Marshgate House
Richmond
Surrey
14th December 1915
My dear Eugénie
Thank you for both your letters with all the interesting news. I wish you and Julius many very happy returns of tomorrow your wedding day and I congratulate you both on George’s engagement and the prospect of yet another daughter-in-law. I thought it so very nice of him to write and tell me about it himself. I hope he may be kept in safety during this terrible war and later on have a very happy married life. I enclose a postal order for 10 shillings for a little present for your wedding day. I hope Julius’ cold will soon depart but the sudden changes in the weather make it difficult to get rid of them. I am so glad you are keeping better but you must not do too much, and yet you must be much tempted when there is so much to do. I hope your maid is well again now. I had a very long letter from Mary this morning, they have invited Colonel and Mrs Burrows, Aunt Emily and Miss Lobb to dine with them on Christmas Day and the latter to spend the weekend with them. Ted is better and was able to go to church last Sunday and is very much enjoying a book called “The Ordeal of Battle”. I gave it to Mary for a birthday present and read a good deal of it one Sunday when I was alone before sending it on and found it most interesting. Edwin is getting on so well that he is to be allowed to come home for a week at Christmas, so we expect him to arrive tomorrow week. We are all to join their early dinner on Christmas Day. Jack came to see us on Sunday week and looked so well. I am sure the remainder of his holiday did him a great deal of good. I am glad Charlotte is going to spend Christmas with Mrs Fellows, she will enjoy that. I hope C will like her present companion. I do not expect Harry for Christmas, but he may come before or afterwards. Some of our friends, the Boddys, live at Westcliff-on-Sea and they are coming to spend Christmas with their Mother in Richmond, they have been in one or two Zeppelin raids and do not wish for another, they seem to be expecting another. If so, Harry must be very busy for he is at Leigh-on-Sea and those places and Southend touch and at the latter he has his office. Apparently all round there they are making all sorts of preparations in case of invasion. Have you heard lately from Cyril? You will miss dear Baby and Mary very much. I expect May is very busy preparing for her pupils’ entertainment. Anna I think will spend Christmas at Folkestone with Dalgarno, he can now count to 63, having taught himself with a good measure. I hope Eleanor and Charlie will play to us on Christmas Day. Florence does not go out much, her breathing gets so short when she walks and Sunday was too cold for her to go to church. They have heard once from Archie since he got to France. I hope they will hear again soon. Much love to you all.
Your loving sister
Mary Anna Robinson
