From Emma Darwin to W. E. Darwin 8 June [1891]

My dear William

You may feel quite easy about the funeral as the relations who came were quite enough Rachel [T] Harry Allen & I believe George were there— Ida was surprized that none of the Erskine family were there— Margaret Williams was nursing Ralph in the influenza. Snow looked much agitated & shaken & Mary (Ernest) was taking care of her— She is going to take Marian to the sea, as she is quite broken down— I cannot help regretting Hensleigh's visit to Abinger in that cold weather— I think he might have lived through the summer & I had some hopes of even seeing him again—

It seems strange to me that you should all Hen felt the same till she was grown up have felt afraid of him when you were children. He was so especially open & natural; but he had no taste for children. It was the misfortune of his life to have married a person of such a complex nature that he never understood her. I remember when I was a girl what a pleasure it was when he came home from school or college & how comfortable we felt his society to be— I had a kind letter from M^r Myers— too gushing & high flown & I was rather in difficulty how to answer it in a grateful spirit (as it really was kind of him to think of me) without being false— Ida tells me that I managed well—

Give my best love to Sara. I rather hope young M^rs Hankinson's visit may have fallen thro' as Sara w^d enjoy M^rs Crafts so much more alone—

Ellen joined me in the garden on Sat. to ask Bessy to go a drive w. her— They went out for more than an hour & she asked B. to come in to tea wh. B. wisely declined

She is certainly better & now it is understood by all of us that she will come & see us; but that she prefers no one (but Ida) to go & see her. Also seeing Sara was an exception, as she partic– wished that. The day at Eton was that rainy Thursday. Leo. joined the party after the funeral & they had bright sun. Mildred & Bee & Bessy were the party. They went to Bernards little room for tea, & when he went to fill the tea pot at the hot pipe he found no water was to be had. He had also forgotten the trifles of cream & sugar; but the essentials of strawberries & bread & butter & cakes were there. It was all pleasant. He went about & shewed every thing the place looking beautiful & ended w. ices at Windsor, on seeing them off to the train. The Georges decided not to put off their garden party & were quite right I think It takes place tomorrow.

Today looks better but yesterday & Sat. were like winter. We move to Down on the 18^th & George & the children join us the next day, wh. is cheerful— I always feel the great empty house dismal at first—

Maud & her sisters join her people in Switzerland for a short time— In Sep. the whole family returns home— I wonder how many people have been practising baccarat to see how the thing must have been managed— The mad rashness of Sir G. C. method of cheating is one argument for his innocence— but an innocent man could not have signed the paper—

M^rs Wilson does not come out well— playing against her husband's wishes & forgetting all about the matter on the second night. Bessy was m. interested at the Woman's Lib Union meeting. Balfour's speech read w. no spring about it— B. says he hesitated for words & had tricks seizing his coat &c— I fancy he was v. tired. Russell was the best— M^rs Fawcett tiresome

My best love to my dear Sara— yours dear William | E. D