Ashbourne
26 Radnor Park Road
Folkestone
12th December 1901
My dearest Husband,
I was very pleased to get your letter at breakfast-time & will now answer it.
I was lucky in my weather yesterday to go to Ash & Deal, it was a lovely day, but this morning is very rough & pours with rain.
Aunt Susan was very pleased to see me, she looks a bit older & thinner poor thing, otherwise much as usual & interested in everybody & everything. I think the poor old soul feels her isolation very much, & I actually saw her wipe away a few tears when she said she had out-lived nearly all her old friends. Kathleen will I know be delighted to hear that I am bringing home an old portrait of the “original Mrs Noakes” our great-grandmother, which Aunt gave me.
The omnibus took me back in nice time for the 1.18 from Sandwich & Anna met me at Deal. Uncle & Aunt George are both pretty well, but I can see them both a good bit aged since my last visit. Aunt gave me my usual Xmas box & Uncle £4 for the children to be divided as we thought best.
Charlotte met me at 6.45 & I was in time to see your Mother & have a little chat before she went to bed. She gets into the sitting room now for a few hours daily; she looks very feeble & thin, & I should doubt if she ever gets as strong as she was before this attack; her appetite is tolerable & she sleeps pretty well. She seemed pleased to see me, & a little disappointed at the idea of my only stopping one night, so I have arranged to stay till tomorrow morning & shall take the 10 o’clock train.
John ages a good deal & does not seem very firm on his feet, & Charlotte seems to me more restless than ever, I wish she could learn to sit still occasionally, she wears herself to a thread, & I think it must be wearing to her husband also.
I am so sorry May had a bad head-ache, I am afraid she & Ethel have rather too much to do in my absence; my love to them & also to my dear little pet, thank her for her letter, I will answer it & May’s another time.
Do you want me to see about the curtain while at Richmond? If so, tell me how much I may give for it & I will see if I can get one there.
Fred was to be in London some time this week & would go down to Richmond, I hope I shall not miss him by staying on here, but I did not like to disappoint poor old Granny. I will enclose a note for Marian Ashwin. I must also write to the boys, I am so pleased that Cyril was top.
Marian Sladden leaves her situation at Xmas, the numbers in the school are so diminished that they can no longer keep so many governesses.
With much love to all & especially to yourself, dear
I am
Your loving wife
Eugénie N Sladden
