TALBOT206

Great Stuart St. ¹
Wednesday.

My dear Henry

I am glad to hear that you think of coming soon. If you are still at Lacock when this note reaches you, I wish you would tell me whether you think there is any chance of recovering a small article of mine which has been lost on the journey by goods train to Edinburgh – sent off from Chippenham on the 19^th October. – I will explain. We had 2 large crates or cradles of furniture packed by Gale’s ² men to come to Edinburgh – We filled up the spaces with blankets, pieces of carpet, unbound publications, baskets, little articles of various kinds – One thing I gave out was a small rose wood box with a mosaic on the lid – what they call a glove box or netting box; and I valued it because it was a present Caroline ³ brought me from Rome many years ago – The Carpenters wrapped a colored counterpane round it, tied with a string & placed it at the bottom of the smaller crate, (the square one) under a music waggon – When the package was undone in this house there was no box forthcoming neither the counterpane in which it was wrapped. – And there was a side of the carpetting which had secured the package, un-nailed. Therefore my box & counterpane must have been stolen by some one at some Goods station of the Railway. Would there be any use of in lodging a complaint at the Chippenham Station? – If so will you order it to be done – and Wilkins ⁴ I think would be a properer person to speak to the Station master than William Pullen ⁵. – The loss was not discovered as you may suppose until I arrived here myself & missed my little box. –

your affectionate
Constance.