From Leonard Darwin to Emma Darwin 9 September [1882]

Dear Mother.

We are at last quite settled in our house, and very comfortable. The servants both seem pleasant, the little parlour maid particularly so, so that I think we have had great luck. We found the house very draughty, but that was partly owing to the storm, which we thought was merely an ordinary windy day and were looking forward rather dismally to that sort of thing all winter. I am afraid it will be a cold house as all the doors and windows fit badly.

I am still at my riding four mornings in the week, which is very tiresome, but I am not sure that it is not very good for me. I hope to go up for my exam at the end of this month. Three of the officers here were sent away for having done so badly at the July exam, the poor bad rider who rode with me last term being one of them. This was done by the War Office without even asking any body here about it, and now all three have been allowed to come back again because it was pointed out that it was unjust to turn them away without giving them the least warning before the Exam that that might be the result of doing badly. So we are riding together again as usual It will be rather sad if after such an escape he is now turned away for riding. I have been over to see Capt. Bennet at Aldershot today where he has just joined. He was as queer as usual, but very pleasant. He has just come in for some money quite unexpectedly, which is a comfort as it makes him independent of the service. Bernie arrives tomorrow in the middle of the day— our first Darwin visitor. Matilda and Tom dont come till Oct 4^th, so we do hope you will be able to come sometime before that.

Your affec son | L Darwin