'A Letter from Honeysuckle Harebell~12th September 1908

Dear Great Aunt Mildew,

I must thank you for pulling some strings to get me out of prison. The 'Get Out of Jail Free' card wasn't as useful as I had always imagined. 

Has the trunk arrived? I have been on tenterhooks since I waved it off at Waterloo. Please tell me all is present and correct inside? There were adequate breathing holes, we made sure of that.

Never having travelled by trunk before, I can only hope that Millicent made it safely across the Channel and has arrived with you in Baden Baden, in one piece. Thank you so much, my dear Aunt, for agreeing to looking after our precious cargo until the time is right for her return. I do not think it will be anytime soon however, as things here are getting worse by the day.

Unexpected Grand Tour

I may have mentioned the Tea Time Club to you. Of course, you are now an affiliated member, by proxy, all things considered, so I shall let you in on what happened at our second meeting. We decided to meet in the orchard under the pretence of having a picnic but we were on far more Serious Business.

Peaseblossom had banned the lunar eclipse, can you believe it! Professor Ruckenfigur was apoplectic and he wanted us to take action. His whole life has revolved around staring up into the night sky, pondering lifes’ complexities. The case he put was made with the uttermost eloquence and logic and we were all dumbstruck, apart from Violet who snuffled quietly into a Bunny Rabbit. To cut a long story short, we needed to come up with a plan of action so we decided - to Manipulate Time.

Time is, after all, man made, but the Moon and the Stars cannot be messed about with . If we could somehow convince Peaseblossom and her cronies it was day and not night, Professor Ruckenfigur could watch the eclipse in peace, without fear of reprisals. It was going to take clockwork precision, a lot of black curtains and even some medicinal ‘persuasion’.

Picnic in the Apple Orchard

It was arranged that Percy’s twin brother, Percival, a new member of the Tea Time Club, would put the village clock back an hour every day. Then, while The Peaseblossom was at church on Sunday, Professor Ruckenfigur, who holds no sway with religious beliefs, was to call at her house and demand to wait for her as a matter of urgent importance. While the maid left him sitting in the parlour he was to change the time on all the clocks in the house.(I must say the members are all taking undercover operations in their stride. )

On the day in question , and don’t ask me what day that was, Percy, who is working for us as a double agent, was to invite Peasblossom for luncheon and slip her a sleeping draft. Or was it for breakfast? You see! I am not even sure what time it was, or is, even now.

Percy makes up Time

As for me, the group thought I shouldn't draw attention to myself after the Hoo-Ha regarding my brief stay in prison, so I was tasked with simply walking around the village asking for the time. When the villagers took out their fob watches and replied, I was to say “ Oh but you must be mistaken. I see the village clock says it’s only a quarter past three” and they of course adjusted their timepieces accordingly.  By our reckoning by the night of the lunar eclipse everyone would be so confused as to what time it was they would all be going to bed at precisely 5 o’clock in the afternoon.

Total Eclipse of his heart

Success ! The plan worked- to a certain extent. Professors Ruckenfigur did get to see the Lunar eclipse after all and no one was any the wiser. However Percy, mistakenly gave the sleeping draft not only to Peaseblossom, but themselves and they were both out for the count for two whole days. I, myself, was reported for soliciting, by that dreadful woman at the Salon. Don’t worry dear Aunt, the local Policeman Surge was summoned but I explained to him my actions were entirely misconstrued and he let me off with a caution. Not before I asked him for the time of day of course. I pedalled home again, exultantly, as I am rather getting a taste for this subterfuge.

One exciting thing has come of it all. One of the Professors’ colleagues was so intrigued by the idea of putting the clocks back, he is to put a bill forward in Parliament to have it enshrined in Law ! Apparently they already do this in Canada. Great minds think alike. Elbows up Canada!

But my dear, we now have another challenge on our hands. The local council have cordoned off the Village Green and according to the Bindweed Clarion they intend to chop down the Golden Beech Tree that always plays a starring role in our yearly festivities in Wittering, not to mention being home to so many creatures. They are saying it is a waste of space. Of course the tree represents everything the Magic Deniers are against, the beauty of Nature, the passing of the seasons and history itself. They want it gone and plans are afoot to concrete over the Green and the rose garden and have what is to be called a ‘municipal meeting place’ a place where deals are done, business will thrive, money will be made. Sounds truly dreadful and we have to stop it. Miss. Violet Shrews is, as we speak, chaining herself to the tree in protest.

Violet Protects the Great Tree

I am calling an urgent meeting of the Tea Time Club we must assist her- but before I do that I need to gather my brassicas. Timon Fegust , better dash.

Best wishes

Honeysuckle Harebell

X

P.s. I enclose the key for the trunk, sorry I forgot.

P.p.s. Can you hear a Cat?

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