TALBOT2563

Belton
January 11^th 1833

My dear Henry

It will be very unlucky indeed if we cannot contrive to be at Laycock Abbey before you leave it, but I am very much afraid it will be impossible to arrange it otherwise – Ld V. ¹ went off to Scotland to arrange Mr Mac Donald’s ² affairs last Tuesday & I cannot expect him back before eight or ten days, & then comes our visit to Blickling – but you may be sure we will do it if it is to be done. – Lady Bromley ³ invited us to Stoke, where I should like to have gone very much, but was obliged to decline, as I could not go alone – Tuesday I am going with the Brownlows ⁴ for a day or two to Burghley. I have written long accounts of my visit to Belvoir Castle ⁵ to Mamma & Horatia, ⁶ as well as a detailed description of our tableaux & charades, so I will not repeat them here – I hope you and Constance ⁷ mean to patronize Kerry’s ⁸ fancy ball at Devizes – I should like to be there to assist in dressing her & Horatia en costume – for, I am not altogether without wit, as Zohrab ⁹ says, in that respect at least – Tell them so with my love. –

Y^r aff^te Sister
Caroline

I enclose a pretty creeper that twines round a pillar in the Conservatory –