Your letter is so very clever I could not follow it, but I should certainly object most strongly if the District Counsel tried to interfere; he is only a greengrocer with a quite small shop and a nursery garden, and he would not dare go against Leslie; such a common little man too, though always most civil and obliging, but if Mr. Bunseer says one single word I shall go to the Stores instantly. They send out here twice a week as he knows perfectly well, and the idea of this insignificant little man interfering in my house is a most unheard of state of things and I would never for one moment allow it. Really I do not know what things are coming to nowadays.
What delightful weather we are having again.
Yours very sincerely,
P.S.—Can you get me some old oak beams for it do you think?
Lady Brash does not appear to have been “psychoed” yet, but she knows well how to stand at bay and, ridiculous as is her view of the matter, she is nearer the truth than Spinlove. Mr. Bunseer is presumably the Chairman of the District Council, or possibly a notorious member of it; at any rate local authority is, for some reason, identified with him in the lady’s mind.
The boxroom is evidently cheek by jowl with the tankroom, and the noises complained of are merely manifestations of the healthy, joyous life of cisterns and of ball cocks that are out Of knowledge to all who do not seek community with them. Lady Brash’s realization of the Ideal Home presents a charming domestic interior: the fond wife sitting secluded and remote and lulled by the murmuring song of the cisterns, suddenly warned, by their glad outburst into full triumphant symphony, that her Leslie has returned to her and is having a bath.
Flush tanks are the source of other water-noises. The full-toned, reverberating flush tank or “water waste preventer,” which is offered in-great variety and at most reasonable prices by a large number of manufacturers, appears, however, to be popular, and those in search of a powerful instrument will like to know of Gladdener’s “Orchestral” in D flat major with domed resonator and piccolo cadenza as finale.
Lady Brash is, of course, quite astray in supposing that warmth is inherent in her snuggery. The cause of the room’s being hot in summer is that its outer fabric is ineffective as an insulator. This will also make it cold in winter, because the wide expanse of roof which allows outside warmth to pass readily in will equally readily allow interior warmth to pass out. We know that Spinlove hung his files to battens nailed direct to the rafters without any intervening boarding and felt, and, although the place is plastered, Lady Brash’s snuggery is unlikely to bring perfect content to anyone not previously acclimatized to Arctic exploration as well as to the stoking of battleships in the Persian Gulf.
Experienced architects will recognize in this episode a trait of human nature which leads certain clients who are discerning in requiring the nicest efficiency in the arrangements made for them, to rejoice in makeshifts and discomforts of their own devising. We may be sure that Lady Brash will continue to broil or shiver in her posh cubby-hole up among the cisterns to the limits of her endurance, and, when the stimulus of novelty no longer supports her resolution, will find some other reason than the true one for her defection.
SPINLOVE TO LADY BRASH
Dear Lady Brash, 9.9.26.
Of course there is no harm unless the Authorities find out about the use being made of the boxroom, but I thought you would like to know how things were.
The noises you describe are quite usual. There is no danger of any kind and you will be glad to hear there is no access to the tankroom, except by the door, so that if you lock it and keep the key yourself you can be certain no one is in there.
I expect you will find you will want quite a good fire in the winter. There will not be much sun to warm the place then, will there?
A lift would no doubt be a great convenience, as you say; but I am afraid it could only be accessible from the kitchen or the dining-room, and that would not be very convenient, would it? Then, of course, it would mean taking square bits out of the dining-room and the bedrooms on the first and second floor; have you thought of that, I wonder?
Yes, the weather has been delightful, but I am sorry to see in to-day’s paper that a change is coming.
Yours sincerely,
P.S.—If I come across any old oak beams for sale that will fit I will let you know, but I fear that is not very likely.
If Spinlove had any sense of humour he could not write such a letter as this; but we know he has none, and perhaps he is, on this occasion, lucky, for his nervous solicitude is the result of experience that has taught him never to appear to oppose the lady’s wishes, and that any indication of decisive contrary opinion will have the effect of opposition. Spinlove writes as though the poor woman were only half-witted, but in doing so he seems—if I may obtrude the opinion—on the safe side.
LADY BRASH TO SPINLOVE
Mr. Spinlove,10.9.26.
I was so much relieved to get your nice letter as Mr. Bunseer never comes to the house and I have now given strict orders that no one is allowed further than the passage and keep the cisterns locked up although I am sure he would never dream of doing such a thing, and I am bound to say that he is always fresh though the Stores is not but of course we rely on the garden for most of them.
They all tell me there is dry rot Mr. Grigsby has been seeing about, but I always wanted a dry one [?house] so I suppose now it is finished it cannot be helped if it is too dry, but that is better than a damp one for my dear mother was a martyr and a cousin as well and I take after both.
We are giving a small dance on the 27th as the 26th is Sunday and hope to have the pleasure of seeing you and staying the night. We dine at seven.
How quickly the evenings are drawing in though still quite light in the morning!!
Yours sincerely,
We are not, I think, to understand that the lady has any fear of Mr. Bunseer hiding in the tankroom. What she means to say is that as Bunseer never comes to the house he can learn nothing of the converted boxroom, that to make things quite safe she has forbidden any tradesman to come into the house at all, and that she has ordered the tankroom to be kept locked, but not-she is careful to let Spinlove understand—from any fear of Bunseer, whose vegetables are always fresh although those supplied by the Stores are not.
SPINLOVE TO GRIGBLAY
Dear Sir, 10.9.26.
Will you send cheque for £6 to Borter as extra on bird-bath. He came to see me some time ago and called again yesterday bringing his correspondence with the quarry company. It seems that he sent them my sketch and depended on their measures in making out his tender, but they carelessly took the scale to be 1 in. instead of 1/2 in., and gave him a wrong figure so that he is out of pocket. He is in quite a small way of business, working himself with the help of two or three journeymen, and I have decided he ought to be allowed the cost of the stone he used.
I am expecting to receive Mr. Grigblay’s promised proposal for settlement of items still in dispute.
Yours faithfully,
Spinlove has no right to do this. It is to be hoped that neither Brash nor anyone else would wish to profit by the misfortunes of an artist who has made a beautiful thing for him with his own hands, or to take advantage of a technicality which enables him to force an individual craftsman to bear the cost of the work instead of paying for it himself; but it is not for the architect to usurp his employer’s discretion and, on an impulse of vicarious generosity, make a present of his client’s money as Spinlove here does. His duty, as Brash’s architect (or agent) was to give Borter exact particulars; examine the tender so as to assure himself that Borter understood what was wanted and was not opening his mouth too widely; then set up an exact contract, And see that it was exactly completed. All Spinlove was entitled to do when Borter made his appeal was to master the facts and lay them before Brash with any representations he thought fit to make. If Brash then elected to pay, payment would more appropriately be made by Brash’s cheque drawn in favour of Barter and transmitted by Sp
inlove, than by making it an extra under the contract, for it is not an extra, but a free gift by Brash; and as a gift was all Borter was entitled to ask for it is right he should understand that what he has received is a gift and nothing but a gift. I have assumed Borter’s to be a genuine case; but though we may sympathize with him we need not condone his inability to take care of himself. After all, business is business. Borter and his kind bring discredit on the calling of individual craftsman which, above all others, deserves well of architects; and if Spinlove feels as I do, he will not employ Borter next time he wants a bird-bath or a sundial.
RIDDOPPO AGAIN
BRASH TO SPINLOVE
Dear Mr. Spinlove, 18.9.26.
My protracted absence on an unexpected prolonged round of visits to yachting and other sporting acquaintances has postponed the earlier transmission of my correspondence with Messrs. Russ and the Riddoppo Company anent the failure of the paint, which I now enclose herewith for your perusal previous to our anticipated meeting on the 25th. It would be advantageous if you would be so obliging as to allocate the forenoon of the 26th to a discussion of the proposition which will then be assisted by the convenient presence of the defective paintwork.
I am considerably astonished at the attitude now adopted by MY friend Mr. Ziegfeld Swatmug, under whose personal recommendation I eventually arrived at the final decision to utilize Riddoppo; but you will see that the failure of the paint is demonstrably due to the remission of Mr. Grigblay to apply Riddoppo by methods sufficiently workmanlike to procure desirable results. This—may I be permitted to remind you—is precisely what I have all along prognosticated.
As you are aware, I have caused the disastrous consequence of the disintegration of the paint to be mitigated by the application of frequent scrubbings, and it is desirable that I should intimate for your information that this arduous duty has made it imperatively necessary to further augment the domestic staff, and that I am keeping an exact account of the extra disbursement occasioned. The dilapidated aspect of Riddoppo is, as you must have discerned, a perfect disgrace to any gentleman’s house, and I desire that Mr. Grigblay should be finally informed that remedial action without further protracted delay is at once imperatively necessary.
Yours sincerely,
It will be remembered that, four months before, a deadlock was produced by Grigblay’s flatly refusing to accept responsibility for, or have any hand in the restoration of, the defective Riddoppo paint, and that Brash then said he was going to take the advice of his solicitors.
(ENCLOSURE 1) RUSS AND CO., SOLICITORS, TO BRASH
Dear Sir, 28.5.26.
In accordance with instructions you gave to Mr. Russ in interview on 7th May to take Counsel’s opinion, we referred the case for the opinion of Mr. Geoffrey Chawlegger, K.C., and this opinion we have now received.
We do not enclose the opinion as it is of considerable length and highly technical, but Mr. Chawlegger holds the saw view of the facts as Mr. Russ expressed to you in conversation, and which may be stated as follows:
1. Your letter to your architect of 24th September 1925, instructing him to order Grigblay, the builder, to use Riddoppo paint, and stating that you accepted responsibility for so ordering after Grigblay had previously, in his letter of 22nd September 1925, objected to the paint and refused to take responsibility for the results of using it, absolves Grigblay from any liability for defects which subsequently manifested themselves, except defects which can be shown to be due to his neglect to use reasonable care in applying the paint.,
2. The Riddoppo Company is responsible to you for breach of warranty if it can be shown that the paint was not suitable for the purpose for which it was supplied.
3. The Riddoppo Company is not responsible to Grigblay for breach of warranty in supplying, and Grigblay is not responsible to the Riddoppo Company for negligence in applying the paint.
4. Your right of action is against the Riddoppo Company for breach of warranty, or against Grigblay for negligence, or you may cite both and make them jointly defendants to an action for damages.
5. The architect is not responsible to you for breach of warranty by the Riddoppo Company, but action may lie against him for negligence in not seeing that the paint was properly applied, and he may be joined as defendant in any action you may bring against the builder.
In view of this opinion we think it desirable to settle the matter by getting the parties each to agree to bear a portion of the cost of renovation; failing which we think your only course will be to make all three joint defendants of an action for damages.
Yours faithfully,
(ENCLOSURE 2) BRASH TO RUSS AND CO.
Dear Mr. Russ, 2.6.26.
I have perused your communication with some consternation as it intimates, I apprehend, that a considerable period of time must elapse before the desired renovation will be eventually completed. Is there any prohibited reason why I should not employ some person to carry out the necessary restoration of the paintwork as a preliminary to suing the defendants for the amount of my consequent disbursement?
Yours sincerely,
(ENCLOSURE 3) RUSS AND CO. TO BRASH
Dear Sirs, 5.6.26.
In the event of both Grigblay and the Riddoppo Company refusing to restore, you are entitled to have the renovations carried out and to include the cost of the work in your statement of claim in any action you may take. It is, however, imperative that the work done should be confined to putting the paintwork into the condition in which it would be if the defendants had fulfilled their obligations. It will also be advisable to have technical evidence that nothing more was done than was necessary to this end.
Yours faithfully,
(ENCLOSURE 4) BRASH TO SWATMUG
My dear Mr. Swatmug, 9.6.26.
I anticipate you will remember that some twelve months ago you were so very obliging as to interest yourself anent a certain small domestic building-adventure of mine, and to strongly recommend a new novelty super-paint manufactured by Riddopo, Ltd., of which you are, I think, chairman; and that you also most kindly introduced me to an official of the Riddoppo Company who gave me most invaluable advice upon the appropriately suitable variegation of tints to be selected, and for which kind assistance I had occasion to offer you my very sincere appreciation and thanks.
I regret, however, to communicate that a very brief period of time after the completion of the interior painting of my house, Riddoppo commenced to disintegrate and peel off in a Most alarming manner, and it is now demonstrably evident, I am pained to intimate, that the whole work will have to be again renewed as it is in a deplorable condition and a disgrace to any gentleman’s domicile, as you would, I am confident in thinking, most emphatically agree. The builder, who is a somewhat rough, obstreperous fellow, disclaims all responsibility as he asseverates that he used Riddoppo, by my orders which—I need hardly tell you—I did not hesitate to give him after so strong a recommendation from yourself.
It will, as you will perceive, be a very great advantage to me under these distressing circumstances if you would grant me the privilege of consulting you and availing myself of your abundant stores of experienced knowledge; and if you could spare us the pleasure of your company at Honeywood for a week-end—or longer if possible—or can at any time concede us a single night of your valuable time, Lady Brash and myself would have most extreme pleasure in entertaining you.
It is a considerable interval since I had the good fortune to meet you, but I often hear from friends of the activities of your busy life which, I trust, continue to prosper.
Believe me, my dear Mr. Swatmug,
Ever yours sincerely,
(ENCLOSURE 5) BRASH TO SWATMUG
My dear Mr. Swatmug, 27.6.26.
I ventured to indite a missive to you some three weeks ago anent the Riddoppo paint you were so very land as to recommend for the interior decorations of an unpretentious house I was building. As I have received no expected reply, it occurs to me either that pos
sibly you never received my letter or that, by some unfortunate disaster, yours to me has gone astray.
Lady Brash and myself have been looking forward to the pleasure of offering you the hospitality of Honeywood Grange, and- live in hopes that the enjoyable event win not long be delayed.
Ever, my dear Mr. Swatmug,
Yours very sincerely,
(ENCLOSURE 6) SWATMUG TO BRASH
My Dear Brash, 4.7.26.
Yes, I received your “missive” and must apologize for not having answered it before, but what with being much abroad and having several flotations in hand, and then this wretched divorce action which you must have heard of, I am afraid your letter escaped my attention.
I am pleased to have been of service to you so think nothing more about that, but I am not clear what the matter is you refer to. However, I have nothing now to do with the Riddoppo Company as I resigned from the Board when they wrote down the capital, so I fear I can be of no further use to you; but in any case I know nothing whatever about paint, though I always understood Riddoppo was a sound proposition and what you say is news to me.
Honeywood Settlement Page 14