July 10, 1908
Bernersmede,
Eastbourne.
My dearest Robin,
Thank you ever so much for all your good wishes for my birthday. It was clever of you to know the day. You are a dear to send me a brooch. I know I shall love it. I expect I shall find it at Kitebrook when I get back, as only letters chase me round the country. [References in this paragraph and below are to Robin–June 20, 1908.]
I stay here till Monday and then go to another schoolfriend till Wednesday and then home. We have been to a tennis party this afternoon. It blew a hurricane and tried to rain at intervals, which was a little upsetting to one’s play. Really a most extraordinary selection of people live in Eastbourne and one never seems to come across the same ones twice. Most of the men are school masters so can only come when they are off duty. Some come early and rush away about tea-time and then another lot take their place for a bit.
I am afraid you must be dreadfully unobservant. I should have thought I had trodden on you often enough dancing for you to have fully realized that it would be no difficult matter to put forty-two nails in my boot!
Yesterday we went to a garden party at the parson’s, a very weird and chilly entertainment! There was rather a good band but it was so placed that you couldn’t hear a note because of the wind unless you sat on a little plot of grass where it took all your time to prevent being blown off your chair. I nearly had a fit of hysterics to start with, for when I was introduced to the hostess she seized me by the hand and wagged it up and down as though I had been her dearest friend for years and then absent-mindedly clung to me while she talked about the weather to somebody else.
I think Grandfather must have forgotten to send me any more photogaraphs so I am sending you one of the first lot he sent me. It is supposed to be the best likeness ever taken of me!
With ever so many thanks for your good wishes,
Ever your loving
Kathleen