From Emma Darwin to H. E. Litchfield [15 September 1879]

Dearest H—

I hope you will have Mrs Dooly to call on you. I dare say you will find her a bore; but it wd be amusing to know such a person & I shd think by baths & resting you c^d ward off calls if they came too frequently.

We are resting on our oars to see if a letter comes, from Th. If it does F. will take the opp. of liberating his soul entirely.

I must write a little not to Ida thro' Horace in return for her sweet little message to me, see Bessy's note. Another lovely day, after trying all yesterday P.M. to rain

U. Jos & Sophy are coming on Thursday; if Margaret is returned home by that time but she has had a bad fall down the companion stairs of T. H's cutter & they are not sure she will be well enough since heard that it is only a bruise. U. Fr. comes tomorrow down below—

I rather think your objections are far fetched about my letter to Effie shewing how weak a man I think T.H. but I hope it will not have to go & that T. H. will write—

I feel quite in the humour to write cordially about Ida coming here—

yours my dear | E .D

I think all these pros & cons & imaginary letters must have helped away some of your tedium.

You don't speak of walks I suppose the [Kur] garten is enough— I am sorry you are not so sharp again—

It is v. provoking about the pussy—but he was so v. coaxing & purring I think he w^d make his way in the world. I am sorry you hate the food so m. Poor Elinor. I begin to fear that she will not get better.