March the 17th 1957
Dear Esther,
I very much regret not to be able to follow Luca to England this time also because I so miss the only opportunity I had to see you and Josh again as I understand you would not come to Italy.  It is a great pity, I was so much looking forward to meet you both, but I hope that will happen at least next year at the Genetics Congress in Canada.
It is some time I received the lovely [ . . . ] sweater, which is just what I wished and fits me
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very well.  Thank you very much for your kind thought, I hope that when you will come to Italy you also will find something Italian you like, which I could send you over to the States.  For the moment, knowing you are travelling by plain[sic] and you do not want to carry round bulky or heavy things I send you just a little purse, with italian[sic] coins in it so that in the meanwhile, you can become familiar with them.  I am completely tied up with the children and especially with Videlia, whom I
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still feed completely.  She is growing so nicely that I could not possible break the feeding just because, egoistically, I wanted to come to England.  Luca will tell you everything about the family and the baby, who, being a girl was extremely well welcomed, as you can imagine, by everybody; as for me, I am so much attached to her that also later will be very painful for me to get separated from.
Do enjoy your journey and scientific meetings as much as
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you can and try, sometime, to think of me, left lonely at home and feeling very low  To you and Josh lots of love.
from Alba.