From Emma Darwin to H. E. Darwin [15 September 1866]

My dear Hen—

At last a fine day & how pretty it must be up there. It was provoking your being too far from Santley. Altogether I expect you will have enjoyed your concerts heartily. The trio played a good deal of croquet yesterday in which Lizzy beat them all to fits. They are going at it this morning again & in the afternoon the 2 Godfrey & Emily go to London.

Brooks found the brooch & looked quite animated on the occasion. Lizzy was very much pleased & if you have bought one I will take it off your hands.

Yesterday Lady Cran. called & said she was expecting the Kingsleys & how much he wanted to see Papa— M^rs Henry Lub. came at the same time which rather spoilt both cals. She is very pretty mannered & talked Staffordshire with Godfrey. I find Cicely's confinement was not so prosperous as we thought. They were considerably alormed both for mother & child for some time & they had to give the baby cream & brandy as it cried for 48 hours, & that revived it. Today's account from Shrewsbury gives one the impression of less suffering. ""After all I did not go home for my day & tho' D^r B. felt confident I might go with safety with no perceptible change during those few days— I had not courage to leave her for fear of her being more ill & wanting me— she is certainly weaker & yesterday for the first time did not leave her bed & so was saved the fatigue of dressing— I am with her a good deal now in the day— Mary lets M^rs Evans stay with her. I am going to utilize Godfrey in walking with me to call on M^rs Hengston today if it keeps fine which is hardly credible—

Godfrey has been very nice & Papa feels him so tame as to get him to write for him. I think I must tell Lenny that probably the boys will be at home but that the others had better arrange the supper independently of him.

Goodbye my dear— I hope you will enjoy yourself. I think for the sake of an escort you might stay on a few days at the Lakes if you did hear of poor A^t S. death.