of her daughter deeply shocked Emmeline. In addition to her weight loss, the
veins of Sylvia’s eyes had been ruptured so that they appeared like two great
blobs of blood in her thin drawn face. Geraldine Lennox, observing the bedside
scene that Easter Saturday morning, recollected that Emmeline’s face ‘was as
the face of one being crucified’.^61 As Sylvia began to recuperate slowly,
Emmeline reported to Elizabeth Robins that her daughter’s nerves were ‘quieter
& stronger’ but it would be some time before a full recovery was made. ‘She has
lost about 2 stones in the 5 weeks. Her eyes which were very bloodshot are
getting better. How could they do it? She is going in the car to ‘Coign’ on
Thursday. I think I shall go with her until Saturday & spend week end with C
in Boulogne.’^62 The letter that Sylvia had written to Hardie was now returned
to her from WSPU headquarters, ‘on the pretence that the address was indis-
tinct’.^63 The thirty-year-old daughter would never forgive her mother for this
interference in her private life.
Emmeline had barely welcomed Sylvia back when another family matter
presented itself. Helen Archdale informed Emmeline that Adela was soon to
finish her course. ‘I did not realise that Adela’s time at Studley came to an end
so soon’, confessed Emmeline, writing from 159 Knightsbridge. ‘Are the exami-
nations over?’ With the uncertain date of her trial and its outcome hanging
over her head, Emmeline tried to be helpful in regard to Adela’s uncertain
future plans. ‘I don’t like the idea of her being a source of expense to you if she
goes with you to Italy & even then having no future plans’, Emmeline
confided to Helen. ‘Oh what a pity that she did not get that American post.
Sylvia poor child is a wreck for the time but is gaining strength.’^64 Immediately
she had finished writing to Helen, Emmeline composed a letter to Adela,
expressing concern about the cost of her proposed trip to Europe with the
Archdales and about Adela’s intention to leave college before she had secured
employment:
My dearest AdelaI got Mrs. Archdale’s letter last night when I returned here. I gather
from it that you are going to Italy with her. I fear this means a very
great expense for her & I cannot help beyond giving you some money
for personal expenses! I don’t like the idea of it at all especially as
nothing is settled about a future engagement for you. Have you asked
Dr. Hamilton to take you on either with or without salary for a time
until you get a permanent post. Surely she would do this as you have
been a paying pupil so long. It would be more experience & people
would be more ready to take you from there. Do talk to her about it. I
am really very anxious about your future & fear that if you leave the
College before getting a post it will increase the difficulty of getting
one. I shall see you in London next week. You can stay here & so save
expense of hotel. I have the flat until April 9th ...HONORARY TREASURER OF THE WSPU AND AGITATOR