Seward House
Badsey
27th March 1916
My dear Jack
I don't know whether you or Kathleen happened to look at The London Gazette on Saturday, I did, and am very pleased to see that Cyril is promoted to Temporary Captain from Dec 9. We are so pleased about it and think it will be a cheering little bit of news for Mela. I had a postcard from the latter this morning and she seems to find Folkestone very interesting and I hope the change will do her good. I heard from Mary this morning. Arthur had written to say that leave was being granted again and that he was applying for some, so after all he may turn up before so very long for. I am so glad their flat is let again. Will you tell Kath I have written to Miss Lacey to ask if Juliet could be spared to come home next Saturday and told her why I wanted her. Of course she may not agree to her doing it, but it would be rather a good thing. I can manage quite all right but it is rather hard on May to have quite so much to see about as well as her school-work. I expect you are rather glad to have heard decidedly from the Inland Revenue about your joining the army or not, it is very trying to have one's future plans so undecided. I do hope you will get the Saturday before Easter off as that would give you quite a nice little holiday and so you good. Father used your bicycle for some days while his was being mended and one of the wipers is rather leaky, so he will have it seen to before Easter. Atwood tells him it is such a good bicycle that it would be well worth over-hauling it and doing up.
My last letter from George came about ten days ago. They had then been moving on for several days and were in a part that had not seen British soldiers. Mrs Warner's grandson, Bert Jelfs, who is in a Worcester Battalion, says they have gone "nigh Verdun" and Ada's brother who is in the 2nd Worcestershire also says they are near there and have had some fighting, but possibly their ideas of near may be a good many miles off, they certainly are nearer than they were.
We have had a few brighter days lately, though the wind keeps cold. I was actually able to go to church both Saturday morning and yesterday and had a little walk this morning, but this afternoon is dull again and the wind has gone back to the east.
I am afraid we have lost Juliet's poor black cat, we have not seen since last Monday and he has never stopped away so long as that before; I hear people who keep pigeons are rather apt to trap or kill cats, so I am afraid he has come to grief as we can hear nothing of him.
With our love to you and Kathleen.
I am
Your loving Mother
Eugénie N Sladden
