17th July

Darling Mummy and Mama Sybil,

I am having a simply marvellous time in Westmoreland. It's the prettiest country you ever saw, and Castle Avalon is a funny, quaint little old castle, just like ones you see in picture books. Eden is so much fun, and we spend every day sailing, rowing, and fishing on the lake. I have caught several roach, and yesterday we had trout for breakfast that I caught, and Eden hardly helped me at all.

You won't believe this, but I am actually learning to swim! I'm a rotten duffer at it and just paddle along like a dog, but it's real swimming. And I can float on my back and on my front, and tread water, and dive for coloured pebbles on the bottom of the lake (of course not where it is deep). They look like glittering jewels under the water, but when they dry in the sun they are ordinary stones, although still rather pretty.

I am also learning the language of Westmoreland, which Bernard calls the Old Language, although Eden says it isn't considered old here, but very much alive! I can only speak a few words, but the Lakeland folk are pleased by you even trying, and are very patient with me.

Sometimes I think it is a magical language, and there is something quite lovely about spending all day by Avalon Water. It is just like Fairyland here. I have only been here a week, and already it feels as if I belong here, almost as much as I belong in Camden.

Meriadoc is an utter dear (he said I could call him Meriadoc), and lets us do anything we like as long as we turn up for meals and go to bed at the right time. Nurse complains that she packed dozens of nice dresses for me, and I only wear borrowed shirts and breeches, for you know, they are much more sensible for boating.

I do get dressed for dinner of course, and on Wednesday afternoons we have tea on the terrace, and Eden and I have to wear long white dresses and nice shoes. Meriadoc is quite strict about that, because it was a custom begun by his late wife, and he will not hear of it ever being changed, in honour of her memory.

He says that his queen was the calm centre of all life's storms, and that with her gone, he is a ship that can never come into safe harbour again. Isn't that romantic? In books a short round person would never say romantic things, but in real life they have feelings just the same as tall, handsome ones do. When I write books, I will remember to let short round people and those with bald heads do romantic things, otherwise it isn't fair, is it?

Eden pours the tea so well, she knows all the ladylike things, as well as things like sailing and fishing. She knows she is to be lady of the castle, and the queen one day, so it is necessary to know how to act. Eden says it is a dreadful bore though, half the time. I don't know in which half it gets interesting.

Once Meriadoc came boating with us, and he rowed us all over the lake. He may be short and round, but he has powerful arms, and he rowed and rowed for miles without getting tired. Eden and I obeyed his every command implicitly, because do you know, you must always do exactly as the captain of a boat says. And you must never change seats unexpectedly on a boat either, I made that mistake once when I didn't know any better.

Have you had any other letters? I wrote to Clarissa, but she has not had a chance to reply yet. I expect she is the toast of Everwick by now. I do not really know what it means to be a toast (it sounds funny), but I imagine everyone craning their necks to see her as she makes her way through the streets, and then Clarissa being crowned the reigning beauty of the kingdom.

I read that in a book once, but I don't exactly understand it, although it sounds nice. How do you get crowned a reigning beauty? Does someone put the crown on your head wherever you happen to be, or do they have a special ceremony for it? Anyway, I am sure she is the most beautiful girl there, just as she is the most beautiful at home in Lindensea.

Are you lonely at the palace with all of us gone for the summer, or are you having a nice cosy holiday all by yourselves? Are you missing me? I miss you in bed at night, but I fall asleep so quickly, and then in the morning when I wake up there's another day on the lake to look forward to.

Don't worry about me, I couldn't be in a nicer place. I am being good, and remembering my manners (I think), and I brush my teeth twice a day and Nurse does her best to keep my hair neat although I fear it is a losing battle and I remember to wear a jacket if it's cold but it hardly ever is.

Write and tell me all your news!

Love you Mummy, love you Mama,

Your Lucy xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

PS I have written to Bernard to ask him something but I don't know what he will write back, so I won't say what it was yet. Least said, soonest mended, as Nurse so wisely says.