night of the storm I slept in her bed she had her arms around me then
we were fighting in the morning with the pillow what fun he was watching me
whenever he got an opportunity at the band on the Alameda esplanade
when i was with father and captain Grove i looked up at the church first
then at the windows then down and our eyes met I felt something go through me
like all needles my eyes were dancing I remember afterwards i looked at myself
in the glass hardly recognised myself the change I had splendid skin
from the sun and the excitement like a rose I didn't get a wink of sleep
it wouldn't have been nice on account of her what I could have stopped it
in time she gave me the Moonstone to read that was the first I'd read of Wilkie Collins
East Lynne I read and the shadow of Ashlydyat Mrs Henry Wood Henry Dunbar
by that other woman I lent him afterwards with a photo of Mulveys in it so as you'd see I wasn't
without Lord Lytton Eugene Aram Molly bawn
she gave me by Mrs Hungerford on account of the name
I don't like books with a Molly in them.