From Emma Darwin to H. E. Litchfield [21 July 1881]

Dearest H.

I am sorry that you are not coming down, not that it is hot, but the most exquisite day I ever felt, like the loveliest of Sep. days— It was downright cold (57) for some hours yesterday; but turned out very pleasant afterwards. Bessy & I (& F. in some degree) alternate in our feelings to M. between active dislike, & during dinner or lunch when she takes the trouble to talk, feeling she is not so bad— On Monday p.m I joined her & Jack under the lime trees w. my work—& she literally never spoke for an hour—read all the time at tea & when F. came out & talked merrily w. Jack I don't think she ever looked up. Yesterday she surpassed that (as she was v. absorbed on Monday in Mary Barton) she brought out her newspaper to p.m. tea & read it w. her cup in her hand & never looked off it— I was m. exercised whether to ask her to sing; but thought I shd have to be too civil so did not. My only aim is to be civil enough to her that Jack may not find out how little I like her— She is not even pleasant to him. Well this the last time. No painting was done *P [symbol for yesterday] *Q as it was so dark almost like a London fog. & the paint was not dry— I like the picture v. m. & I expect some of the family will want him to make a copy— B. can hardly bring herself to call her Madie & not Mrs Collier. I want to ask R's advice. I feel m. inclined to write & tell Mr Innes of Mr Ff's last affair—only on the ground of his having refused to consider the point of an exchange ""as we might get somebody worse.""

I shd only tell the broad fact that he behaved in a way to make the bystanders hiss & call shame at the funeral—leaving out of the question whose blunder it was—perhaps I had also better tell him that this is the second time he has been violent at a funeral. Ch says that if Mr Innes writes to him on the subject Mr Ff. w^d know that I was the informer.

So the house is sold to a Mr Gurney for 1550. B. & I called on the Goodes yesterday, such a happy smily set full of cats & dogs. They sit in their chairs at the foot of the garden & listen to Mr Fegan's discourse

B. will tell you about the boys coming up—

yours my dear | E.D