Moray Place
Saturday May 4.
My dear Henry
I have just received your letter of Thursday; which acquaints me with the final decision of the Pullens – I did not anticipate that Lucy would alter her mind, nor can I tax her with being unreasonable in this particular. – I am quite sorry that you should hurry away from home before looking up your things for Millburn Tower1 – because the business you have to transact with us at Edinburgh cannot occupy more than a week or ten days (according to my reckoning) so that whether you take took the spare time for Lacock before or after coming here, would be of no consequence. There would have been a pleasure in knowing that your preparations were in a state of forwardness – but I will say no more of this – for if your journey be fixed as you say for next Monday, all such remarks will be too late to induce you to alter your plans – Everything is smooth as regards Mr Grieve – and no delay can occur on his side from your having come to Edinburgh rather later than was first expected. He told me on Thursday that Mr Borthwick’s agent was desirous of giving over the Inventory on as early a day as possible – before their busy term begins; & he had applied for permission to Mr Borthwick to do so. This will forward our interests materially, for Mr Grieve only waits the moment when the present tenant gives everything up into his hands, to carry out a few improvements & repairs for us. – I am expecting a summons for Goodwin to attend when the Inventory is examined, which will save the trouble & expense of going through it a second time. – When I was at Millburn on Thursday the gardener had a man helping him to cut down the poor laurels that were destroyed during the winter – There were some magnificent ones – and the gaps left & consequent exposure of the garden wall to the front of the house is very distressing. Had these laurels been rhododendrons the devastation would have been scarcely remarked. I hope you received my letter yesterday expressing our satisfaction about the carriage. – You would see that we were no longer so impatient for your coming – and I am glad you were not here yesterday when the North East wind was again very keen. – The preceding days were mild – from a change of wind – and we hoped to have a continuance of the rain which fell yesterday morning – but it is dry & bright again today –
Your affectionate
Constance.
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