Hetty Feather's Diary: Pen Pals

My name's Hetty Feather - and this is my diary.

When that letter from Ida arrived today, my heart skipped a beat. I love getting letters – especially from my mother because I miss her so much. But this letter wasn’t good news. The old lady (whose household she works for) is moving to Bignor and as her housemaid, Ida’s moving with her. I hadn’t even heard of Bignor but from what she said it was miles away.

Luckily, when I went to clear Master Edwin’s afternoon tea from the library, I had enough time to look in a map. I found Bignor at once. It’s south of London and by the sea! I’ve never even seen the sea but I can imagine it – blue and grey, with big waves. Imagining the sea is all I can do because I’d never make it to Bignor and back on my afternoons off.

I don’t even know how I’d get there - unless a farmer could take me in his horse and cart? Or I could save up my wages to buy a ticket for the steam train but how would I afford a ticket back? But enough of the dreaming, I guess I’ll just write to her instead.

I love writing to Ida. I tell her all my news – what Sheila’s been moaning about, or if Mrs. Calendar has complimented me on my duties. I think keeping in touch with your family and friends is the most important thing in the world even though sometimes writing letters to Ida make me sad. Now she’s moved away, I keep imagining where she is and what her life is like.