From Emma Darwin to Horace Darwin [September 1881]

My dear Horace

This is only business— We are considering our visit to you & it will depend on At Fanny whether we come to you the 2^nd or 3^rd week in Oct—or w^d you like it a week later than that. I know you had rather not have us in the 1^st week for domestic reasons— We have actually had 4 dry days together & I hope all the harvest is over here— At F. seems comf. at Ventnor w. little Berry—out all day & not having had a drop of rain for a week—

We hear from the grocer at Patterdale that the hay is still out there.

George has pretty well finished at Q. A. St—& now will be the great job of having down the book shelves & books & what furniture we want. Little Mrs Ed. Norman called yesterday & when we came with her to the door, we found her little boy of 2 whipping the horse, with the man standing at the head & the horse rearing & almost out of hand— The little boy was quite unmanageable & Elinor had a great struggle to get the whip from him. I hope they got safe home; but I wish we had got out the child & then seen whether the horse wd be pacified I did not not think of it— She had her little girl also— A man came to consult about the new lawn tennis court—asphalt. There is no very good place for it—& we are in hopes that Sydney Sales will sell a bit of land outside the orchard—

It will be nice coming to see you settled. The garden will be over— We must come in spring next time

my love to Ida E D