Jan 19/16.
Dear Mother
I got two letters from you this evening, one dated Jan 3 & one Jan 6th. I’m most frightfully sorry I was the cause of so much anxiety, it must have been awful for you. How often have I worked it out & worked it out, & finally come to the conclusion that no news could have reached you till Sunday, & that my cable must have reached you before, as it was sent off about 4 p.m. on the Saturday. Then yesterday we got the “observer” of Jan 2, with a very scanty lot of news about it, (but what there was was very pessimistic & alarming) but that on the whole bucked me up, because I deduced from that that as there was so little news in the Sunday paper – there must have been less or none at all in Saturdays, so my cable must have got home in time. Then your letters came today & the first I have had since I left home – & settled the whole show. I am sorry about it all, I wish I could have wired earlier in the day but I’m afraid it was impossible.
How nice & kind everyone seems to have been, & I hear dear little Babs came and sat with you all Saturday. Do thank her from me most awfully & say how frightfully I appreciate her ripping thoughtfulness; it was just sweet of her, & just what she would do: she’s a real dear.
Poor Nell; but I’ve had no letters from her yet. I suppose everything will go wrong for a bit & I shall get them all eventually. I am writing this after dinner in our mess, which is a Bedouin Sheikh’s house. Rather curious you should say Dick was coming out, as only today I got a wire from him saying he was at Suez, so I shall try & get over for the weekend or else get him out here. I have written to him today.
I can’t get over your letters, it’s made me feel quite rotten in a way- it’s brought it all back so vividly & made me feel so fearfully sorry for you all at home. Don’t listen to anything I say though about making me feel it all again, I was more delighted at getting your letters than over anything for years. You must have got my account of it all from old Nell now; I do wish I could get a letter from her, but perhaps I shall in a day or two.
Really people seem to have been awfully sweet in wiring & writing. They are most awfully good to us I must say. Yes I know you would thank God in Church about me, & thank you for doing so. I’m afraid churches are at a premium out here, though of course one does’nt need one on such occasions really.
I heard from Ben & Mrs Stack too this mail, but I expect there are heaps of letters knocking about somewhere.
I’m most awful fit & well now, & have suffered no ill effects.
How splendid old Nell seems to have been; is’nt she a little dear, so gorgeously self possessed & calm; I am proud of her.
Goodnight mother, lots & lots of love & apologies for all the anxiety
Best love to all
from your loving son
Ted
