From Emma Darwin to H. E. Litchfield [30 September 1877]

Dearest H—

At last I can write you a happy letter. W^m returned *P [symbol for yesterday] *Q p. m after spending some hours w. S. S. perfectly happy & every thing settled. She takes it so happily & bears the thoughts of giving up her old home so cheerfully that I am sure she is most satisfac. in love. The best thing is that they are to be married here & soon, as she said if she went back she shd never have courage to come away. F. & I both wrote to her yesterday mg & W^m says she was pleased w. our letters indeed F's was very charming. She was to write to her Aunt yesterday, to whom it w^d be a tremendous blow, but she half expects that she & Theodora will come over & be with her at the marriage & stay some time. I r. hope they may come after Mr Ashburner the uncle was very cordial & evidently thoroughly liked the marriage. W^m likes him & likes the odd boy v. much—

I think a long engagement & she going home w^d have been dreadfully unwholesome for W^m & for her too—

W^m is going to her again this morning & down to S—ton this evening—

You will never understand all the ins & outs poor creatures— Poor Bessy suffers some agonies & I expect yours will be worse— Poor dear Frank was so charmingly feeling & cordial when W^m came down to the drawing room to tell them it was all right. & they all shewed their sympathy warmly—

Today W^m goes up by Bromley & Fr & Bessy are going with him as far as Ravens. to look after fungi

W^m is going to call on Eras. & tell him—but it is to be kept secret till she hears from her people— I leave you to judge how likely that is—

W^m feels quite married to her & is perfectly safe & composed—