From Emma Darwin to Ida Darwin [22 October 1879]

My dear Ida

To think I have never written a line since things are so happy & you will be together on Sat— I do trust you will have some fine days for the Rough which will be just the place with sheltered seats too— I am afraid Laura will be gone— She ought to have been at home for the first visit both for her sake & yours & H's—you wd have had pleasant interludes w. her. He boasts that he has finished his 15 letters; but thinks you will die of yours

You ought to see Mrs Lush’s letter to Hen. it is so pretty. I want you not to be too m. disappted if some of Effies unhappiness returns, as it would be almost too much to expect that she wd not have some relapse into feelings that made her so miserable & for so long a time.

I hope you will be married soon, & as m. for her sake as Horace’s—

Fr. returned last night from Wales— Leaving little Rob^t better; but still with fear of relapse, w. indeed continues for weeks in that horrid complaint.

The servants had gone away in a panic & one old servant who was packed up ready for America gave up her passage & returned to nurse him— Mrs Ruck is away w. the one w. a lame knee.

They can’t conceive how R— caught the fever—

W^ms come next week— He has enjoyed a little batchelor trip on the Lake intensely. The foolish people are going to stay a week in Paris & I expect that Sara—will return knocked up— I hear she has ordered a new gown there & I can’t conceive what else they have to do— Ellen wrote me quite a long letter— She says she feels it happy to be recovering tho’ not to any thing like health— yours my dear child | E. D—

Little Emily Thorley was v. nice about Horace—saying she could not conceive a fault in him or Leo—

Never mind about writing Cast duties to the winds!!