My dearest Melody,

I called by your house today and I fear something terrible has happened. I asked to speak with you and was told there was no one by that name in the house? Has your husband to be forbid you from spending time with me because we spent so much of the party together?

Are you alright? Please tell me you are well? After what happened to Miss Scrimgeour when she defied her father I fear for you. Let me know you are well. If I do not hear from you I shall write to Dorothy and hope she has not been told to cast me off as well.

Yours in loving friendship
Ben

A few pressed pale white oat flowers have been included - they symbolise music or melodies.

Melody Crouch

  

---

Lady is a wonder

February 23rd, 1890

Dearest Benevolence,

Let me first assure you that I'm quite alright. No serious physical harm has befell me as a result of my decision to marry Mr. Crouch. My father was furious, obviously, but I escaped the house unscathed. Mr. Crouch and I are presently honeymooning in France. We shall return to England eventually!

Now, onto the details. As I'm sure you're now aware, I eloped with Ben Crouch following the Valentine's Ball. You know how I've cared for him over the years, and after seeing him that night I knew I couldn't marry Mr. St.John-Black. He was perfectly respectable, and I'm sure if we had gone through with the wedding I would've been able to craft a different sort of happiness. But, what's done is done. I shall never know what sort of husband he might've made.

When Father learned of what I've done he immediately disavowed my actions and asked me to leave the premises. That's is the reason why you received the response you did. It has been a struggle to reconcile with this fact, so I hope you'll forgive me if I don't expand on it further. Perhaps one day I'll relay exactly what happened that morning.

Have you spoken with Dorothy? I have drafted a few letters to her, but I must confess I'm terrified of her reaction. The harm I caused to her reputation...I can only hope she will one day forgive me.

I promise to be more responsive to any letters sent my way. I've been dreadfully ill with seasickness that has only just recently begun to leave me. How are you faring? And the shop? I still wear the bracelet you gifted me before Christmas.

Yours Sincerely,
Melody

  

---

beautiful set by mj

Dear Melody
I am perhaps most, or more accuratley only sorry that your leaving of your fathers house is so blunt and painful, perhaps in time your mother at least will be able to see that your happiness is more important than what your father thinks. They wanted you to marry soon - and you've done that! Into a family that is perfectly respectable and generally thought well of! Other than income there can be said to be little difference between the St.John-Blacks and the Crouchs. Even if the youngest Mister Crouchs reputation is a little wild - but perhaps the love of a good woman will settle even that. If any woman can - you can by sweet Melody.

You know all I want is your happiness, if Mister Crouch is the route to that then I am happy for you. As your friend, as a worrier by nature I of course worry for you and hope he can provide you with the life you richly deserve. If nothing else you will have more freedom as the wife of a middle class gentleman than you might have had as the trophy of some American diplomat! Perhaps now that brain of yourself will not go to waste in idleness and society balls!

When you return to England I should be delighted to meet you for tea, either in my home, or yours to properly celebrate your new life as Mrs. Crouch. I have enclosed a small token as a wedding gift and I'll give my proper gift in person. I feared the tax the owl too badly to send it so far by mail.

All my love to you, and your new husband.
Benevolence

(gift is a magical music box - it plays Verdi – Il Trovatore: Il Balen del Suo Sorriso. The image in polished wood, depicts a couple lays on picnic blanket, underneath a small magical sky holding each other and watching small wooden stars over head. Becuase of Melody's love of astrology. )
Melody Crouch

  

---

Lady is a wonder

February 27th, 1890

Dearest Benevolence,

Thank you for your lovely gift, it's quite the work of art. Ben and I shall cherish it always.

I appreciate your concern for my wellbeing as well. Ben has promised to be a diligent husband, and as such I've little worries for our future. So you needn't stress over me.

How is your shop faring? What news do you have from home? Paris is lovely, but I feel dreadfully isolated from the happenings in Hogsmeade.

Yours Sincerely,
Melody

  

---

beautiful set by mj

Dear Melody
I'm glad of this, and pleased that you are happy - and envious indeed of your enjoying Paris! How very romantic to spend ones honeymoon in Paris of all places! When you come home you shall have to tell me all about it, and all of the amazing sites you've seen! For I would keenly love to see the city but I'm not sure when I will get a chance to - and I would guess it will be quite some time before I needs worry about where to go on my own honeymoon.

The shops are faring well - Mister Roundtree, the manager I installed some months ago seems to be doing admirably. As the business has grown so much I have stepped more and more away from running the day to day and now dedicate myself more to the breeding of my plants than to the arrangements. The shop girls are now more than capable of handling the daily orders without supervision.

I have an embarassed confession to make. I have responded to some of the lonely hearts in Witch Weekly. You know that I am a quieter sort of person, and do not get the same pleasure from balls as many young ladies might and I'm unlikely to find love as you have - that sort of passion and falling for someone like that is not in my nature and yet I hope to find the sort of affection that would sweep me off my feet. So I have responded to 2 advertisements from 2 gentleman whose temperments sound like they would be well suited to mine.
I give you leave to judge me mercilessly!

With Love
Benevolence

Melody Crouch

  

---

Lady is a wonder

March 3rd, 1890

Dearest Benevolence,

I'm certain you'll find a way to visit Paris eventually. Perhaps you and I can even take a trip in search of new flowers for your shop some day. I can, as you well know, travel without supervision now. The freedom to move about without constant company is quite liberating. I'm not sure why I never thought of how freeing this would be.

I'm glad to hear your shop is faring well. I hope such trends continue into an overwhelmingly profitable business.

You responded to Witch Weekly advertisements?! I hadn't realized you were in such pursuit of company. Have you recieved responses? Do you have any idea who might they be?

Yours Sincerely,
Melody

  

---

beautiful set by mj

Dear Melody,
I'm glad to hear you are enjoying yourself! It would be lovely to go out and have you act as the chaperon! How very freeing it would be to be entirely on our own. We could walk along the Siene and enjoy ourselves as we did on Hogsmeade weekends without all of the hassle and nosey ears of chaperons.  How is your darling husband?

I am embarassed to admit that I did.  I am not sure what made me do it, but two of the letters seemed so interesting that I could not resist, one is a gentleman who describes himself as being 'challenging' - in my imagination he is something like Mister Rochester in Jane Eyre. The letters are most intriguing and I imagine some dark and handsome gentleman bent over our letters in a dark tower surrounded by dense forest.  The other is a gentleman who apparently does not like being out in society much - much like myself!  It is intersting to be in correspondance with the two gents if nothing else and awaiting the letters has been most diverting.  Perhaps I should make  a point of replying to the letters more often.  when you get home I shall show you all the letters and perhaps we can work out who the gentleman are together.  You would know more of society than I. 

With my love
Benevolence

Melody Crouch

The following 1 user Likes Benevolence Crouch's post:1 user Likes Benevolence Crouch's post
   Aldous Crouch

---

Lady is a wonder

March 13th, 1890

Dearest Benevolence,

Reuben is well. News here remains very much the same. I think I could love Paris if not for missing home. We're hoping a house will be secured for us by April.

Have you had any further letters from your mysterious beau's? What details have they shared about themselves? I love puzzles, as I'm sure you remember. I look forward to helping you make sense of who they are. Do you have a copy of their original advertisement? Perhaps there are some hints there.

Yours Sincerely,
Melody

  

---

beautiful set by mj

Dear Melody

I’ve had 2 since our last letter, one gentleman is so dramatic, a regular Mister Rochester, his life, according to him is so bleak and he talks of the darkness of his life so very often. His letters read less like letters of a gentleman seeking to find affection, but rather someone who needs to pour out the loneliness of his life to another soul.

The other gentleman is more reserved, but I would say he seems almost sadder somehow. The first gent seems to have accepted his lot in life, with all of it’s dark melodrama, the other seems to simply be lonely. His circumstances in life do not seem to match with his personality.

As to who they are I have no idea who they are if I am honest! But when you are home we should have tea and you might be able to discern something from their hand writing.

I heard a rumour in The Painted Lady that a house had been taken for you in Irvingly? Is this true? Are you really coming home soon?

Love Benevolence

  

---

Lady is a wonder

March 27th, 1890

Dearest Benevolence,

Perhaps don't involve yourself with someone so dark. Dark souls only darken everyone around them. I would know, having escaped marrying one myself.

Have you no other clues of the second one? Were you able to find the original advertisement? I fear I can only help so much from so far.

And yes! We will be returning to Scotland shortly. Reuben is very excited to be heading home, but I find I'll miss this city once we're gone. At least Irvingly is somewhat out of sight from Hogsmeade.

Yours Sincerely,
Melody

  

---

beautiful set by mj

Dear Melody
Oh I am so excited! It shall be lovely to have you home! I can't wait to hear all about Paris and the lovely things you've done on your honeymoon! And perhaps we can take a trip over to Paris together once you are well setteled and you can show me all the best sites! I've heard there are wonderful flower sellers along Sienne.

As to the letters, we can have a proper chat as to the correspondence when you get home, but I did manage to find the copy of WW with the letters I responded to. I will take any and all guesses as to either gent might be!

Let me know what date you are expected home.

All my Love
Benevolence.

Included is the page of WW with the 2 advertisements circled

Melody Crouch

  

---

Lady is a wonder

April 1st, 1890

Dearest Benevolence,

I am utterly baffled by Mr. Challenging. There's not a single member of Society I can think to pin him to, how peculiar.

My first instinct for Mr. Responsible is Mr. Percival Adlard Jr. He was recently promoted and has had several features in Witch Weekly. You would have to be accepting of a lame husband, of course, seeing as he walks with a cane, but perhaps there's a future there.

I'll keep my letter short for now. Ben and I are packing to leave for Irvingly. We'll be home soon!

Yours Sincerely,
Melody

  

---

beautiful set by mj