July 28, 1895 - Paris, France

Darling Lincoln,

I find it hard to believe every day that you yet continue to age so forgive me for sending along what may be a rather juvenile gift but I simply could not pass up the opportunity!

Aunt Viola and I were passing through the most beautiful little market yesterday and I found for you an enchanted compass! It doesn’t point North, so it is perfectly useless for travel, but it’s very good at finding lost things and I thought of your school trunk immediately. Just whisper the name of the item you seek and give it a tap with your wand. It should lead you in the right direction since I am not there to help these days!

Paris is lovely but I won’t bore you with the details.

I miss you, Link. Tell me, what news is there of Dashwood House? Any gossip or petty theft?

(More seriously, how are you faring these long months at home? Is Mama utterly unbearable?)

I expect a full report on your summer mischief by owl before next week, or I shall be forced to write a lengthy letter home about how you’ve taken up dueling or worse.

Write soon!

Yours always,
Poppy

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(Enclosed in brown paper with a red flower is the aforementioned compass. Poppy has had it engraved with Link’s initials.)

Lincoln Dashwood

  

August 3, 1895

Dear Poppy,

It is not juvenile at all! I think it will come in very useful. Sometimes the more mean boys at school take my stuff and scatter them around like some demented scavenger hunt. This will make gathering them up much easier.

I miss you as well, Poppy. There is no particular news here other than Papa continues to die. Of course I do not wish him to die but he has been at it for a rather long time. What if he is faking because he does not want to do work anymore?

Mama has made me dress too warm for the summer weather numerous times. She did allow me to go to some of the events held for children my age though. It was quite fun.

If Mama thinks I have been dueling, she will put bars on my windows next.

Sincerely,
Lincoln O.R. Dashwood

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   Poppy Dashwood

July 30, 1895 - Paris, France

Darling Lincoln,

Who dares to bully you?! Send me their names immediately and I will have it dealt with within a fortnight even from Paris! How DARE anyone accost you! By Merlin they are blastedly lucky I find myself abroad for the season! I have not outgrown my deviousness yet that anyone should be safe lest they attempt to hurt or treat you poorly in any way! I have my contacts too. People that would be more than happy to play a nasty trick or two on the deserving! Or even the undeserving.

As for Papa, I do rather agree with you. Aunt Viola has even stopped asking when I should like to return home to see him. It seems Mama's letters have grown infrequent with updates. If I had an excuse, I shouldn't like to work anymore either, though I can't imagine what he is trying to escape... Maybe Mama herself.

I'm sorry about the dress... she gets worse with each passing day, doesn't she? It must be her way of missing Lau

I hope to be home soon, even if only for a short visit. There are some interesting friends I've made here in my time away that I shouldn't like to be away from too long! I won't say any more than that.

Missing you terribly, as always,
Poppy

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Lincoln Dashwood

  

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