Dearest csin.

I am tying to wrte to u, need in as I m ut.

Dearest Cousin.

I must apologize for my last note to you and the long wait for this one. My maid conveyed that you did faint at the sight of my rather short note.

As you know ink is not as easy to get at the moment with the colonies being difficult. As such it took entirely too long for a new supply to come in.

The ink I am constrained to use is not the best. I had tried to send the short note so that you would not worry. It seems to have done the opposite for that I am truly sorry.

I have recieved a letter addressed to me with a most unusual seal on it, however father seems to have kept it instead. I do not know the contents of the letter.

Also father is being entirely unreasonable. I should have just taken my maid and gone to that rather seedy inn. However I did mention this to Mother to my misfortune. She conveyed it to father who was most unreasonable. He has expressly forbidden me to leave the house as it is not proper for a young lady to visit such places. He further continues to refer to me as Carl. I swear I am ready to scream most unladylike.

Indeed his has used his sway with the academy and had two of the lady magess to accompany me to the dressmakers for a fitting.

Speaking of dressmakers, father did surprise me, he ordered two travel gowns and a dock gown to be made for me. He spoke of the cuts and cloth to a very high detail. I was truly shocked he would know so much about ladies garments. It is just a dock dress and not a ship dress so it would seem I am to meet someone on the docks in Queenstown. He has been further annoying to the secret of such a meeting. I must admit, the cuts and style of the dresses will be most fine and flattering.

Father has refused to have the sword removed from the door. It is most embarrassing when people doth call for tea. Indeed just two days agone the Queen and her niece did pay a call again. It was evident she was most displeased with the sword in door.

I have told no one that you know the whereabouts of Charles. I do hope he is ok. I find it most distressing to not know more. I do wish we could meet but as father seems most adamant to keep me protected, like some fancy piece of delicate glass, there is very little I can do.

I do understand your feelings in regard to men. It doth seem that as the days pass I am become more and more of a young lady. At times it seems like our former male days were but a dream. I do continue to hold out hope that this can be reversed.

I must report something most strange to you. You do remember the roses my mother keeps in the garden. The ones that never seem to bloom unless Grandmama has visited to tend them. I had been a helping her in the garden as she continues to teach me that which a young lady of quality should know. I dare say one of those blasted flowers did injure my gloved finger. A few days later my maid did enter my bedchamber with a vase of bloomed roses. She claims they are picked from that bed of flowers.

I hoped perhaps that I could redo that test we did try in our youth. It tis suppose to be a simple chant and the candle will light. I did try most hard but alas the candle would not light. Indeed I worked so hard and diligently at it that I doth perspire from it. Without grandmama to advise me I may have misdone the spell.

I cannot believe I am to write this but I would be honored to attend your wedding should you have one.

Fathers drinking seems to have slowed.

Love Lady Colleen.

Dear brother.

I have most definitely not forgotten of that absurd summer. I will most assuredly fall upon my sword if that were to pass again. I refuse to be anyones maid again.

You may have an open mind in that regard but I most definitely did not enjoy of that.

I did write a suitable, and calm note, explaining what we know thus far to mother. She did send a letter to my daughter with one of her seals on it. I do not know if the seal is magicked or not. It looks to be plain wax but with mother you can never be to careful. As such I have the letter in my drawer till I get a reply as to the nature of the seal.

I am trying to accept that my Carl is now a young lady. It is most hard. I have not had the time to accept this as you have.

As per mothers letter if she doth return in a fortnight it would undoubtedly be at the Queenstown docks. I have ordered suitable garmets for my daughter made. I fear I may have expressed far to much intimate a knowledge when I did so.

To my vexation that blasted sword refused to move from the door. For now I am portraying the appearance of a vexed father over his daughter.

I fear I may also get a note from King George about that sword as the Queen was most displeased with my apparent refusal to remove it.

I do not know if you were informed of such but my daughter did try to sneak away to meet with someone in a seedy place of the city. If your daughter had a hand in this I suggest you take a hand in preventing them from causing more trouble or finding it.

Of note my wife did find the tale of our summer when we were eight most amusing. Indeed she never did suspect that her young maid at the time was I.
Rest assured she doth claim nobody would believe her anyways.

I gather mother did not explain the spell to you that was used on us. It is not a true transformation spell. It was mostly a compulsion to behave as a young maid. I am told it is referred to as a glamour and such spells cannot last long. What has been done to our sons is different. No one in the academy seems to have any clue as to how it was accomplished.

I do seek your advice on one subject. Young Lord Mathis is besotted with my daughter and doth find all manner of excuses to hound me for permission to court her. I do not know what to do with the boy to discourage his behavior.

I am tired so I will wax this and send it on with the mornings post.

Your brother Everett.