Gloucester House
Surbiton
6th January 1885
My dearest Husband,
I received your letter yesterday evening by the seven o’clock post & was glad to hear that the children were better. I had a drive with Fanny this morning & a long nap this afternoon being thoroughly tired, so that I must write your letter this evening in time for early post tomorrow. I have been sleeping much better the last two or three nights & feel altogether much better.
Evey & Charlie have gone to the fancy dress party tonight, Dresden China & Prince Rupert looked very nice in their dresses, though the latter insisted on putting on a false moustache which did not much improve his personal appearance. Fanny & Charlie have just gone off to see them all enjoy themselves, so I am having a solitary evening, which I intend improving by writing to thank Fred for his cheque for the Church. Tomorrow is the party at Mrs Butler’s, so I shall have another lonely evening. Phillis’s wages are £3 5 0 a quarter. Have the hams been sent to [?] yet to be smoked? they must be more than sufficiently pickled by this time, I had forgotten to enquire about them. We have heard of Papa’s & Fanny’s safe arrival in Paris, they had a calm passage & were not ill. Kiss my darlings for me, I hope you are keeping quite well & not working too hard, let the junior partner do his share when he comes back.
Goodbye my darling, with fond love, I am as ever
Your loving wife
Eugénie N Sladden
P.S. If Mrs Byrch is at the party give her my love & thanks for her kind letter.
