TALBOT9443

Mount Edgcumbe ¹
Devonport

Nov^r 7^th 1868

My dear Henry

I suppose you are now at Laycock Abbey, though you have not given Signe de vie ² for an age; but Matilda ³ implies as much, by asking if you wrote to me about the Earthquake? which you certainly did not.

I found her letter here last night, on our arrival from Port Eliot, where we have been spending 4 days - Before that we were a week at the dear old Winter Villa, ⁴ with Lady Brownlow, ⁵ to whom Val ⁶ has lent it for 2 months. The change seems to have done her much good, for she was very ill before. We are now here for a week or 10 days - for a shooting party Charlie ⁷ is going to have, to shoot the covers here - that is to say the party will only consist of Rim, ⁸ Johnnie Bulteel ⁹ & another gentleman - no ladies; & I want to propose to you to join us, as we have not seen you for such a long time; & the house is still all furnished & comfortable & will not be dismantled till after this shooting. My principal reason for wanting you to come now is, that you may see Charlie again - for he is going away from us, (I grieve to say for my own sake,) as far as he can go - to Australia. He has been offered the appoint^t of Secretary to the new Governor of Adelaide, Sir James Fergusson ¹⁰ - & is immensely pleased at the thoughts of seeing so much of the world, in such an agreeable way. Of course I sh^d not have been justified in saying a word to deter him - particularly as I trust he will not be away so very long. The usual term is 5 years - & at first he was afraid he might have had to leave the Guards - in which case he would have refused. He has fortunately however obtained leave to go - & Sir James has consented to his leaving him in a year & ½, supposing he gets his Lieu^t Colonelcy about that time.

It is a great opening in life for him - & a good thing that the Governor, instead of being an old man, as governors usually are, is only 36 - & is already a friend of Charlie's - Indeed that is how he came to ask him to be his secretary.

I am sorry to say Charlie will have to start on the 25^th Ins^t so you see he will only be here a very short time - for he has an engagem^t somewhere after this next week - So do dear Henry come here & see him & us.

Y^r aff^te Sister
Caroline

I hear Constance ¹¹ is going to spend part of the winter at Venice - very damp & unwholesome I sh^d think. Please when you write, say that I wrote to Amandier ¹² on the 26^th Oct^r & directed to Florence, to the Hotel they told me.

Turn over

Come the soonest day you can - now do!

[envelope:]
Henry Fox Talbot Esq^re.
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham