Bets!

Would you believe, I have recovered the lost letter! I haven’t the least notion what happened to it in the intervening months, but today it was delivered into my College pigeonhole in a very sorry condition. I suspect it has journeyed to the West Indies and back. As you can see, there is not a wit about red trout or any other picine species, and I certainly have not gone to Newmarket without you! The letter is dreadfully old now, I believe I wrote it in late January, but I send it on to you as a conclusion to the mystery.
Your Etc.
P--

Dear Miss Langdon,

I had no notion that life in a boarding house could be so exciting. I think your neighbours sound remarkably ill bred, and I wonder that you do not remove to a suitable establishment. I cannot think that Aunt Celia would approve of your remaining in the sphere of such ill mannered persons. Perhaps you should write to her regarding it.

I have been much occupied of late with my research. The University is on break until Candlemas, and so the College is very quiet. Many of the girls went home after exams, and will not return until the beginning of the term at the start of the month. The library and my study are consequently also very quiet. I share my study with Mariah, as well as Isobel Stratton and Phoebe Eversley. Usually though, it is just Mariah and myself there. Phoebe is ill just now, so she hasn’t been in for days, and Isobel is only just returned from home and not yet much in evidence.

I am quite fagged to death today, so I will leave this letter for now. Perhaps tomorrow will bring some exciting activity to enliven it.

Yours ever,
Philippa