TALBOT6263

Laycock Abbey
Tuesday 4^th

My dear Henry

You know I had quite made up my mind to go to Wales, only had not quite settled the day & did not like to propose myself definitively till I had. Today I have a letter from Theresa Nicholl ¹ pressing me to come & giving a list of the steamers for the month – whereby it appears that if I delay till the 15^th I shall have to sail at 5 in the morn^g qui ne me sourit pas du tout – & I am thinking therefore of choosing the 11^th or 12^th when it goes at a reasonable hour.

If I were not engaged elsewhere, I sh^d like your Scotch plan very much – tho’ I think it is full late to begin a tour in the Highlands & I feel hardly strong enough to walk & climb hills as I sh^d wish to do if I went exploring with you. I went to lunch at Bowood ² today & found Aunt L. ³ quite in raptures with M^t E. ⁴ L^d. L. ⁵ has a slight touch of gout which will present their setting out tomorrow but they hope next day he will be well enough. I hope my letters were in good time for your friend – I was quite tried with much writing. – It was a beautiful afternoon – sitting in the Italian garden with my Aunt – quite like summer.–

Will you not change your mind once more & come to Wales with me! – unless you are really going abroad in which case I think you ought not to put it off long.

Y^r aff
Horatia