TALBOT8400

Farrance's Hotel ¹
Monday May 6^th 1861

My dear Henry

I ought to have answered your letter before now, to tell you how sorry I was about the fire ² at Laycock - It was not however want of sympathy, but want of time which prevented me writing sooner. No great harm appears to have been done, & most mercifully the fire did not break out at night. Fortunately too it was not near any of the old, original buildings of the dear old Abbey - tho' none of it can be called very modern. -

I hope everything has been restored to your satisfaction & proper preventions taken for the future.

I know not if you are still at Laycock - but I had hoped to see you before this. What are you doing? & where are you?

There were two brilliant weddings solemnised last Tuesday in S^t Paul's Knightsbridge. The eldest & youngest daughters of Lady Eliz^th Bulteel ³ - (the 2^nd was married last year, to Bingham Mildmay, ⁴ son of our old friend Humphrey. ⁵)

Mary Bulteel, ⁶ the Maid of Honor, married Co^l Ponsonby, ⁷ Equerry to Prince Albert, ⁸ & Son of the celebrated Sir Fred. Ponsonby ⁹ who was left for dead on the field of Waterloo, & afterwards recovered so wonderfully.

Emily ¹⁰ married Edward Baring ¹¹ in the same firm as M^r Mildmay', so they are well off, as you may imagine. They had each 8 Bridesmaids - & Ernestine ¹² was one of Emily's. - Two days afterwards Ernestine was confirmed at Langham Place Church, All Souls', the same Church you were married in. You cannot think how dear & innocent she looked, all in white, with a long white veil on her head!

Milord ¹³ is tolerably well - Do come & see us -

Y^r aff^te Sister
Caroline