From Emma Darwin to H. E. Darwin [23 June 1864]

My dear Body

I am very impatient for yr letter tomorrow. I hope you have this lovely weather. I was very glad I went up for I was sure Fanny liked to see me. No preparation can prevent one being shocked by the appearance of poor Mack. & his unmoveable expression of countenance looks so like death I sat a long time & only went over to Cath for a short call. She seems very uneasy about Caroline & looked flushed & uncomf. Ch. L. looks wonderfully better since I saw him last. Caroline was a little better & able to eat something. I think the house in Cambridge Place with a North aspect for some of its rooms must suit her. I found Papa wonderfully well tho' his being so angry with Duberry had vexed him. It was quite a crazy piece of laziness on Duberry's part leaving the horses with their harness on for even an hour when they were going to have a hard days work & such a hot day too. However in the evg. Duberry gave warning & Parslow thinks he is going to marry M^rs Mason which is very much against him considering her character. Papa has sent word to him that he advises him to stay a few months longer & redeem his character as he cannot now give him one that w^d procure him a good situation. Horace does not mind a bit. He is an inconstant little dog. I got the poor dear oxalis planted & had James out to tie them gingerly up & he is very handy about flowers. I shall often employ him for little jobs. The garden will be lovely when you come home. The kittens were out with Bobby yesterday & hardly minded him. He looked sideways at them & did not like them Whichever of you is the finest artist must make me a sketch of the view out of the drawing room window. You may label the diff^t features or number them & put a catalogue. Papa was very well yesterday. Snow & I sat a long time in the Sainfoin field half cut down below Stoney field. It was very sweet & nice. Horace all spare time at the hot house. I went about old Durling M^rs Durling in the village said that her husband had meant to go & see his brother, but ""really he was afraid."" So I don't think he will do much. Mary Hills no better & her appetite had turned out a false one. She had however got downstairs.

Poor Fanny looked quite cheerful I was glad to see & not so poorly with her cough— I was charmed with my drive to London every thing was so pretty especially Holwood Park. I travelled up with M^rs Norman & Mary & I find you have inoculated me. She is really rather like G. Alderson without her impertinence a fatigued way of remembering about one's children. There was the usual speech about you.

Give my love to Amy & tell her I wish I had seen a bit more of her.

Papa's best love— | Goodbye my dear | E. D.

Just got yr note & have torn off the dangerous bit