Seward House
Badsey
11th February 1916
My dear Juliet
I have been kept in bed since last week until yesterday when the Doctor let me get up a little while and now I am in the armchair by the fire again so I hope I am not to be kept an invalid too long.
I expect you enjoyed your weekend at Sydenham, I am glad you could meet Rosie. She certainly is very quiet and I don't think we can get to know much of her till she is alone with us; probably you and Ethel would make her talk more after a bit, I think really she is afraid of Kathleen. That naughty George has never written to me since he left here and we don't know what day he is coming to say goodbye, his time is short now. We have no further news of Cyril yet. Mela’s brother, Cecil, came down yesterday for one night and they were able to talk over probable arrangements for her wedding whenever Cyril turns up; we should have liked it to be here but I think the Brown Constables may prefer to have it in London.
The concert here on Tuesday went off very well I hear; Mela’s songs were both encored and so was Miss Allan’s and her playing and there were two or three other performers new to the audience.
Tomorrow is the Russian Flag Day, so that Ethel is still flying from pillar to post and I shall be thankful when it is done with. Mela went to tea at the Vicarage today, she and Basil made quite good friends, he gets such a big boy and now is allowed to walk out of doors a bit. Baby Dorothy is inclined to be rather squeaky at times, I think her teeth rather bother her, she will be six months old tomorrow and her Daddy has sent a shilling for her money box! I expect Mary will be leaving us soon, they want her badly at Dowlais, but she is rather waiting on in hopes of hearing when Cyril is coming. We might get a letter tomorrow on Monday of latter date than his telegram.
Mrs New and her sister, Miss Roscoe, were here to tea today. Dorothy was taken down to see them and the others were much amused with the way she got hold of Miss Roscoe's ear trumpet with both hands, put it to her mouth and shouted down it! It is to be hoped it was not one of her loudest shouts or it might have been somewhat painful. Father is pleased that the very last of his apples are now sorted and packed ready for market. Considering I have been a prisoner all the week, I seem to have managed quite a long letter. How is Miss Lacey? I hope better.
With much love dear from
Your loving Mother
Eugénie N Sladden
