Charming Friends,

May we introduce our favourite niece, Kitty? This lovely lady is our new Darling Correspondent At Large. We commend her to you as one of the most naturally charming Darlings and a jolly good writer to boot. We are certain you will adore Kitty as much as we do ... and hope she will not object to our publishing her letter below.

XXOO
Darla and Blossom Darling

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To my dearest Darling aunts Darla and Blossom,

Oh, how I miss you at this trying time of year! Don’t worry. I have survived Christmas, but I never feel quite as at ease with my non-Darling family as I do with you. How funny it is that I am reading ‘Cold Comfort Farm’ as I visit my relations in the country this week. Of course they are very good people, but like the protagonist of the novel, Flora Poste, I take it upon myself to introduce into their world a little bit of order and refinement which, alas, I think has been lacking in their lives for some time.

My dear aunts, I have important news which I need to tell you, and I hope that you will not be too distressed. My trip to Victoria has made me realise that it is time for me to move into the world independently. I am, as you know, almost at the year of twenty and six, and as a young woman I feel it is time for me to contribute something to the world, something of grace and elegance as you yourselves have done. I have decided that I would like to live in the city of Melbourne where I have many friends and some non-Darling family who I feel need my influence in their lives. I do not yet know precisely where I will live or what I will do with myself, but I feel it is time for me to leave the nest, as it were, that you have so lovingly created for me and learn to support myself. I will miss you both greatly of course, and you must come to visit me at every chance. Melbourne has so much to offer, especially in art, dining, and most importantly, of course….fashion! I shall write to you frequently about all of my adventures there and the people that I meet and the clothes that I buy. I will see you in Canberra before my move, but only briefly as my new life strongly beckons me.

I do hope that you enjoyed a divine Darling Christmas and that you are not too dismayed at my news.

With much love to you both and also to the beautiful Miss Cloud,

Your niece from afar,

Kitty Darling xx

PS. Oh my gosh, I need the Bettie Page Green ‘Ella’ dress! Do you have one in my size?

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By the way Charming Friends, we are ordering the frock for our lovely niece and just know she will look divine in it. D&B