More Bounce to the Ounce

mood: bouncy

I did take Merope's hat, but I was not playing dress-up, I am too old for that. I was just trying it on to see how it looks. Fiammetta Scalara, who I'm not supposed to talk to, is already allowed to put up her hair and I wanted to know how mine would look. Fiammetta wears a corset and long skirts already too. I saw her and Lavvy Parkinson coming up the street today laughing. There was a black kitten in Lavvy's hair and they were all wet from the rain. It looked like fun but I am not allowed to go out without Mummy or Merope.

Mummy says I will get long skirts when I get breasts. I think Fiammetta already has them. Mummy said she would not be surprised since her mother is a Scarlet Woman. (She likes that word a lot.)

I did not take Merope's ginger soap. Spotted Dick did it. He likes soap if it is round like a ball and he can roll it around on the floor. He also likes lace. He bit the lace off the cuffs of my favourite blouse.

My cousin Arianwen did something real bad. Merope didn't want to explain it to me. She did it with a leadhead. Mummy is furious about it but Merope wants us to sit with her on the train. I think this is one of the Things We Don't Talk To Mummy About. There are a lot of them and the older I get the better I understand why.

I don't know how I am ever going to sleep tonight! I am too excited!!!! But I can't say that or Mummy will give me laudanum because she insists that I must be Well Rested on the train.

mood: bouncy

I haven't heard from Jennie in a while. I'd like to have her to tea, but I suppose there isn't time before school. I wonder if I owe her a letter or the other way round.

Spotted Dick is being a bad kitty today.

I don't want to go to sleep.

mood: guilty

I got it! I received my letter from the Academy! Of course Mummy and Daddy said it was almost a lock. Everyone in our family has gone. (I'd hate to be the Dee who didn't!)

Now I can go to school with Merope, rather than just listening to her stories at holidays. She's almost done with her schooling. She'll be frightfully busy with exams, so she won't have any time to spend with me, but at least I'll see her. I do hope they'll let me take my cat. Yes, yes, it says cats are allowed for first years.

I thought it would be the most wonderful day...only I'm in Caerleon.

Mummy says she can't believe I'm not in Avalon. She and Daddy were in Avalon and so were my aunts Gloriana and Gemma. Uncle Corvus was in Pelby. Mummy is very angry, she says if I couldn't make Avalon they should have put me in Pelby, something must have gone terribly wrong, and they paid the fees.

I feel like I have done something wrong, and I don't know why. I answered all the examiners' questions honestly...?