Seward House
Badsey
Evesham
11th May 1913
My dear Ethel,
We were very glad to get your letter, we were beginning to wonder when you did mean to write again.
I am very glad you are having a good time & feeling the better for it, by all means stay till next Monday, we can manage quite nicely so long as you are back for the next working party on the 20th.
We have been quite excited about Cyril & Mela’s engagement, they both seem so happy about it, Cyril wrote me such a dear letter, so open & natural, just like himself.
I have never seen Kathleen so excited & pleased about anything, I expect Juliet is also very full of it. She will have enjoyed being with you today, it was kind of Mrs Bowden to ask her, how is she looking now?
We have at last had two fine days & had tea on the lawn this afternoon. I managed to get to church for the Communion Service this morning, Kathleen came out to fetch me across. Poor Mr McDonald died on Thursday morning, he got suddenly worse on Wednesday morning & became unconscious. He is to be buried tomorrow at twelve o’clock, Father is going of course & May will go instead of me, as I cannot. I hear the school children are to line up in the churchyard, so I hope that will help to keep them well behaved & quiet. May will make a wreath tomorrow morning for us to send. I am afraid poor Douglas was too late to see his Father alive, he was to come on Thursday for a fortnight.
It is nice that Kathleen can stay till Wednesday evening, Mrs Byrd is coming to fetch K & me for a drive tomorrow morning if it is fine & Miss Davies & Miss Holtom are coming to tea, also possibly Evelyn. By the bye Clara Byrd declares that there are expectations at the Vicarage & before so very long too; I wonder if she is right. Poor Mrs Swift is very ill, inflammation of the liver. Dr Harthan scarcely thought she was going to pull round, but Father enquired on Friday & she was a little better. Dr Leslie said I was better on Friday, but must go on with the medicine for some weeks, he is coming one day this week & after that is going away for several weeks, so I hope by that time to be able to manage without a doctor as I don’t want to have to start yet another doctor.
I hope it will be fine for Bank holiday, Lizzie & Norah are very pleased because we are letting them both go out tomorrow evening; Norah is getting on so well, we are quite pleased with her. You will be pleased to hear that the drawing room, dining room & hall are spring cleaned, I had Fanny Jelfs in two days to help, so now there is not much more to finish.
Muriel & Mrs Ashwin have been so kind in coming in to see me, one of them came in every morning while May was at school & the old lady brought me in some flowers one morning. They are both quite interested & pleased about Cyril’s & Mela’s engagement & as for the Byrds, they are quite delighted & appeared to have discussed it as a desirable arrangement, though without having thought it likely.
Father & Kathleen are discussing Norway trip but I think I must stop them as it is past prayer-time. Remember me kindly to the Bowdens & with much love
I remain
Your loving mother
Eugénie N Sladden
