TALBOT9466

Cotehele House ¹
Calstock
Tavistock
Dec^r 18^th 1868

My dear Henry

The report you saw in the papers was quite true, & we have been lately in a state of great anxiety about Katie. ² A letter came from Val ³ last Monday, saying she had an attack of fever which had reduced her so much, as in her already weak state, to cause great uneasiness. A second letter & a telegram brought a rather worse account – she had a restless night, & only got some sleep with morphine – & what seemed to cause most alarm, was her excessive weakness.

Poor Val seemed quite broken hearted – & he said, what is so natural, that the beautiful blue sky & bright sun made it all so much worse.

After this there seemed to be a favourable turn in her illness – She was able to sleep without morphine, & altogether there was some improvem^t. This we learnt by a 2^nd telegram – & a third brought a still better report – so that Val said he should send no more telegrams.

A letter received this morning & dated the 15^th says that the D^ss of Abercorn & her Son Claud ⁴ were expected the next day – & the Duke ⁵ was on his way.

Poor Val seems greatly happier & relieved in mind – but evidently he does not build upon any permanent amendment, as to her general condition. It is a very sad case.

I had a nice long letter from Amandier ⁶ today, & am very glad to find that Constance ⁷ is still getting stronger. How Amandier does enjoy Venice! I know I should be quite as enthusiastic as she is, were I there – from what I already know of it. There are so many delightful old nooks, (not to speak of it’s [sic] beauties), that must make it only second to Rome in interest.

I am very glad that Charles ⁸ is beginning to take an interest in travelling – I think he wants that, as he gets too horny.

Ernestine had a charming letter from Charlie, ⁹ written on board the P. & O. Steamer “Ceylon”, one day short of Alexandria. She is a fine vessell [sic] of 1500 tons – & the passengers being only 60, w^h is half her complement, they have plenty of room. He says their voyage was like a delightful cruize in a yacht, only much more comfortable.

They passed by the North coast of Corsica, & skirted the Italian coast; waking up one morning among the Lipari islands – Stromboli smoking vigourously [sic]. They then passed thro’ the Straits of Messina, & under Cape Spartivento – where they took leave of Europe for a time. The weather was splendid, no motion on the sea to speak of, & the views on each side of the straits quite lovely! dotted with little white houses & picturesque villages. It gave me a longing to be there!

I was afraid you had determined to sit by the fire at Lacock during the whole winter – a decidedly slow proceeding – & am glad to find you were going to London – as you would not come here. The weather is charmingly mild, though very wet, & occasionally heavy gales. Amandier talks of the new H. of Commons as “cette masse d’intrus de bas étage”.! ¹⁰ Do write to me again –

Y^r aff^te Sister
Caroline

[envelope:]
Henry Fox Talbot Esq^re
Athenaeum Club
Pall Mall
London
S.W.