A Story of War

I leave Swindon on a pair of sticks, and am met at Harrogate station by Jarvis Blayney and have now been at Rutland House some ten days or so. The gallant Honor Holland went to Switzerland instead, so I have had her. We have a party or two at Mrs Jacobs’, with Mike and Freddie his fiance, and Jarvis and I do a bit of drinking together both at home and at the Red Lion, as well as at the Drovers Arms and the Chequers beyond Ripon. We also pay a visit to Scarscroft, and I get a glimpse of a local beauty called Judy Hare. I go over to Bardsey where Grannie and Aunts Marion and Phyllis are installed, and discover that my great-grandfather was manager of Bramham Moor Stables for some 40 odd years. I also meet Aunt Molly and Jean in Harrogate for lunch, and later visit Aunt Hattie, in a nursing home with a drop of cancer.

Jarvis goes to his work in Batley every day, and I do a bit of walking in the morning and then have lunch with Daph and Nancy at home. I seem to have got over the local infatuation of 18 months ago when I stayed with the Sproats at Rawdon. Much fog and I have a cold. I have a beer or two in the “Prospect Bar” during my morning excursions to Harrogate. I can walk fairly well without crutches, and get exceedingly drunk last Saturday on double Scotches, having exceeded my half dozen.