The Devotee

(This follows immediately after the previous one, so it's going up sooner than usual.)

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From the diary of Edith Fawcett

Wed 20 September 1905 (contd)

At lunchtime I was eating my soup when Hilda Cotton came in, looking as fresh and daisy-like as I did not feel. I glanced at her with some of the trepidation that Hector in theIliadfeels in the presence of Achilleus, knowing that the other is his superior in strength, skill and endurance.

'Ahhh,' she sighed, smiling. 'I have had a lovely long sleep, and now it is time to restore the system.'

I said nothing.

'Did you sleep well, Miss Fawcett?' she inquired.

'I was out like a light, ma'am,' I said. 'All things considered, it was a tiring day.'

'I hope we can continue our conversation,' she said. 'I found it highly enjoyable.'

I merely smiled nervously as Mrs Hill served Hilda her omelette.

'I found you admirably supple and flexible in your positions,' Hilda went on, 'yet firm enough to offer some spirited resistance. Especially when it came to... fundamental matters. You were very receptive, yet you showed real spine.'

I thought about her vigorously buggering me with her finger, and I stared down at my plate, blushing.

'I would have liked to continue our conversation tonight,' she went on, 'but I have some last-minute concerts scheduled in the West Country. I shall return on Saturday, however.'

I looked up at her, abjectly grateful for a few days' reprieve from being used in every orifice by the most rampantly sexual person I have ever met.

And yet, I find it impossible to be angry with her. One encounters her in her natural element and one is thoroughly ravished and devastated, and then all one can do is recover and try again. She is so charming that it feels like an honour.

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From the diary of Ida Plank:

Thu 21 September 1905

Letter from EF. She talkd about that lady taking her to bed. She told me in great detale.

I read it so xcited. The thought of er bein used like that.

The thought of her going thru all that to please me. The thought of er thinkin about me the ole time that lady wos doin all those things to er. An then writin it all up an sendin it to me like a gift.

That lady can fuck EF silly but Im the one wot gets her xcited.

I was lyin on my bed readin it and it made me spend without ardly touchin myself. Thinkin of her sweet body bein used like that an er writin to me about it in such a way.

But now I shall ave to be nice to EF and let er know I preciate it. Cos I see EF better now.

She is lovly, and she is kind, and she does mean well by people. She is just a bit stupid some times, like evryone is. She is not a queen. She is a person, like me but not like me.

An I want to be able to tell er of some one doin things with me.

Then again.

That lady licked EF's arse.

Not sure about that.

Ida Plank to Edith Fawcett

Thu 21 September 1905

Dear EF,

Well my goodness. It sounds like H right put you through the wringer.

I liked your letter very much. It made me very excited to think that you did all that and were thinking of me the whole time. And I do wish I was there to hold you after it was over and see you fall asleep.

Now listen. I do not want you to tire your self out or get hurt because you think it will please me. I want you to enjoy your self while you think of me. If that is what happened when you were with H then I would like you to do it again and tell me about it again.

I have to ask but it is not a bit nasty to lick some one near their bum-hole? It sounds like it would be quite nasty. But I dont know because I have never done that.

I would like you to feel like how I have felt reading your letter so I mean to find some one who will do me a little like H did you. So I can write to you about it.

Any way your letter made me very happy. And I dont know if this the right thing to say but I am sort of proud of you.

Your

IP.

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From the diary of Edith Fawcett:

Sat 23 September 1905

Miss Cotton was detained in Dorset overnight because of flooding, so I have had another night's reprieve.

A letter from IP. She is adopting a new tone. I would swear that she is becoming positively affectionate.

She says she intends to find someone who can do with her something like what H has done with me.

I fear that she shall be disappointed, as I do not think that there is any woman in England like H, and the only people she is likely to find who would be willing to treat her as H has treated me are men--who, of course, she is not attracted to. And I should hate to think of IP putting herself into the hands of some cruel man who will violate and exploit her.

On the other hand, I suspect she has far more sense than to put herself in the way of brutal men, and also, given her general mental and physical development since I have known her, I would not want to beanyman who attempted to do anything with her that she did not want to do. After glimpsing at our last meeting the way she fills out her jacket, I suspect that any young man 'trying it on' with Ida Plank would soon have cause to reconsider any aspirations he may have had towards fatherhood.

Still, I hope she meets someone who will satisfy her. Not just because of our peculiar correspondence, but because I have had so absurdly much sexual experience this summer, and she so little. If we ever do reach sufficient concord as to want to be with each other, I would want her to feel confident.

What we have is so strange. Yet very precious to me.

I have noticed a thinning-out in Mr Squire's correspondence, lately. This is peculiar since Karlin & Sons should be moving along with the arrangements for his will. But the correspondence in that area seems to be absent.

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From the diary of Ida Plank:

Sun 24 September 1905

I went to Iverna Gardens yesterday to see kate.

I hung about out side like EF did for me, and at three, kate come out. I sez hello and she gev me a big ug. I took er for a cup of tea and a bun. It was good to see er again.

She sez, wot you up to.

I sez, Im workin in this school, they do all these sums an I check em to see that theyre right.

She sez, blimey ida thats a long way from Iverna Gardens.

I sez, yes but Im good with numbers.

She sez, thats true, I remember that time I told you when was my birthday an you worked out ow old I wos in minutes. Wots the pay like.

I sez, better than ere. how you been.

She sez, O its grim like, I ave to work so ard and there aint nobody else now.

I sez, well I said I wud try to elp. Ang on and I will do my best.

She sez, O but it is a bloody grind though innit ida.

I sez, yes it is.

She sez, I wish I cud meet some nice bloke who liked me and didnt drink too much or think less of me cos I ave this job. Its like theres blokes who like you but they drink too much, and blokes who dont drink too much but are snobby, but there aint no blokes who are nice but dont drink too much.

I sez, well yes that must be rubbish.

She leans forward and sez, dont suppose you ave that problem.

I sez, no not really.

She sez, ida are you smilin.

I sez, wot no im not.

She sez, you met someone who likes you.

I sez, no i dint shut up.

She sez, yes you ave dont lie to me.

I sez, stop no no. I aint. No.

But I am.

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From the diary of Edith Fawcett:

Tue 26 September 1905

Miss Cotton has secured more performances, so she shall not return until the weekend.

In the meantime, a disturbing development.

I was going through Mr Squire's correspondence this morning, and there are once again no letters from Karlin & Sons concerning his will.

I mentioned this to him.

'Curious,' was all he said.

'It is concerning,' I said. 'They were supposed to write to us last week but there has been nothing. Shall I write to them?'

He glanced at me, looking guilty.

'Is there something I should know,' I said.

'Oh,' he said, 'I did not want to bother you with it as it is a private matter, not part of my work. But... I have been talking to Butterworth, who are the law firm of Mrs Freehold's cousin. I am thinking of moving from Karlin to them.'

'I see,' I said, 'may I ask why?'

'I knew that this would become awkward,' he sighed. 'They quote a far lower rate than Karlin, and they come with Mary and Johnny's full approval.'

'If it is a matter of fees,' I said, 'cannot a lower one be negotiated with Karlin?'

'Perhaps,' he said, 'but I find it so hard to resist Mary's advice. She does get very put out if I do not do what she asks, and after all, I would be paying less.'

'I do wish you had told me,' I said. 'I am quite happy to handle this myself. You should not have to be negotiating with lawyers.'

'Well, there is another factor,' he said, looking more and more uncomfortable.

'What?'

'To be blunt, Mary does not like you. In fact, it would not be inaccurate to say that she detests you.'

I stared at him.

I, of course, know that Mrs Freehold loathes me, because of the scaldingly insulting letter she wrote me in July. But Mr Squire does not know that I know that.

'Detests me?' I said in what I hoped was a tone of hurt surprise. 'But, why?'

I thought I was horribly stiff and unconvincing, but Mr Squire did not appear to notice.

'I have no idea, my dear girl,' he said. 'But since she first met you, she writes letters to me that criticise you in the most cutting terms. The you that appears in her letters bears no resemblance to you yourself, but she has repeatedly urged me to get rid of you and have some other as my amanuensis.'

'What does she say about me?'

'Do you really wish to know?'

He looked stricken, and massaged his forehead with his fingertips.

'This is precisely the conversation I had hoped to avoid,' he muttered.

'I am truly sorry,' I said.

'Dear Edith,' he said, 'I am very fond of her, and equally of you. This is simply her hobby-horse. She must always be trying to improve something, and she has decided that you are the blight in my life that must be got rid of. It wears on one's nerves so.'

'I do not wish to be the cause of so much anguish,' I said. 'If it would make things easier, I will gladly tender my resignation.'

This was, of course, an enormous gamble, but Mr Squire thought that I had only just learned that one of his best friends considers me a worthless and dangerous nuisance, and that I was shocked and upset enough to make such a gesture. He looked quite distraught, as I had hoped he would.

'Dear girl,' he said, 'you offered it before when you had done something genuinely foolish, and I didn't want it then. I certainly don't want it when you are blameless.'

'But what can I do to ease this for you?'

'I don't know,' he said simply. 'However, it was foolish of me to hide this from you.'

I said nothing, but tried to keep up my air of hurt dignity. At last he shook his head sorrowfully.

'We have had our bumps, Edith, but I trust you. I shall give you the Butterworth letters, and perhaps you would be so good as to look through them and see if their proposals are reasonable.'

'Of course,' I said. 'I will do anything I can.'

I felt quite terrible about dissembling like this.

But this is what happens when you are obliged to deal with people like Mrs Freehold. It becomes impossible to assume that everyone else will be kind and sensible.

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Beatrice Webb to William Casaubon

Thu 28 September 1905

Dear Mr Casaubon,

I am writing to compliment you on your story on Mr J. Freehold of the 10th May. It is a pleasure to see that independent journalism in this country is still alive. Forgive me for not writing sooner but I have had some ill health and have been kept busy by other matters.

You hinted in your article about irregularities in the Freeholds' personal finances. Do you have solid evidence for that that you could share with me? If you cannot share it, I understand. If you do not have it, I may be in a position to provide some.

Freehold is one of the worst in his party. A supine, invertebrate mouthpiece for the leadership. He has not attended a constituency meeting in four years. I am positive that he can be unseated, if he can be made to seem to the public as he is.

Are you free to come to tea this Sunday? Sidney and I would like to have the pleasure of your acquaintance.

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William Casaubon to Beatrice Webb

Sat 30 September 1905

Dear Mrs Webb,

Thank you for your letter and your compliments on my article.

Of course it is impossible for me to reveal my sources. But the source I have is sound.

The matter would be made a great deal easier if a question about the individual's use of funds could be asked in Parliament. I would think that you are in a better position to make that happen, than I am. If Mr Freehold could be made to publish information related to his use of public funds, I would have thought that any irregularities would soon become apparent.

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From the diary of Edith Fawcett:

Sat 30 September 1905

Miss Cotton has been booked for even more performances, this time in Wales.

Mr Squire has released to me the Butterworth correspondence.

I am very concerned. It is not simply that Butterworth wish to take over the planning of Mr Squire's will. It is potentially much more dangerous than that.

They propose to withdraw many of his existing investments, and re-invest much of his money in other ventures that I know nothing about. I have asked Mr Squire about some of these, and he says that the Freeholds have assured him that they are solid and reliable and bound to yield better returns than his existing ones.

Well, that is simply not good enough for me. I know nothing of these firms. I have made a list of their addresses, and the next time I am in London I shall try to visit at least one of them, to see for myself what they are like. In the meantime, I have written to them, inquiring about their activities as if I am an interested investor.

I see now why Mrs Freehold is so scathing about me to Mr Squire. It is to undermine his faith in me. And, on the whole, I have not done an absolutely wonderful job of seeming reliable.

Now, I dare not put a foot wrong.

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From the diary of Ida Plank:

Mon 2 October 1905

Strange things today.

I was checkin papers as usuwal when Dorothy comes to me and sez, Mrs Webb wants to talk to you.

Well I like Mrs Webb, cos she got me specktickles. So I got up and followd Dorothy out the room and up some stairs and into another room where Mrs Webb and Mr Webb are sittin at a table with another chair on the other side.

Its a dark empty room a bit like a big cubberd an a single lamp angin from the ceelin. I thought, strange place to ave a meetin.

Come in, Miss Plenk, Mrs Webb sez.

I come in.

That will be all, Dorothy, Mrs Webb sez, and I am a bit alarmd becos Dorothy is higher than me but nobody is as high as Mr and Mrs Webb.

Dorothy shuts the door and I am aloan with them.

Take a seat, Mrs Webb sez.

Am I in trubbul, I sez.

Not at all, Mrs Webb sez in her smooth voice. We just want to talk to you.

So I sit.

They look at me for a bit an dont say nothin.

I wait.

I remember, Mrs Webb sez, you told me you used to werk for Mr and Mrs Freeherld.

Yes, I sez.

You know, Miss Plenk, she sez, there is a genral elickshun coming up.

I didn't no, I sez. I dont read news. I ave plenty to do with my work.

Mrs Webb sez nothin for a moment. Mr Webb opens is mouth and she puts up her and, like: stop. He closes is mouth again.

I thawt, these two are a bit odd.

Mrs Webb sez, Can I ask you a qwestion about the Freeherlds.

I think, Why is she askin me? She must know if she can ask me a qwestion about em.

So I think for a mowment an I say, I dunno Mrs Webb it depends what it is.

She gives me this look like I wos bein clever and now she as to think agen.

Im just sittin there confused.

There is only the one light in the room an it is angin over our eads, and the way Mrs Webbs hat is on means I can only see her mouth. Not er eyes.

I think, blimey, she is tryin very ard to look scary.

She sez, Is something the metter, Miss Plenk.

I look up at the light.

She looks up at the light an frowns. Then she sez, O I beg your pardon an takes er hat off.

Now I can see er eyes. A bit.

You are right, she sez. It is not good for some one to talk freely about a preevious employah.

I sez nothin.

She sez, I will make it qwick. Did you ever see any thing that made you think that the Freeherlds did not have as much money as they let awn.

I think for a minnit.

I sez, Dont every talk as tho they dont ave as much money as they ave.

Tooshay, she sez, and smiled a bit.

I ave no idea wot she ment.

She stoppd smilin.

Let me put it another way, she sez. Wot was their reason for letting you go.

I sez, They said they cudnt aford two maids.

She sez, So they have another maid.

I sez, Yes.

She sez, Wot is her name.

I sez, Why do you want to no, Mrs Webb.

Mr Webb sez, That is our business, and you do not need to...

Mrs Webb raises her and again and he shuts up.

Mrs Webb and I stare at each other.

She sez, Miss Plenk, the country hez been too long in the hands of the conservative party. It is hay tame that power was restord to the people.

Right, I sez.

She sez, Your former employah, Mister Freeherld, is in a vulnerabbul seet.

Right, I sez.

She sez, Do you not wish him to lose his seet? He and his parteh are the enemy of working people.

I sez, Im sure your right Mrs Webb.

Miss Plenk, she sez, in the up coming elickshun, we have a chance of under mining confidens in Mister Freeherld.

Right, I sez.

I wundered if I oughter stop sayin the same thing over and over agen.

She sez, This would be a great deal easier if we cud shew that he has taken public money and spent it on his own femly.

Right, I sez.

Do you know if he has done that, she sez.

I ad to admire ow she ownd up about what she wantd from me.

No, I sez.

She frowns.

You mean he hasnt done it or you dont know if he has, she sez.

The second one, I sez.

All right, she sez and she looks disappointd.

And then theres this meow and this cat comes out the shadow and ops up into er lap.

O youve got a cat! I sez.

I like cats.

Yes, she sez, lookin annoyd.

Aw its lovly, I sez, wots its name?

And I do pssh pssh noises and the cat looks at me an narrows its eyes which is wot cats do when they smile.

Dot, she sez. We are taking her to the vet, she needs her teeth examind.

Allo Dot, I sez, aw shes lovly.

Dot the cat purrs in er lap.

Never maind the cet, she sez, is there anything else you can tell me about the Freeherlds.

I can tell you one thing, I sez.

What is thet, she sez.

I went with Mrs Freehold to the ouse of a Mister Lionel Squier, in May, I sez. While I was there, Mister Squier gave me a book and wrote in it to me, as a present. A few weeks later, that book was sold to a book shop in Charing Cross Road called Bartons. The person oo sold it gev my name. But it werent me. And the person who can confirm it werent me is Mr Squier's seckretry, Miss Fawcett, cos she and I went there and the bloke wot bought it said to us that I was not the one who sold it.

She stares at me like this is a lot of bloody rubish.

What has thet got to do with my qwestions, she sez.

I look back at er for a bit before I say anythin.

Im sure you can work it out maam, I sez.