Wednesday 2nd January 1901 -
“Rather a better night, but slept on late into the morning, which is so provoking. – Heard that Ld Robert’s ship had arrived safely & was anchored in the Roads. – I managed to get out for ½ an hour with Lenchen, & went to Barton to speak to the Slaters. Then went to look at the arch which has been put in honour of Ld Roberts at the Prince of Wales Gate. – Drove in the afternoon with Louie & Mary H., getting home just in time before Ld Roberts arrived. Arthur, & Beatrice, in her capacity as Governor of the Isle of Wight, met him at Trinity Pier, where he received an Address from the towns people. On Ld Roberts arrival here, Arthur took him to the Council Room, where the family were assembled & then took him to see Lenchen in her own room, after which he brought him to the Drawingroom, where I was. I received him most warmly shaking hands with him, & he knelt down & kissed my hand. Arthur then left him with me. Ld Roberts spoke with such grief of dear Christle’s death & said he could not say how deeply he mourned him, & how he felt for all of us. It had been such a shock, as he had not had the slightest idea there was any danger, during Christle’s whole illness, up to the very last, he had looked so well & been so cheerful. Ld Roberts spoke of several Officers who had not done well & of others who had done excellently, also of all the difficulties our army had had to contend with. We deeply deplored the loss of so many valuable lives. He still wears his arm in a sling, the result of a fall from his horse. After about ½ an hour Arthur came back with Louischen, Daisy, young Arthur & Thora. I then gave Lord Roberts the Garter, which quite overcame him & he said it was too much. I also told him I was going to confer an Earldom on him, with the remainder to his daughter. He presented 2 members of his Staff, Ld Stanley & Col: Cowan, then his 6 Indian orderlies, such fine looking men, & the Officer in charge of them, Capt. Maxwell, who is Lo Roberts nephew. I took leave of Ld Roberts, as also of Arthur, Louischen & their children, who were returning, first taking Ld Roberts to Southampton. – I felt a little tired, so rested & slept for a while. – Later Ismay S. came & read to me.”
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