This next letter is from Jennie's sister, Flora, with whom she is on
holiday, apparently enclosed in the same envelope. (These letters didn't
have an envelope of their own.) But perhaps not in the same envelope,
given the catty nature of the content. I wonder if Jennie would have
sent it for her sister if she had read it. Or maybe that is the point.
Jennie read it, knew the accusations to be absurd and just sent it
anyway. The fun and vexing thing about this correspondence is that we
can't know.
Flora's ink has either faded over time or
else was quite pale to begin with. I hope that her letter, including
all the added stuff in the margins, reproduces well enough for people to
read. Flora uses every bit of the stationery, not bothering with side
margins, which really are only a millimeter or two on each edge of the
paper.
At the very end, Flora says, "Jennie would not
allow me to write you any more--she said that one sheet was enough. If
only I had another sheet I'd write a lot more." She closes at the upper
margin of her first page: "With lots of love as usual and hoping you
may consider the proposition I have suggested I am, Yours sincerely
Flora" And then she adds: "What is more she says she is going to write
Arthur. Shall I tell her to cut it out? Yours lovingly Floradora
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