12 Charleville Circus
Sydenham SE
Feb 20 1916
My dear Mother
I was very glad to get a good account of you from George and in later letters and hope you are still getting on well. I am glad you enjoyed George’s visit so much and found him so much more cheerful and like himself. We had a nice evening on Monday with him and Rosie; she was rather more at home here this time I think and hope she will begin to open out a little more with some of us soon, especially if as George thinks she is not very closely in sympathy with her own people and rather in need of other friends. I think Betty means to try to arrange an afternoon with her next Saturday. I met Betty yesterday and we spent the afternoon together, prowled a little in the City, then went a long bus ride and a little walk and had a very large tea, both being ready for it after an early lunch.
I had a letter from Cyril on Friday, dated the 8th from Port Said; I expect you have had one too, or Mela anyway, with the same news that leave is “off” for the present. It is very disappointing when we had begun to look forward to seeing him, but after hearing he was in the third batch, one was to some extent prepared for it, as the Military Authorities change their minds so quickly. There is this consolation; they may at any time change them again and give the leave after all. The Erzerum success makes me feel much more secure about the prospects of an attack on Egypt and must weaken the enemy’s position in many ways in the Near East I should think; especially if it should bring Roumania in; so they may find they do not need to use the forces in Egypt to such a large extent at present; if so leave may again become a possibility.
So you are really losing Mary and Baby at last. How you will miss them. With them and Mela you have been quite a large party.
I meant to write to May today, but we were so late in from church after waiting to hear an organ recital that it is too late now. Tell her I will answer her letter very soon.
I did not mention that Cyril’s letter was such a nice cheery one, in spite of no leave. He said he was so very well and the weather was so glorious it was impossible to be depressed for long.
Much love to you all
From
Kathleen
