TALBOT8863

Lacock Abbey

Monday Aug

Tuesday Aug 30^th.

My dear Henry

I venture to send you this letter of Tilly’s which has been lying on your table since Saturday. – I have learnt this morning by a letter from Charles that you reached Mount Edgcumbe yesterday – and from Caroline I heard how unluckily you and she missed each other at Exeter, although she seems to have spared no pains to find you. She must have felt very much disappointed at failing in her attempts to take you home with her to M^t Edgcumbe. – As they are moving to Cotehele today and as of course you accompany them, I write at once to you there! – I don’t suppose you will be back to Lacock quite so soon as you talked of; – and as I fear to keep the haunch of venison from Melbury any longer, we mean to eat it with some of the neighbours either on Thursday or Friday. – I expect Charles late this Evening – and I have engaged for him to dine at the Vicarage tomorrow with Edward’s guests the < Char?> Archdeacon of Llandaff and his wife. If they leave on Thursday so as to set the vicar free on that day, we will have our party then – otherwise we must wait till Friday – I propose to have the Blomfields and the Palmers, because they have both been very kind to Charles – and I wish to ask them to dine here when Charles is at home. –

Your being absent makes no difficulty with people with whom one is not on terms of ceremony, – and I believe it is more agreeable to yourself to have it so.

A promise of steady rain on Sunday came to nothing, and a threatening of the sky today since two o’clock has come to less. When will the poor fields get a watering?

Please give my love to Caroline, and thank her for her letter – and tell her how well I remember the enjoyment of my visit to Cotehele in May 1836.

Your affectionate

Constance.