Seward House
Badsey
27th January 1916
My dear Juliet
I wanted to get your letter written earlier in the week, but it has been rather a full one, especially as May has not been well and we have had to keep her in bed and look after her. She went up to school Monday morning though she was not fit for it, but has not been up since. Mela took her place for a couple of hours yesterday and Ethel is to go tomorrow so that Marjorie can manage. George and Rosie turned up in time for tea on Saturday; she is quite a nice-looking girl and taller than I expected, about Ethel's height I think, indeed when Mary had seen her she was very sad and said she was still the little one. I should think Rosie is quite a nice girl, shy and very quiet with us at first which was rather natural, I daresay on a second visit she would talk more. George of course is very devoted; he was not very fit, having a very heavy cold and he has not quite lost it yet, for finding that this week would be Rosie's late week at her work and that she would not be disengaged till eight o'clock every evening, he decided to take her back on Monday and come down here again on Tuesday till Saturday, so he is with us and has been nursing his cold indoors the last two days.
I will enclose a letter I had from Cyril on Tuesday, send it on to Kathleen when you have read it. It does seem rather hard lines that they should have been sent back to Helles and thus had both evacuations and it really is a great mercy that they got away with so few casualties, it might easily have been a terrible slaughter. Mela has had two letters, one written the 31st December and the other Jan 9 with much the same news, but one he wrote on Xmas Day has not turned up and that may have contained the news he had promised her in his postcard. There is nothing about it in his other letters. Today Father met a man named Lloyd from North Littleton who is in Cyril’s battalion and bound up his wound when he was wounded; this man is now at Abbey Manor. Mela has gone today to nurse a private case under Dr Leslie at Netherton Hall near Elmley Castle, a boy of eight who has to have his tonsils out; she will only be there till Saturday if all goes well. Dr Leslie seems quite ready to find her some work when he can and of course she will be glad to earn a little. I think she was a little nervous at going among strangers. The lady and gentleman called for her in their motor and looked quite nice sort of people, so I hope they will be nice to her. Your report has not turned up. I hope Miss Lacey will be better with a little more care and less work. What about your practising? Do you manage to get some in every day? Baby was very pretty yesterday and she is solemn today, I think her teeth are troubling her. We are much amused to see that her little nurse has an attendant in khaki when she takes Baby out for her walk, someone who had tea here when you were at home. Much better taste than the man who was the former admirer!
It is close on post-time. Much love from us all.
Your loving Mother
Eugénie N Sladden
