I think (she writes) my first visit to the Admiralty, where I was invited to children’s parties, must have been in the winter before my mother’s death.  I have no distinct first impressions of the grown-up part of the family, except perhaps of your grandmother, Lady Minto.  Although children exaggerate the age of their elders, and seldom appreciate beauty except that of people near their own age, I did realize her great good looks.  She had very regular features and a beautiful skin, with a soft rose-colour in her cheeks.  Her hair was brown, worn in loops standing out a little from the face, and she always wore a cap or headdress of some kind.  Her manner was most kind and winning, and she had a pleasant voice.  I am sure she must have been very even-tempered; and as I recall her image now, and the peace and serenity expressed in her beautiful face, I think she must have had a happy life.  I never saw her otherwise than perfectly kind and gentle and quite unruffled by the little contretemps, which must have befallen her as they do others.  With this gentleness there was something that made one feel she was capable and reliable, that there was a latent strength on which those she loved could lean and be at rest.  But in speaking of these things I am going far beyond the impressions of the small child skipping about the large rooms of the Admiralty.

There came a time when I not only went to parties and theatricals at the Admiralty, but went in the afternoons to play with the children.  One great game was the ghost game.  To the delightful shudders produced by this was added some fear of the butler’s interference, for it took place on the large dining-room table.  The company was divided into two parties—­the ghosts and the owners of the haunted house.  At four o’clock in the afternoon (so as to give plenty of time to pile up the horror) the inmates of the house got into bed—­that is, on to the table.  The ghosts then walked solemnly round and round, while at intervals one of them imitated the striking of the clock; as the hours advanced the ghosts became more demonstrative and the company in bed more terror-stricken, and as the clock struck twelve the ghosts jumped on to the table!  Then ensued a frightful scrimmage with ear-splitting squeals, and the game ended.  I imagine it was this climax which used to bring the butler.  We also had the game of giant all over the house.  The yells in this case sometimes brought Lady Minto on the scene, who was always most good-natured.  We were quieter when we got into mischief; as when we made a raid on Lord Minto’s dressing-room, and each ate two or three of his compressed luncheon tablets and also helped ourselves to some of his pills.  This last exploit did rather disturb Lady Minto; but, as it happens, neither luncheons nor pills took any effect on the raiders.

There were often delightful theatricals at the Admiralty.  The best of the plays was