TALBOT4304

Lacock Abbey
Saturday July 10^th

My dear Henry

Miss Cotton ¹ has left us today & is gone to visit a friend near Bath – and my Sisters, ² myself & the children ³ are going all together on Monday to Marle Hill. – I hope I shall get a letter from you either tomorrow or Monday before I go – as I am impatient to hear all that you have been doing & also I am quite anxious to receive your permission for having the floor of the stone gallery repaired with M^r Carey’s ⁴ Roman cement. He tells me that it will take the pipe clay with which the housemaids whiten that floor just as well as the stone, so there will be no disfigurement in any place where it may chance to appear – He says he has sometimes done whole floors that way & that they have been as smooth & hard as a piece of marble. – I shall desire your letters to be forwarded to me at Marle hill if any sh^d arrive after I am gone & I hope you will afterwards write to me direct there & tell me what your plans for us are, & whether I am to return here or proceed from Marle Hill ⁵ to Cheltenham Barmouth. – William ⁶ will remain at home to take care of the house with the Maids – & I will give him orders about letters that come for you here – I shall take Price & Bennett ⁷ & my Sisters have their manservant – so we shall be well escorted on our outward journey. –We mean to join the train at Chippenham ⁸ at 10 minutes before 2 – & we ought to be at Cirencester at ½ past 3 – but I suppose it will be later as the trains are so much behind time, usually. – I had horses yesterday as the morning was fine & our whole party with Ela enjoyed it very much. – we drove through Spye park to Sloperton ⁹ & saw M^r & M^rs Moore. ¹⁰– They had an agreeable letter from Russell ¹¹ yesterday morning. –

Your affectionate
Constance