Seward House
Badsey
15th July 1915
My dearest wife
I will begin a letter to you while waiting for tea. I was glad to hear from Aunt Lizzie that you were better, please tell her I received the 2/6 PO all right. I too forgot something and that was my umbrella. You can either send it by parcel post or take it with you to Folkestone and bring it home with you. Everything went well in our absence and although the girls are busy they make light of the work and say they are positively happy without a servant. By the way it seems Queenie has left her place and spent part of her fortune in travelling down to see Ivy, now she appears to have gone to her sisters, these silly girls seem to court disaster and are as a moth to a candle. The wounded soldiers had again to put off their visit as an inspection was on today, now Monday has been fixed. It is still fine here but looks unsettled at times. This afternoon it is somewhat breezy and would not have been very nice for sitting in the garden. The Californian poppy is well out and I sent Mrs Ashwin in three nice blooms today. The roses are still very beautiful and the garden generally in best form. The small fruit is most abundant and takes a lot of picking. We shall be glad of plenty next Monday and we think raspberries and cream may be popular. Ypers was very glad to see me and came with Ethel a little way to meet me on my return. Charlotte seems to have a fit of nerves about the Germans getting to Calais and writes to ask if she may store some things here. I have written to try and calm her fears, at any rate she might await their arrival at Calais before doing anything. She seems to think if they get there the German army will land at Dover next day! I have written to Kathleen and must get letters off to George and Juliet next. May says she will write in a day or two. I have been looking round the orchards since I came back and the crop seems larger on each successive visit. I hope it will be fine when picking time comes.
Much love, dear, from us all.
Your affectionate husband
Julius Sladden
