Thursday May 23d
My dear Henry
I am enchanted with your success in regard to the house – To confess the truth, I had such feeble hopes of your being able to get anything to suit us, that I am equally pleased & surprised at all the merits of this one – Lady Cavan <1> must be a very amiable Lady – It would be best I think that her own housemaid should remain, if she happens to wish it – in order to watch over the safety of her furniture – but of course one of our own maids will go up to do the work under her – I am very sorry about Scheichelbaur <2> – as you must now have the trouble of engaging some other servant – It will be impossible for you to have any comfort in London with out William <3> only – I imagine Price <4> should go up the day before us to take the Inventory – and will not Thursday suit best for entering upon the house? – It is not that we require so much time for preparation, but it will give a little more time for Lady Elisabeth <5> to remain here as she said she should regulate her movements accordingly – The situation being close to Kensington gardens [sic] is delightful.
I am afraid Mrs Nicholl <6> won’t come tomorrow after all, but put it off till she goes up on Tuesday –
The colds are a shade better today – mine much better – and change of air will be the most sure of all cures –
Horatia <7> arrived just in time to see Lady Mary <8> – just for ½ an hour before she set off for Clifton <9> –
Your affectionate
Constance –
Notes:
1. Possibly Caroline Augusta Lambart, née Littleton, who married the 8th Earl of Cavan in 1838.
2. Mr. Scheichelbaur, a courier and travelling servant to various branches of the Talbot family in 1844 until at least 1863.
3. William Pullen, Lacock Abbey coachman.
4. Mrs Sarah Henneman, first m Price ( ca.1811–1848), housemaid at Lacock Abbey.
5. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.
6. Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796–1874).
7. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.
8. Lady Mary Lucy Cole, née Strangways, first m. Talbot (1776–1855), WHFT’s aunt.
9. Bristol.