Marshgate House
Richmond
Surrey
28th February 1915
My dear Eugénie
Thank you for your letter received early in the month. I was sorry to hear that you, Julius and May have had influenza. I hope you are all better now, but you must take care of yourself during March and then I hope you will be quite well again. Mrs Lambert has been with me more than a week and yesterday we drove to Strawberry Hill and spent the afternoon with them as it was Miriel’s birthday. At last I hope the Belgian baby is making better progress, Fanny has taken no end of trouble about his food but of course she can’t always see to it and his mother does not think anything of regularity in giving him his meals, in fact she does not care for the necessary trouble of a baby, however, I hope he will get on now, he is a dear little fellow, you should have seen Mr Westcott, their American friend, nursing him, he loves children and they only have one, after tea in the dining room we went into the billiard room and some of them played billiards. Edwin is looking much better and I hope when he leaves off growing he will get broader and fill out more. Eleanor had dined with us and came back before we left, she goes to Miss Willis for Mrs Con’s exercises on Saturdays and to dancing in the afternoon, so she nearly always dines with us that day. Edwin asked if he might dine with me on Monday and after tomorrow so you see the grandchildren keep me cheerful. Where is Arthur now? On Tuesday I expect Miss Kirton to stay for a few days and her cousin, Miss Brinton is coming with her, the Kirtons are moving to a cheaper house in Mount Ararat Road and will like to get Miss Kirton’s room ready for her before she joins them. Tomorrow I have my fortnightly British & Foreign Bible Society working party and on Friday Fanny and May Capon are coming to spend the day. I am glad she is living with her mother during her husband’s absence at Southampton, Fanny had quite a shock when Fred had to leave so suddenly for the front, not having even time to say goodbye to her, he must be in a certain amount of danger as he has to take ammunition to the trenches, he sleeps in a sack in a motor car, I hope he will be safe. Harry came home for a few hours last Saturday, he looked very well. Mrs Lambert may go and see him one day at Windsor, but I should like the weather to be a little warmer first. I am anxious to keep well as I have many things to look forward to. Lance is laid up at school with measles, his temperature has kept up so that he has been obliged to be in bed longer than he otherwise would have done, and when he can leave school instead of going home he will come to me first so that the Belgians should not think anything in the way of infection should be brought to their baby. Fred and Florence are coming to me some time in April for as long as they like. Anna will I think come home for one night next week to help me with some business matters, Dalgarno has found his appetite and is gaining in weight. It is really most fortunate her house is let for another year for she can’t get a penny of Joe’s salary, of course the Belgian Government can’t pay it at the present time and she gets a very good rent for that house, and if she was in it she would want more servants. I hope May’s school party was a success. Mary has violets and primroses in her garden. Mrs Lambert sends you her kind remembrances.
My love to you all.
Ever your loving sister
Mary Anna Robinson
