Shape of Snakes

TWENTY YEARS LATER

Family correspondence prior

to the Ranelaghs' return to England-dated 1999

CURRAN HOUSE

Whitehay Road

Torquay

Devon

Thursday, May 27, 1999

Darling,

I don't know why you always have to get so angry when someone questions your decisions. It's most unladylike to scream like a fishwife down the telephone, particularly when you're three thousand miles away. Of course Daddy and I will be pleased to have you home but you can't expect us to be thrilled about this silly idea to rent a farmhouse in Dorchester. It's over Two hours' drive away, and your father will never be able to manage the double journey in a day. Also, it's hurtful. We've only seen our grandchildren twice in twenty years-each time on very expensive holidays-and we always hoped you'd bring them to live near us when you finally came back.

I can't help feeling it's not too late for me to find you something in Devon. We have a very good real estate agent here who has a list of reasonable properties to rent. Have you taken the trouble to have this farmhouse vetted? The description you gave was very vague, and frankly Ł650 a month sounds very expensive for a house in the middle of nowhere. You do realize, I suppose, that there are a lot of charlatans about and it's very easy to put an advertisement in the "Sunday Times" in the hopes of attracting foreigners to summer lets.

You know I hate to be critical, but I do wonder if Sam and the boys have been consulted about this move. As usual, I fear you have made a unilateral decision and totally ignored the wishes of everyone else. You say you're only renting the farmhouse for three or four months, but do please explain why Dorset is preferable to Devon. It's absurd to say you want to revisit the place where you spent your honeymoon. I thought you had more sense than to pursue holiday memories from 1976.

We 're glad to hear that Sam is on the mend although we found Luke and Tom's flippant references to his "dodgy ticker" somewhat inappropriate, particularly as Sam was clearly listening to the phone call. I find it difficult to believe that they're now eighteen and nineteen. Frankly I'd have expected a little more maturity from boys of their age, and 1 fear you've been spoiling them.

I shall wail to hear re the real estate agent.

All my love, Ma

PS Dear M. personally, thought the "dodgy ticker" was wonderful and loved to hear Sam laugh at the other end. What a marvelous relationship you and he have with your boys and what a blessing they've been these last few months. I'm much looking forward to sharing some of the Ranelagh Jr. fun, even if it means driving two hours to experience it! Tell Luke I have every intention of having at least one go on a surfboard even if I do go "arse over tit" in the process. I may be an old codger, but I'm not in my grave yet.

Dad

XXX

Cape Town

5 June

Dear Mother,

Written in haste. Sorry about the screaming but the line was bad. I enclose a photocopy of the farmhouse details. I have taken up references and am reliably informed that Ł650 is a good price. It would be considerably more, apparently, if it weren't a property of "character," which appears to be real estate-agent shorthand for "somewhat dilapidated." However, Sam and the boys are looking forward to slumming it as much as I am. All being well we should be there by the first week in July and will expect you and Dad at the end of the month. I'll ring to confirm a weekend as soon as we're installed.

We're all fine and send our love to you both.

N