Gloucester House
Surbiton
25th December 1884
My darling Julius,
Having just finished my solitary dinner of turkey & a glass of champagne, I will amuse myself writing to you. The family had dinner at six o’clock today, the three elder children sitting up to it, & Lily & Winny are to go in to dessert, I hear them just going down.
Poor Charlie has had a bad bilious attack all day, but I am glad to say he is better & able to go down to dinner; Fanny-Joe has been indulging in going into hysterics today at the mere mention of her husband’s name, pleasant for poor Fanny! & I think very silly of Fanny-Joe, as of course she knew they would not be together today. I can assure you I haven’t followed her example, & I am sure you would have been very cross with me if I had. Nonetheless darling, I have thought many times today of you & our darlings & wished we were all together. I had good news from Phillis this morning & a few lines from Jack, he was going with Elizabeth to Evesham on Wednesday to see something, but what the word is I can’t make out & tomorrow, he & May were to have tea with Cynthia.
I was pleased to receive your letter last night; this one won’t be in time for post today & you ought to get it Saturday morning, so I shall not write again as I hope to see you in the afternoon.
They are all going to dine on the hill tomorrow so I shall have a solitary evening, I must amuse myself writing letters or reading. I was wheeled into Fanny’s bedroom today for a change, my head was much better this morning so I hope it may soon go off.
Tell Mrs Sladden with my love I hope she has enjoyed seeing you, & I only wish I could have gone down too. My love to Charlotte & with much for yourself, darling
I am
Your loving wife
Eugénie N Sladden
