Item 146 - Letter from R. C. Trevelyan to Caroline Trevelyan

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La Croix. - Thanks his mother for her letter; is 'very glad to hear' that Paul is 'rather better since he came to London'; is sure it was wise to consult Dr Eustace Smith too, and is 'glad he was on the whole reassuring'. Expects Bessie and Paul are at Broadstairs by now. Will start back to England on either Monday or Tuesday, arriving in London around 5 pm the next day; expects he will go straight to the Shiffolds that night, before going to Broadstairs via London the next day. Will try to see his mother in London then, which will either be Wednesday or Thursday. Bessie 'writes quite cheerfully now': Robert thinks she 'must be less anxious'.

Is 'sorry the Cacciola will is such a trouble to everyone': would 'gladly give the whole thing up and let whoever came next settle it as best they could', if it only depended on him, but thinks this would make it necessary for George to give up Hallington, which Robert 'would be very sorry for'. Is sure his father will 'decide for the best'.

Sees that Barran is candidate 'for the Border Boroughs [Hawick Burghs]' and hopes he gets in: thinks he would 'make a fairly good conscientious sort of MP', though does not believe he is a 'really able man'. Has not yet heard 'whether Bowles is in'. There was a snow-storm here a week ago and there is still some snow on the ground; last night there was a thunderstorm, but today the weather is fine and not as cold. Was 'very pleased with the Times review [of his new book Sisyphus: An Operative Fable?]'; hears it was not by [John Cann] Bailey, as he had thought, so is not sure of the author - perhaps Bruce Richmond, as it 'did not read like Clutton-Brock'.
Is glad his father is well; fears they have been having 'even worse weather' than he has here.

Dated '4 Feb 1909', but this cannot be true given the dates of 46/131 and 46/147; the reference to a snow-storm in the previous week and Robert's intention to return shortly make it unlikely to have been written on 14 Feb.