From Emma Darwin to Ida Farrer [24 October 1879]

My dear Ida

Your dear letter made my heart glow— I do believe you will accept me for something nearer than a mother-in-law—

Now every thing is prosperous except your visit being sadly too short— It will be quite enough for me to look at you & talk to you occasionally; but I must not monopolize you or H—will be in a rage—

I am also very happy to think that dear Effie will be almost the same to me as ever (indeed quite after a time)   I did feel it a great loss to the happiness & pleasure of my life that our relations to each other should be in any degree spoilt. With your father I felt sure we should be just the same. I am so glad too that she & H. met cordially—

Your fathers letter to me was most cordial & nice— Now I wish I had written to Effie sooner so that you might not have been so much engaged. But I hope you will let the Penny Reading take care of itself— I won't say any thing about your defrauding your f. & Effie—

I think if the 27 pages follow you every day your Aunt will guess something.

yours my dear daughter | E. D—

I don’t know whether Effie spoke to Ellen, but in my last but one letter when things seemed getting brighter I did, as there is no one whose interest & sympathy I feel so sure of—

Poor Laura! & poor Lily! I feel as if sadness was before them. I trust Laura will be with us part of your time.