Markeaton ^<1>
Sunday evening –

My dear Henry

This morning only your letter ^<2> has reached me – It is inconvenient that the course of the post should be so tedious, when there is business of any kind to settle, – but perhaps from Keswick ^<3> it may be a little quicker than from Newcastle – I believe I mentioned that Harriot ^<4> was likely to return to Buxton this week – but she cannot do so before the latter part of it – & therefore both she & my Brother ^<5> are anxious that I should not hurry away for another day or two, as you have not yet made any arrangements for my meeting you – My Brother advises me strongly to remain quietly where I am until I hear again from you – A couple of days will shew whether or not the environs of Keswick will furnish a suitable habitation for us – & should you be compelled at last to give up the Scheme I hope you will not have had an unpleasant excursion in pursuit of your object. – If you give it up at last, I rather hope that you will order me to meet you at Buxton or at any rate that you will go there yourself for a day or two because I am sure Caroline ^<6> would be so pleased – & by writing to order rooms, I suppose you would be sure to get something, though the place continues (by all accounts) to be very full – Or you can join me here if you prefer it, or I can meet you anywhere that you please to name – I have decided upon sending Anna Burgess ^<7> home – some time tomorrow, & Nichole ^<8> is going to Derby to secure her an inside place in one of the coaches to Birmingham – from thence she will get to Bath – I am going to write home to request that the cart may meet her there, & take her to Lacock to Sleep one night & pack up her things – from thence home the next day – And when she has recovered this attack, I shall exert myself to get her a place – I will provide for the expenses of her journey & let her wages remain until we get home – for if paid now, she might lose it all, as Mary Selman ^<9> did – I shall try to get another Nursery maid here but if I don’t succeed I shall still be better off than with a helpless one. –

I find Groves ^<10> a very grumbling uncomfortable sort of servant, but she is a good nurse, I do believe, & therefore so long as it suits me to keep her there is no harm done –

Your affectionate
Constance

H. F. Talbot Esq^re
Post office
Keswick
Cumberland
Bowness
by Kendal
Great Malvern

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Notes:

1. Markeaton Hall, Derbyshire, NW of Derby: home of the Mundy family.

2. Doc. No: 03724.

3. Keswick, Cumberland.

4. Harriot Georgiana Mundy, née Frampton (1806-1886), WHFT’s cousin & sister-in-law.

5. William Mundy (1801-1877), politician, WHFT’s brother-in-law.

6. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister.

7. Nursery maid.

8. Nicolaas Henneman (1813–1898), Dutch, active in England; WHFT’s valet, then assistant; photographer.

9. Former Nursery maid.

10. Recently appointed nurse.