Eversfield House, EastCliff <1>
Wednesday July 3d
My dear Henry
I have received both your letters <2> from London – and I thank you for the answer to my last. We expected yours of today would have told us whether you had met the Courier & commenced arrangements for the journey – As I wrote you before we are very comfortably established in these lodgings; of which our weeks’ occupation will be up on Saturday morning – We are therefore making ready for the start on that day if fine – but if the sea should be rough, we shall wish to wait till Monday – or if you are not ready we can please ourselves very well to wait till such time as you are. The Calais Steamer crosses at half past nine A.M., therefore you should stop at Dover the night before – but the Courier must be here by an early train on Friday – to give him time to start all our goods-train trunks that are to be forwarded to Switzerland – Also we must have time to talk over the route with him. With a fine passage across to Calais, and all well, we should go on immediately, & sleep at Brussels that same Saturday night – Give us notice in due course of post whether or not you which us to continue preparing for Saturday. Charles <3> joined us at 7 o’clock yesterday, having come by the Empress – Our Landlady was able to lodge him in a spare room at the top of the house. We are some distance from that Lord Warden Hotel <4> but the walk is not unpleasant in this fine weather across the harbour & along the Esplanade and perhaps you might not think it worth while to lodge elsewhere for a single night or two – but if you liked, we could easily take beds for you & Goodwin <5> in one of this same row of houses. There are bills up in every one – as it is not yet their full season, and you would find it a great saving of expense – as you could eat with us of course. Only let me know what you wish. – It will be so much better to be near us, in case of being weather bound for 2 or 3 days – Has Goodwin been to see his mother & family while you are in Town? You know they live close to London. Bayer <6> must get our English money changed, after he comes – I have none, as you know, and have borrowed of Melle Amélina <7> – but she has a little still – as well as Henrietta: – We had news from Matilda <8> yesterday, of Sunday’s & Monday’s date. – John <9> was leaving her for Edinburgh & London on the Duke of Buccleugh’s <10> affairs – Ross Bay seems as mach in favour as now, & they have the same fine weather as ourselves – and all were well, except little Willie <11> – who is in the Doctor’s hands: – and not too soon, the Dr said, for he was rather seriously out of order as regarded the Liver and glands – That prosy Dr Chalmers had discerned nothing the matter, although consulted long ago: and Tilly is naturally much displeased with him – but her child is beginning to mend already under the present treatment. When she heard we had slept at Carlisle, the first nights from Edinburgh, she felt sorry not to have known beforehand, in case she might have contrived to meet us there – but with her anxiety about Willie we think it was perhaps better that she did not know of our being so near her. Charles has spent the whole of this day – enjoying the sea breeze, either in the Balcony or strolling about the place – Mamie <12> is much the better for the few days we have been here – and altogether the arrangement has succeeded admirably –
Your affectionate
Constance.
[envelope:]
H. F. Talbot Esqre
Athenaeum Club
London S.W.
Notes:
1. Dover.
2. Letters not located.
3. Charles Henry Talbot (1842–1916), antiquary & WHFT’s only son.
4. Opened in Dover in 1853.
5. George Goodwin (d. 1875), footman at Lacock Abbey.
6. M J Bayer, courier.
7. Amélina Petit De Billier, ‘Mamie’, ‘Amandier’ (1798–1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family [See Amélina's journal].
8. Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, ‘Tilly’, née Talbot (1839–1927), WHFT’s 3rd daughter.
9. John Gilchrist-Clark (1830–1881), Scottish JP; WHFT’s son-in-law.
10. Walter Montagu-Douglas-Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch and 7th Duke of Queensberry (1806–1884).
11. William ‘Willie’ Gilchrist-Clark-Maxwell (1865–1935), WHFT’s grandson. [See Doc. No: 00352].
12. See Doc. No: 00086.