From H. E. Litchfield to Emma Darwin [autumn 1874]

Dearest Mother,

I had rather a tiresome day yesterday. Old Andrew kept me till 2.15 before he saw me—so of course I missed my train. I was rather hungry, and very cold footed & I couldn't get them warm at the wretched fire he always keeps—so I thought it rather long as I counted the minutes to the missing of my train. I'm very glad however I quite missed it, as it wd have been v. unwholesome rushing off with no lunch & cold feet for the journey—& I shd have had hardly strength of mind not to make a rush for it if I could have any how caught it. My interview when it did come was v. satisfactory. He thinks R. has been making quite as good progress as she has any right to expect, & he thinks we may quite safely go to Bournemouth & write to him if we want further instruction. He held out v. poor hope of answering our letter however! He also spoke very slightly of the gravel, whether he did it to cheer me or not, I don't know—but he said a v. small account of gravel in the kidney was of no consequence & was sure to pass away. I don't qu. believe him, but I don't think he does think much of it.

I found Uncle Ras quite sharp & his mutton & port v. good & warming & then I lay in his sofa till it was time for the train which by the way I ran so near I almost missed it. I travelled up with M^r Broman but we didn't know each other & read my Villette & looked at the beautiful sunset all the way. It was the best sunset I have seen this year & had not stopped being beautiful even in the semi-darkness with horizon of pale green & dark red stripes. I found when I came here, Hope to receive me, & Q.H.F. who is very kind in begging us to make it quite an invalidery–-an old M^r Shadwell—a nice sort of old boy—is the only guest, & R. who doesn't feel tame with Q.H. is v. glad to have a third man in the house.

Effie & R. were both upstairs in their respective sofas so I went up to him & unpacked & lay down till din—

Ida was to have gone to Scotland today—but she was chilly & poorly yesterday & some body suggested telegraphing & putting off & they jumped at the idea & she is in bed today instead of russhing off for the night journey to Scotland.

Effie sang us delightful songs & we all sat round a great wood fire listening in a most luxurious spirit. They are all v. kind & [cocher] us up as m. as pos. & we qu. agree that next to Down wh. is the sicky's paradise, these are as good quarters as the heart of man cd desire.

I found R. rather cold & tired with his journey & wanting a softer sofa wh. I made him with pillows & wh. I take to be a sign he is not so well as he appears when he is undergoing no exertion. But he is all right today & in a great state of happiness dipping into $\frac{1}{2}$ a oz perusing old books he has collected from the shelves. I expect he'll neglect his Gibling whilst he is here. By the way Andrew adories [yet] the Singing Class wh. is a relief to my soul. I'm sure he was be fit for it I'm ashamed to say I forgot to get all those ^1/2^{^d} cards. wd you be so good as to send them here by post.

I think Hope will go to Laura wh. I'm glad of. I think she ought to, even if it was only for two days.

Tell R. Lily does sit with us in the evening—but she doesn't chatter quite so much as she did in our reign. She bores R. m. acutely than she does me. & as he is a man that cant be set down to the feminine hatred of a pretty woman—

Goodye dear Mother. We had such a happy week at Down.

R. sends much love to every body at Down. Tell Amy Uncle Ras was quite full of the happiness of having seen anybody so strong as Arthur. He said he wdn't have missed seeing him for every thing.

yours|I.H.L.

We've had an escape of having Snow here to meet us. She wanted to come!