Badsey
Evesham
March 8th /16
My dear Betty
You really needn't have called yourself a pig, you did write to me early in the term as I have been going to answer that letter for ages but never have so I am afraid it is I who am the pig! I get worse and worse at letter-writing. Many thanks for both yours. I am always glad to get them. Only another month and we shall have you back again, and then you will be glad to have no more than one term more to look forward to. Even if you don't pass Matric in June, I think Father wants you to leave after the summer, but I do hope you will manage to get through in June. We must see that you have plenty of time for real work when you come home. Our school begins on April 14th and I think Kath comes home the same day. You will have seen quite a lot of Kath this term. I'm afraid Kath won't hear of any fresh work before September at any rate. I hope things will shape themselves so that you can live with her and Jack.
It was very nice having Kath home for a weekend; it did Mother good and was nice for everybody.
Mother told you in her letter I expect about poor Norah. I had a sad letter from Marian yesterday telling me the doctors say she cannot get better, she has been ill for a week or two and now they say it is the result of chronic gastric troubles, nothing nourishes her and she is gradually wasting away. They want Ethel to go for a fortnight to help Aunt Edith; Marian has got off from school for this week and Ethel is going on Monday. They don't need a trained nurse but Aunt Edith must have someone to help her. I am so sorry for them all, they do have such a lot of trouble.
We can manage without Ethel quite well. I think now Mother is better, but Ada and I both mean to be dragons and not let Mother do much. Ada says she won't have her in the kitchen, and has told her so too! She is a very good girl and I am sure will do her best.
The weather hasn't been fit for Mother to go out yet, except she walked up and down the garden path in the sun or in the shelter of the house on Saturday. This snow seems never-ending. I do I hope it will soon improve so that she can get out. Father and I are rather tired of snowy journeys to Evesham.
I am very glad you and Rosie found plenty to say to each other. I daresay when you come home you will tell me a little of what you said to each other. I had quite a nice letter from her not long ago in answer to one I wrote. Mother had a short letter from George a day or two ago - not much news in it.
Mela came over on Monday afternoon in the Nicklins' car and the two Miss Nicklins with her. They seem very friendly with her, and though she has a hard case to nurse she says they are all very good to her, so I hope she won't find it too much. Mela found Cyril's parcel waiting for her and of course undid it. The dear old boy sent us each a present as well as Mela, such lovely things. Yours is a sweet little shawl; there is one white and one pink, you are to have your choice and the other is for Rosie.
Thursday - There is a letter for Mela from Boo this morning which we are sending on.
Breakfast time.
Much love from
May
