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25, Grosvenor Place, S.W. - Sweet of Bessie to invite her down to keep her company; wishes she could do so at once but she and George have promised to pay two visits before next Wednesday, then that is Dorothy [her sister]'s birthday which they usually make 'rather a festivity of'. However, since they are visiting Hindhead that day she thinks she will be able to come to Dorking on the way. Will consult her mother, who has been very busy, about it; will only be able to stay two nights; would love to come as she wants to know her 'sister Bessie much better'.

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Glad to hear that 'the contributions to [Elizabeth's] commissariat turned out well'. Amused to think of her playing croquet at the Rectory. They have had a quiet week, with only George there as Charles has been 'away shooting and visiting'. The Archbishop of York and his wife are coming today 'which amuses us much', as well as Miss Dalrymple, Dorothy Ward and Carr Bosanquet. The [Herbert?] Pauls and Theo [Llewelyn?] Davies are coming tomorrow, so they will be 'quite gay till Monday'. [Sir George's] elbow is much better; he is reading her a 'most amusing novel by Bernard Shaw... discovered in a Socialist magazine called The Corner'. Will be in London on 9 Oct and hopes to come and see them; asks whether she should stay the night. Booa [Mary Prestwich] is 'rather envious of the blackberries' are there are none in Northumberland. Sure Elizabeth will 'think Pinewood [the Knutsfords' home] very pretty'.

Ellergreen, Kendal. - The news about Molly [her miscarriage] 'is a sad & senseless business... such utter waste'; means she will have to keep quieter in future, which she will hat;. George has been to Wallington and found Molly did 'one or two rather mad things' early one, which Caroline had been 'too discreet' to mention to Janet. Almost a relief, since such things can be avoided in the future. Gives what she thinks is Mrs Hutchins the dressmaker's address; Bessie can mention either Janet or her sister's name. Returning to Robin Ghyll this evening after staying with [Charles and Edith] Cropper for a couple of nights; Mary and Humphry are very happy there at Robin Ghyll; Mary 'has taken to bathing in a little stream close by'. Janet's 'history' is going on quite well, also her 'story of Theo'. Will be lovely to see Bessie at Wallington; looks forward to seeing Julian 'on his feet'.

Stocks Cottage, Tring. - Luck more than 'a miracle' that she has found a governess, who came via the Gabbitas & Thring agency and is an 'Inverness girl' who studied French at Oxford for four years. Janet, on her way from Welcombe to Stocks, stopped and interviewed her, and 'engaged her walking up & down the platform' at the London & North Western station. The children are 'both delighted with her', and Janet thinks she will even be accepted by 'Nannie'. Her French is 'not really [emphasised] good' but distinctly above the average for British young ladies'; Mary has also started Latin with her and seems to pick it up easily. Their governess is only with them till the end of August; will be 'a bigger affair altogether' if Bessie wants to find one. Points out the success Molly has had with Miss Clark, who 'only sets out to be a nursery governess'; thinks Molly found her by advertising. Suggest that Bessie should come to live in London, where it would be 'quite easy to get Julian educated'; though if this meant 'letting the Shiffolds' she supposes it would 'break [their] hearts'. Going to Robin Ghyll next Monday; her parents have taken a little house at Grasmere till August; thinks her father is 'rather up & downing', and her sister Dorothy 'feels much tied to them', but they are happy to be in the Lakes. George's business in Rome seems to be going well; he is writing articles about it in the "Chronicle". Asks if they will see each other at Wallington in September.

Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Wishes she and Bessie could have seen each other here, but expects the 'war economy régime' could not have coped with them both being their with their children. Agrees that George seems to have found work which 'suits him down to the ground': though he doesn't know 'the least bit how to tie up a wounded limb or give an anasthetic'; he seems 'to be the [emphasised] person that they all want to go with', and the Italians 'love him'. The brigade has already had a great reception at Turinl expects they will be at Udine or even nearer the front by now; there are sixty people, many 'old hands from Flanders', twenty-six cars, and a 'clearing hospital of fifty beds' so they should be 'tremendously useful'. She herself is returning to London next Monday for three weeks, while the Hon. Sec. [of the Committee for Relief in Belgium, Mary Childers?] has a holiday, and will be there over the winter; hopes they can meet there after Janet's house comes out of its 'curl papers' about 27 Sept. Asks Bessie to tell Bob his '"Foolishness of Solomon" has given her 'many delicious chortles'. Her children are well, but fears 'the tonsils operation still hangs over Mary - & possibly Humphry too'.

Pen Rose, Berkhamsted. - Thanks Bessie for her sympathy; it [the death of her mother] was a 'most terribly sudden catastrophe' as she had seemed much better, but she made 'one imprudent movement next morning, and the poor heart gave way'. Arnold had just time to see her, but Janet was 'an hour too late'; was very hard taking the news to their father in the nursing home. It is 'the sort of grief that makes one feel years older'; feels as if they grew even closer during her mother's last years of ill health; George and her children loved her too. Hardest for her father and Dorothy, so she must help them; his father is recovering slowly; they hope to bring him back to Stocks for this summer and then the house will have to be sold. Hopes that Bessie is having a lovely time with Julian in Holland; asks if she will go to Germany at all; accounts of 'all the misery east of Holland absolutely haunt one'. Her mother's penultimate public appearance was at a Save the Children meeting in Berkhampsted; her speech 'made a deep impression'.

Garden Corner, West Road, Cambridge. - Wonders how Bessie's 'poor eyes are now'; asks if it is cataracts, and whether an operation could help. She has been troubled by her 'stupid old eczema', and plans to consult a doctor in Lausanne before Christmas then go on to Italy with Dorothy, perhaps for a month as she has been told to take a long rest. Is therefore working to get the contract for 'this last piece of the Foundling Site [Coram's Fields]' settled before she goes, which is a complicated task. A doctor in London is starting to do her good; will be 'very cross' if he gets her so well that she does not need to go to Lausanne; rather wants to see the Swiss methods, which she is sure are 'far more scientific than ours'. Humphry now teaching German at Yale and 'blissfully happy'; hopes Bessie's 'young pair' [Julian and his wife Ursula] are happy too.

The Master's Lodge, Trinity College, Cambridge. - Thanks Bessie for asking about her health, but with 'this queer and slow disease' it is not easy to answer; an old friend said today that she looks and seems very well, yet she 'still cannot walk above a snail's pace', and George pushes her in a wheelchair around the house. Sorry to hear about the 'serious car accident'; glad that neither Bessie nor Bob were in it. Will keep the details of Bessie's ear specialist, though 'G.M.T. is very naughty about specialists'; she thinks they should try a 'very good man' in Cambridge first. Her sister Dorothy has just spent a fortnight at Poggio with Lina Waterfield; it was difficult financially due to the 'sudden devaluation of the pound' but she 'longed to have' some time there. She can still walk well, and not even Florence tires her too much.

The Master's Lodge, Trinity College, Cambridge. - Thanks for Bessie's sympathy for Dorothy, who will 'not have to move from her present house' unless she wants to; all her 'friends and interests' are also in London now. Wishes too that she and Bessie saw each other more often. Asks if she knows that George has been made Chancellor of Durham University; fortunately this does not involve any duties or residence, but he goes up once a year to confer honorary degrees.

The Master's Lodge, Trinity College, Cambridge. - Glad to have Bessie's letter, despite the 'rather serious news': sure Bob must hate being ill, but the letter has a 'happy ending' and she hopes he 'is able to enjoy life' again. Also thanks Bessie for sympathy about 'dear little Aunt Gertrude', a 'very important member' of the family whom all the younger members used to consult about 'any knotty points' and was always very hospitable to her and Dorothy. Adds that every family should have that sort of aunt. Asks to be kept informed about Bob's progress: she and George are 'both so fond of him'. Notes in a postscript that she is 'now very disabled with [her] arterial disease': cannot walk, has bad eczema, and can hardly write; but she manages to 'keep pretty cheerful'.

Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Glad to hear good news of Elizabeth and Robert and especially that there are 'pleasant friends to take walks with'. Would have liked to join them on the trip to Amalfi and have 'seen the lovely pergola again'. Glad the rumour about Mr Fry [that he had died] was not true; wonders how it started. More people drop in for tea than at Wallington, which is good for Sir George in the winter as it stops him getting 'too absorbed in his writing'. Henry James is coming for a few days on Saturday, and Dorothy Ward 'to help amuse him'. Is writing an interesting 'Life of Mazzini' by Bolton King, which is 'very well written'. The local recollection of their parties last summer is 'still vivid'. The weather is fine and mild, though TInson 'remarks that "we shall have a pinch for it, later"'. Wishes she had seen Ravello and Amalfi in the sunshine. Tells Elizabeth to find out about the homeopathic cold medicine; has often heard it to be 'very efficacious'. Asks if Elizabeth would like to join the [Grosvenor Crescent] Club; Caroline must arrange it before 20 February if so. Charles has gone to Paris with introductions to politicians. Sends love to Robert, and is glad his play 'prospers'.

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Glad Elizabeth is seeing some friends, and that the '[house] business is moving on'; advertisement from "Country Life", showing prices usually asked in Surrey, originally enclosed. Went to Newcastle yesterday to hear Mrs Ward 'speak at the opening of some "Special Schools"', which she did 'very well. Saw various 'Hodgkins & Peases's', and brought Mrs Ward and Dorothy back to stay at Wallington. Next week they are expecting Aunt Annie [Philips], Phil [Morgan Philips] Price, Hilton Young, Eleanor Cropper and Cicely [Frances?] Wedgwood; next week Theodore [Llewelyn Davies?], Mary Bell and Dorothy Wedderburnl. Elizabeth and Robert will see them if they come on 20 August, though they do not have to decide yet. The weather is so windy she has to tie on her hat. Keith [the head gardener] is sending some more fruit today. Sorry that Mrs Fry had 'the trouble of writing twice'; it was 'such a pretty letter, in picturesque handwriting'.

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Sends Christmas wishes to Robert and Elizabeth and expects it is very different to theirs; the "Times" says it is the most wintry Christmas since 1895 and although he generally believes nothing they print supposes they are right. Has read all of Robert's book ["Polyphemus and other poems"] and thinks there is 'very genuine refinement and delicacy throughout', while the form is 'very ingenious'. Having a 'largish party' on Friday: Eleanor Cropper, Dorothy Ward, [Kenneth?] Swan, 'Mr Ridge MP,' and Geoffrey Young; the girls 'ought to have enough beaux'. The shooting has finished and it has been a 'record year'. Is reading Tacitus through slowly; thinks his style is 'Carlylean': 'rugged, amorphous, intensely individual - carrying everything off by its being the mode of expression chosen by a very strong man'. Asks Robert to remember them to Madame Palumbo [in Ravello].

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Has returned from a busy time in London; glad to see Elizabeth and Robert's letters to her and Sir George. Saw George, Janet, and the babies, who are 'very sweet'; also Mary, who is 'wonderfully well' and may have her baby at any time; the nurse is in lodgings nearby. They have been trying to settle their winter plans; asks if the 27 or 28 [November] would be a good time to visit, after her Comm[itt]ee meeting on the 27th. Asks how long Elizabeth's sister will stay. Will then return to Wallington for a week; they think they will come south before Christmas. Hope it will be fine for Sir George's shoot tomorrow; several people cannot come because of Parliament, but he has Humphry Ward, John T[revelyan?], and T. Taylor; Dorothy [Ward?] and several neighbours are also coming.

Does not think the women who have been imprisoned [for militant suffrage campaigning] are 'hysterical'; believes they arranged the '"demonstration"' and were sent to prison as they intended. Difficult to say what she thinks of such tactics: in many ways 'it does harm, decidedly; but in others it forwards the cause', keeping the subject alive as less dramatic campaigning cannot do, and arousing 'a great deal of sympathy among labour people'. Does not approve of their methods, but is reluctant to condemn them as she is 'not ready to suffer [herself] for the cause, in the way they are doing'. The [Women's Liberal] Federation are 'very much alive' and were busy from eleven till six on Tuesday; good to see so much energy. Is looking forward to seeing so much of Elizabeth and Robert. A postscript notes that she is 'ordering a piece of Toasting Cheese to be sent'.

8, Grosvenor Crescent. - Found C[harles] and M[ary] settled at North Street, a 'bright little house' which they have made pretty, furnishing it 'economically' and suitably for a small space; their [wedding] presents looked nice, and they have an excellent book collection. Mary looks very contented, and 'Charlie's hair is curling as it has not done for a long time!'. One of the two small drawing-rooms has two pianos in; if they play them together their neighbours will think it noisy, but 'they are humble folk, & the children who swam in Westminster will come & listen in the street!'. George looks as if he needs a holiday; Caroline is glad the wedding is not far away, on 17 March. Janet looks very happy and says she is busy with her trousseau. Dorothy has returned and said to be 'much better for her journey'. Saw the H[enry] Y[ates] Thompsons yesterday; they start for Sicily tomorrow; Caroline will ask Mrs Cacciola [Florence Trevelyan] to let them see her garden. Asks whether Madame Grandmont [Bramine Hubrecht] would let them call on her; thinks she would like Dolly. Harry is telling people that Caroline and Sir George like their new daughters-in-law, but will not say 'either of them come up to Elizabeth in character or walking!'. Glad he has the right impression, though of course they will all have a 'separate place' in their hearts; Mary is good, sensible, and suits Charles, but 'needs a little polishing'.

If there are things at La Croix which would be suitable for a bazaar at Stratford, asks if Elizabeth could buy her two pounds worth; she can send them by post if she likes. Going today to see if they can find out about Aunt Margaret [Holland]'s health; fears it is her 'old trouble, clots'. Meta [Smith?] has reached Egypt; is said to be better. Very glad life at La Croix suits Robert's work. Caroline has found a cabinet at Stratford which she thinks will suit their new house; asks whether the work on that has begun yet.