DEAR HAZEL,—I am in a bother over our nice faithful Emily, who wants to be married but is willing to go on looking after the children by day until I can leave Aunt Verena. I don’t care about that kind of arrangement very much; a nurse with a husband living near by is a nurse spoiled, I should guess; but it is better than nothing. As, however, the children might need things in the night, I am hoping you can find me a new nurse at once. You are always so clever. I wrote to our regular Registry Office, of course, but they tell me that there isn’t anything on their books at the moment. Could you possibly go round to some of the other places?—Yours distractedly, NESTA CXXXII VERENA RABY TO RICHARD HAVEN DEAR RICHARD,—I am prepared to wear a white sheet and eat humble pie, great slices of it and a second helping. The terrible _locum_ arrived this morning and I like him and feel that he is clever and to be trusted. His name is Field and he is young, not more than twenty-six I should say. He is a Bart’s man, like Dr. Ferguson, and has been in France, doing excellent work.—Yours, V. CXXXIII HAZEL BARRANCE TO NESTA ROSSITER You simpleton, thinking you can get a nurse in Peace-time. There isn’t such a thing in the world—not under £50 a year. How silly we all were not to take a leaf out of the Darlings’ book and train Newfoundland dogs!—only they would have to be muzzled to-day. If I were you I should let your Emily have her way—it’s only for a few weeks—and make Fred do more. Surely if the children want anything in the night, he could get it.—Yours always, HAZEL _P.S._—Father is rejoicing in a séance story which was told him at the Club. Communication was at last set up with the spirit of an old Ceylon judge whose life had been by no means one of restraint. All that he would say to the medium was, “I’m a dashed sight more comfortable than I ever expected to be.” CXXXIV NESTA ROSSITER TO HAZEL BARRANCE