From Emma Darwin to W. E. Darwin [11? March 1858]

My dear William

I think it would not be amiss if you were to write a line to Aunt Catherine & tell her how much you like the Arran scheme (& if possible find out where Arran is) & tell her you have got the book.

Did Papa tell you that M^r Ainslie is done up & is going to sell Tromer Lodge. He did not pay his rent for two years but now he has done so.

I dined at the Lubbocks yesterday. Lady L. was very poorly so I did not see her but Sir John was very affectionate & amiable. Monty & Fred. are to go to Cambridge & he said that like you they wished to go to Trinity because they knew so many & that M^r Hopkins (a great gun at Cambridge) advised against it & recommended a small college. Mrs L. was very lovely in a ruby velvet & sent many tender messages to Papa.

Poor old Brooks last week fell down the Greenhouse steps & hurt his back so much that he has not been able to stir hardly & we have got the steady old flyman to act as groom till he is well. The lanes are still full of snow drifts. Lenny has been nice & well for a long time.

The other day when Papa was doing some justice business in the dining room He went up stairs to Miss Pugh saying "There is Papa being Judge jury & policeman all himself.

Georgy was very jolly on Sat. & Sunday. The weather was quite horrid for him. Snow was away 2 days & 2 nights but came home all rightr & did not appear to have been caught in a noose which we thought must have been the case.

Goodbye my dear old man. I am afraid Effie won't be here when you come