Pièce 178 - Letter from Janet Trevelyan to Elizabeth Trevelyan

Robin Ghyll. - Very nice of Elizabeth to send her 'subscrip[tion] to the Russians [Russian Exiles Relief Fund] again'. Apologises for not writing for so long; Bessie's letter came when Janet's nanny was away and she had no time, but that is no excuse for not writing 'since her blessed return'. Has often heard news of her from Molly and Caroline; delighted to think of [Julian] 'waxing so fair & strong, & rejecting his peptonising tubes [milk]'; very glad to hear Nurse Catt has returned well, and will not mention her illness to Mrs Sharpe [Ann Sharpe of Eller Garth, widow of William Hutchinson Sharpe?], whom she is calling on for the first time this afternoon; might as well visit neighbours on a 'day of drenching rain'.

Returns to the letter on 'Friday' [30 July]; Mrs Sharpe was as one might expect: 'gentle & timid & feeling herself rather battered by the world, but rather handsome... and very anxious to do all she can for her two boys' who are to go to school at Windermere this winter; they and their little sister are coming to tea here this afternoon: 'tremendous dissipation for Mary!' Mrs Sharpe says the winter here was 'frightfully hard'. Her own babies are very well, in spite of the rain; Humphry 'alas is beginning to say "I won't" in a very decided manner'. Wishes Bessie could visit on her way south, but supposes it is too far. Must send one of 'these elegant pictures', to give Bessie a 'good 'earty laugh'; it 'goes by the name of "the middle-class photo", and George says it is the one he has been waiting for for 7 years'.