Pièce 18 - Letter from Sophie Weisse to Elizabeth Trevelyan

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c/o Miss Cunliffe, Worplesdon St. Mary, Guildford. - Labelled 'Private - please burn, for yourself only'. Hopes that Donald [Tovey] and his father will go to the Trevelyans on Monday; fears he is in 'a perilous condition of nerves' and is taking on 'the whole burden of the life ill spent and ill conditioned of his miserable father'; he is neglecting not only her but his work and urgent duties. Has not finished his string quartets, and is endangering his health to 'amuse a man who for the last thirty years... has never in any particular done his duty'. Begs Bessie to watch him for her, and to ensure he takes a 'brain tonic' which she will send for him. Is not taking a holiday herself due to a 'rather tiresome heart attack' and her wish not to be far from Donald; was dismayed when it did not occur to him to provide the 'little uplifting entertaining time' she feels she needs between terms. Must insist that Donald comes to Northlands at least ten days before the Chelsea concerts to practice, or they will be a disaster. Commonly known that things at Worplesdon are 'perfectly frightful': they will have to pay Mr Tovey's debts to get him away, and keep him at Englefield Green or nearby; asks what is to be done with Tovey's brother [Duncan] 'who will not work' and 'borrows money from Donald to pay all the tradesmen' yet is still fifty pounds in debt to the village baker. The Rectory has 'literally, not been cleaned for fifteen years' and no rooms on the upper landing are weather proof. A 'kind rich woman', previously unknown to her, has taken her in at Worplesdon; she returns to Northlands when the Toveys go to the Trevelyans.