20th May, 1887

My darling James,

I was beginning to worry I wouldn’t hear from you!

I move tomorrow to a boarding house for women of my newfound position in life two blocks from Diagon Alley. It is an altogether respectable establishment, the matron of which was rather intimidating and would not consent to my residency until she met with my employer and was satisfied that our relationship was nothing untoward. If nothing else, I shall be quite comfortable there, and there are one or two other witches aroundabout my age that I hope to befriend, if time permits.

As to our family, Charity has always seen you as more of a son than me a daughter—admittedly, perhaps a son her husband obtained via another woman—and so I am sure she will not come down any harder on you for lack of me. It is merely a few more years until you’ll be a man in all respects and can make your own path in life, like I am doing now, by my own choice. Charity would have been quite happy to keep me as a glorified housekeeper until the day she died, I would wager, but I don’t begrudge her that at least not much. I am happy to be making my own way at last, and while already it has proved more difficult than I would have imagined, I do not regret my decision to leave.

Please write to me the moment you return to London for the holidays. I do not think my landlady would take kindly on you visiting me at home, but I have some income now; perhaps a sundae at Fudge & Son could be arranged?


With all my love,

— Becky —