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At the time this was all taking place I wrote to Anne to say that we had a modern flat which was empty above a shop that we rented in Cranleigh, Surrey. He should take the opportunity to use it as it was in a pleasant modern development and Hugh was quite penniless to afford a place of his own. Anne jumped at the offer, but Hugh still needed a lot of convincing. He had Africa and the broad vistas and freedom deep in his bones, even though he also knew that he had come to the end of the road there. The hernia however was the catalyst to action and the letter that awaited me was to say that Catharine his second daughter who was fifteen was coming ahead, and could we get her fixed up for the autumn term. She arrived about three days later in glorious late summer sunshine to help me on a stall at a Pony Club Gymkana in the village, grumbling about leaving the warmth of Africa and she could not wait to get back. I smiled and commiserated with her knowing full well that as  soon as melted into the new English life style, she would soon settle down. There was however an immediate problem of what school to go to. I  could see that she was very determined to succeed academically and so my first question to her was what subjects was she interested in, and what sort of direction did she  want the go. She was adamant that she wanted to study maths and science  and eventually go on to study them at University. But first she had to obtain her “O” levels. She had done quite a lot of work in South Africa so it was case of following a similar sort of route. We looked at the Cranleigh  State school which had a very good local reputation and would take her on with her Science subjects being taught in depth as pure chemistry, or pure physics and pure maths. However at the same time her grandmother Mrs Matthews in Guildford was keen that she went to a Catholic school. So we went to see it and discussed the courses on science that they could offer and  found out that it was only a general outline which would not be sufficent for her to continue into her “A”levels and beyond. So we came home and I said to her:
“Catharine the choice is yours. You are an intelligent girl and I am in no way going to force you to do anything that you do not want to do. You have a choice of the Catholic religious upbringing, but with a poor science course, or the state  system which has the course you want to do and has a good reputation, but then you will not have the all pervasive religious  background. Whatever course you decide I will back your decision  to your Mother and Father to my very utmost, but I will not influence you or order you in any direction asit is your life and you will have to live by your own decision”.  
She thought for a while and then said: “ I will go to Cranleigh and study pure science. I am determined to get a good degree and that is what I want.” It was a very tough decision for a young girl to have to make on her own, but her determination and ambition shone brightly and  I felt strongly that I just had to back her up. We went out next day and bought a winter wardrobe  for her new school and she started her work there.    About two weeks later Anne arrived with Jane and James to take her off my hands and also calm down her Mother who was deeply hurt, and very cross with me, because she was not going to the Catholic School and had been allowed to make up her own mind over her future career at so young an age.
About a month later Hugh eventually arrived. He was frail after his major operation and was easily out of breath, but at least he had a roof over his head for the time being.

In January 1981 I received an urgent telegram from dear Audrey La Fontaine to say that Father had a bad flu that had gone to pneumonia and to come quick. Hugh and I caught a plane and immediately flew to Izmir to see him frail in bed and alive only with the help of  an oxygen  mask. Audrey stayed in the flat nursing him day and night  in the most devoted way The doctor came and said he was too weak and too far gone to be treated and we knew  in our hearts that  he was right. But at least we both were there by his bedside in his final hours and he eventually died peacefully three days later at 4 am. As I looked at him his eyes  closed and I thought of the wonderfully successful and interesting  life that he had had. From genteel poverty in Turkey, he had gone out to Ceylon as a 17 year old youth, learned his Tea Planting profession under a ruthless taskmaster, volunteered to go to the horrors of the First World  War and had  returned decorated  and commissioned and with an intelligent wife, a doctor’s  daughter. Back in Ceylon with no money, he had built up a Tea Estate   in partnership with another. He had shown the whole Tea Industry, before there were any research establishments, how with good agricultural practice 

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Lucy's arrival March 1981

Lucy's Wedding.

Jill's embroidery for Lucy & Peter's Wedding.

Sarah and Lizzie 2012.