1 March 27thSunday Ardeevin Epsom Dearest Auntie B. Emma has just
telephoned to say she is at the
Strand Palace Hotel! I am going
to meet her to-morrow morning & she
has wired to Olive so I expect she
will be there too. I hope Celia can
get off. Such a gathering! I could
not hear a word she said over the
telephone except the address! What
a lot she will have to tell! I have been doing all I can to find
a job & have been to several Bureaux
Associations etc. Miss Sharok started
me with two letters. I was passed
on to several people who took notes
about me, but I can't tell if any
thing may turn up. I am not going
to take ordinary office work on small
pay. They tell me private residential work
is now almost nil. Since the
War. I sent in a form to the War 2 Office. It is disappointing about the
Admiralty. Uncle Edmund says it is
no use going there without a definite
letter of introduction to a definite
man. I wrote to Mrs Arnold-Forster
about a week ago asking for her
advice & if she would give an introduction
but have heard nothing from her
so I am stuck. Aunt Fanny & Uncle Edmund are as
kind as possible & I expect to stay
here till April 1st & then go to
the Donnets at Eastbourne. After
that Olive tells me she will be
'on the loose' for a fortnight as
Miss Roberts is closing her house
to give the household a rest, and
will not require her. I hope we can
arrange to join together somehow for
that fortnight. Baby Lee is a great joy. I don't
know what they would do without
her. She is a plain but attractive 3 little soul. Emmie Epson has decided
to remain on in India for the present. My heart aches for Charlie & Marjorie
but I am glad they are together, if
only for a short time. It is vexing
that Charlie's training is not what was
expected. If Marjorie wants me I shall
go to her but perhaps she will think
of being with her poor Aunts for
a little bit. Uncle Edmund has gone off to golf &
Aunt Fanny & I are going to walk
over the Downs to Tadworth and
see Harry and Janet. I am anxious
to see their children. It will be
a cold, stormy, long walk but Aunt
Fanny says she is able for it. I hope Aunt Charlotte's throat and
ear are better & that Craig can really
make her well. Have you good
news of Effie? I trust the change
is a success. I have met Celia twice, & she stayed 4 a night here. She looks well and is
cheerful. It is interesting seeing women in
London employed at all the railway
stations, on lifts, omnibuses etc.
I think being an omnibus conductor
would be infinitely more attractive
than ordinary clerical work. Celia & I made our way over to St
John's Gate & interviewed Lady Olivia,
who was covered with orders and
ribbons. She told Celia there was not
much chance of her getting abroad.
I doubt if I shall be called up
at all now as the demand for
V.A.D. nurses is evidently not so great.
St John's Gate is a quaint old
place. The walls lined with portraits
of the knights, suits of armour etc.
We got lost several times in the
back streets of Clerkenwell but found
the place eventually. I was all over London the other day 5 from the heart of the City to South
Kensington. Finding the way was quite
amusing, but interviewing the heads
of offices & Bureaus became wearisome
& I got a glimpse of the deadly boredom
of London offices! Best love to all the Aunties — I
was so glad to get your letter.
Days are very long here, but I try
to be cheery for Aunt Fanny, and
if we all 4 meet in London to-morrow
it will be splendid. Your loving Dussie