TALBOT5463

Friday 12^th Dec^r
L. Abbey

My Dear Henry

Caroline ¹ has selected a few of the best for the Q. ² but is not decided about sending them & yet She thinks it too long to put it off till she is in Waiting again, which will not be till February. She would have bought the coloured one of the P. of W. ³ had the likeness been preserved, which she says it is in yours but somehow in printing it the Artist has made the face rounder & fatter which has destroyed the resemblance, as he happens to have a very oval face for so young a child, & the artist has made him in fact prettier than he is. Caroline if she does not buy it, is requested by Nicole ⁴ to return it, [but this?] she is very unwilling to do, because she says He has no right to keep it & has committed a grave indiscretion, this is an awkward predicament. Caroline goes on Wednesday & if you come it is arranged that you are to have the Confessional, as Ernestine ⁵ is in possession of your room, & very comfortable it looks with a good fire. Tomorrow we are to have what is called in story phrase a spread we shall be twelve at dinner! the Shelburns, L^d Lansdowne Sotherons, M^r West Awdry ⁶ & ourselves make up the component parts. Two Gents called here & saw the Cloisters they wanted to see you. One is Mr Bridges, ⁷ Father of a great friend of Val’s ⁸ at Maisemore School

[envelope:]
H. F. Talbot E^r
31. Sackville Street
London