Seward House
Badsey
Evesham
7th May 1913
My dear Cyril,
Your news this morning was not unexpected, I had had my suspicions for some time; you have my very best wishes dear, for yours & Mela’s happiness, she is a nice girl & a good one & I am very fond of her, I have often called her another daughter in fun, & now she is really going to be so.
I hope her Father & Mother will be agreeable to your engagement, it is so much pleasanter when there is no objection from either family; of course you will both have to make up your minds to be patient for a while, but I hope you may get on & that your engagement may not have to be quite such a long one as Arthur’s. You see, even in this matter of getting engaged young, you have had to follow his example! Kathleen has written to May, very delighted at the news she was sending, Mela is sure of a warm welcome from all your brothers & sisters. I must write to her soon, but I am not quite sure that I have her St Leonard’s address, if not, I shall have to send you the letter to forward.
I was intending to write to you tomorrow for your birthday, but now this letter must convey my good wishes, many very happy returns of your birthday my dear boy, & may many years of happiness & good, useful work await you. Father & I are sending you a book which we hope you will like it.
I am getting on a bit, but wish the weather would be more settled so that I could get out more, I hoped to have gone into the garden before dinner, but it is pouring again now (12 o’clock) so I shall have to see what the afternoon is like.
I had a very cheerful letter from Juliet this week, I wonder if you have sent her your news yet? She will be greatly interested, though possibly feeling her nose a little out of joint. She will have to be content to be second now.
Goodbye dear Cyril, with very much love & best wishes
Believe me, ever
Your loving mother
Eugénie N Sladden
