Eversfield House East Cliff Dover –
Saturday June 29.

My dear Henry

I received letters yesterday morning at the Victoria Hotel, from yourself and Charles – but had no time for answering either until our arrival here – Our train from London (Charing cross station) was necessarily late – after lunching with Caroline, and saying adieu to Harriot – We reached Dover a little before 10. and slept at the Lord Warden Hotel last night. but having no intention of remaining there over Sunday, we set out to search for Lodgings immediately after breakfast and were singularly successful, after a pretty long Search – Our direction is Eversfield House East Cliff – of which we have the observing room apartment for a week, or ten days according to arrangement (if it is thought more convenient or advisable to make our continuance start at the beginning, rather than at the end of a week) Please to tell Charles that he can have a bed in this house, (if still vacant) or if taken, our Landlady will get him one in an adjoining house. so he can please himself about joining us either Tuesday or any other day. but I advise him to make haste & come, for the weather is splendid – very brilliant, but neither too hot nor too cold – the route by Reading is certainly far preferable to [illegible deletion] that by London. We found for the officials [illegible deletion] rather rough at Charing cross, owing perhaps to the great crowds of Paris travellers. and they made us pay 13/6 for luggage over weight – whereas it had passed all the way from Edin^h unchallenged – We want to know whether Goodwin will spend any time here at Dover before the day of starting – long enough I mean to chuse a trunk for us – Our things are too much squeezed & we are intending to revise our packing and make up an additional case of things to go by luggage train. – We feel certain that we must take as little as possible along with us, and send all the rest by goods train to meet us in Switzerland – You will probably spend one day with us at Dover yourself. & I want to know whether I must buy the trunk or wait for Goodwin – who would probably know better how to chuse it. There is a good place to buy them here at Dover.

Goodwin has some bills to settle at Lacock for Coals – Oats. Barley, & meal for the Poultry & Pigeons and the Sadler, and various others amounting to £30Ì odd. I had these bills handed in to me at the end of March – some have been running on since – Can you give him money for these? or get the amount paid by M^r Awdry to Wilkins? – It will be best for you to speak to Goodwin – and ascertain whether he has paid anything yet out of his own pocket – for it will be so much better to settle all we can, and get him to put by his own money in the bank, instead of carrying it about on the Continent.

At Bath I owe 3 bills that I once told you of.

M^rs Hick 20 Milsom Street for Glass &c in July 1866 £2ÌÌ4ÌÌ6

M^r Simms Music Seller for last year Pionoforte hire (31. Gay Street Bath) 10Ì8Ì6

Stokes & C^o Silk Mercers Abbey Church yard from June 30. to Oct 27 1866 12ÌÌ16Ì10

I have these 3 Bills – and prefer keeping them myself – but if you could desire M^r Awdry to pay the several amounts when he has the opportunity – and keep the receipts till I return, I shall be much obliged – I am quite vexed to trouble you with these money matters at so late a moment – but I was so hunted and hurried, before leaving Edinburgh, while I felt far from strong, myself, that I could do nothing more than gather up the accounts & bring them with me – and I am now writing while the rest are strolling out, this lovely evening –

Caroline knows that you are to be in Town next week – and she says you should call upon her at 2 or a little after, when you will find her at luncheon – She cannot be seen earlier – and that is a nice time – as you can eat some lunch with her, and get a little talk before she goes out in her carriage – She was not very well yesterday, & thought she caught cold the day before, coming home late from a morning party. Harriot lunches at ½ past 1. She may be found always from about 1 to 3. – They leave Town on the 6^th

Adieu – your affectionate
Constance.

I think Dover will strengthen Monie very much – but we were out rather later than we should have been last night, and she coughed a good deal – We are very lucky in your our weather.

[envelope:]
H. F. Talbot Esqre
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Wiltshire