TALBOT5107

Lacock Abbey

Monday Oct. 21

My dear Henry

Your letter from Edinburgh ¹ just received has recovered my spirits – for I was quite troubled at your previous silence – (ever since Jedburgh) – and only yesterday I wrote again to Edinburgh ² to entreat you to be more communicative. That letter you will not receive as you are turning your steps homewards – and perhaps my 2 former ones also written Wednesday & Thursday ³– so I will briefly recapitulate the only part which it is of consequence for you to know – Firstly – Lady Elisabeth & Horatia are coming home today – but as they don’t leave M^t Edgcumbe till this morning – perhaps they may not be early enough for the last train at Exeter 15 m. past 3 and perhaps therefore they may stop on the road. This is news you will like – but now follows a threatened visit from M^rs Damer either for this present week or the next – It is not yet clear but I will write again tomorrow if I hear anything positive – We were rejoicing at her having proposed herself in your absence – but it seems likely now that you may tumble into the midst of them – It is hard that you should be plagued in your own house by a company that you don’t wish for – but perhaps after your travels you may feel less indisposed towards them than usual –

I am so very glad your weather has been finer than ours – Has the improvement which we now experience come from you to us? – certainly the wind has blown chiefly from the north west within the last few days. –

The air too is much colder which promises well – I hope you have been able to do something – but you do not say – Perhaps to avoid M^rs Damer & party you may feel an additional inducement to spend a day or 2 at Markeaton – Harriot said you would have been most welcome in your way out. Why didn’t you contrive to visit M^r & M^rs John Strangways – I wished you so much to see their place – Harriot has neglected cruelly to let me hear of Noel – and I have therefore written to my Brother to enquire – but their post is so tedious – partly because they never answer the same day – though they might – & partly because their letters spend a night at Chippenham before they reach us – From M^t Edgcumbe on the contrary it is surprisingly quick – for I had an answer yesterday to a letter I wrote on Friday. I wrote to say I had no wine for them & Lady E. wrote back that I need not trouble, for she had plenty of her own –

The children are now at my side – full of joy, having been indulged with a sight of their young rabbits seven in number – and all white like their parents. – Chicks send their love & wish me to tell you this. The little things are quite blind – they say they are darlings & Matilda bids me say she will like them much better when they can run about in their cage with their mother & are not blind –

Your affectionate

Constance –

‘Tis now past 8 – so I give up Lady Elisabeth till near eleven – for there is a train which stops at Bath at 9 – & comes no further – Perhaps they may take fresh horses from there –

I have had a charming walk today with the children along the banks of the land – & we had beautiful weather all day – but a violent hail storm just now.