Hotel Pelicano Bagni di Lucca
Saturday 31st July 1869
My dear Papa,
I hope by this time that you have safely arrived at home, and that you are now resting yourself from all your fatigues. It seems that the heat has followed you, for the newspapers say it is extremely hot now all over England and Scotland – Here our story is always the same: cool early mornings, and tremendous heat and closed shutters all the rest of the day. Each time we try and open the window, there blows in upon us like the blast of the a furnace. and the thermometer, which keeps a little below 80 in our rooms, rises immediately above 90 as soon as we put it out in the open air – At Florence it is 98. However we are promised a t radical change in about 10 days, and as soon as moving about becomes practicable we mean to start again upon our travels, and do fine things! Do not think that we mean to waste our opportunities and not profit by your great good nature in letting us stay a little longer in Italy: no indeed...we mean to see all we can manage, with “a due regard to economy” as well as health. Here our expenses are under 200 francs a week, – Vittoria’s wages and every thing included. In travelling, of course, we must expect to spend more, but from all we hear, I think we shall be able to manage in every place to secure a reasonable and comfortable lodging. Even in Rome, Dr Gason tells us there are several very nice boarding houses, frequented by English ladies, where the terms are, like here, ten francs pr day for each person, attendance included.
Mamie wishes me to tell you that “she is as well as can be expected under the circumstances of heat &c” – that is to say, as soon as we get a cool breeze she will be all right and as well as usual, and she thanks you very much for your kind anxiety to have news of her.
We do not find that the time hangs at all heavy on our hands, for we have luckily got a good subscription library at the Villa Stisted which we already told you of, consisting in great part of old standard works; and are now engaged on Peveril of the Peak, and Forsyth’s Italy, the latter of which I never read before. – It is so quaint, and amusing to compare with the present day & mode of travelling. Besides we draw, of course, a great deal: and have made great friend with an artist, Mr Lancaster, and his pretty young wife, who have been here a month. They are remarkably nice, quiet people, and in the evening they come to us to chat and play cards: & they have been teaching us the game of <Bérique?>, which we once tried with Tilly but didn’t succeed in.
1st August. We have just heard from Ela of their arrival in Paris, and of yours in London by a sad foggy and chilly day: but I hope this disagreeable change was only temporary, and that for Mama’s sake, as well as you all, you will have a fine, warm autumn..
Mama seems to have got through her journey remarkably well, especially the latter part, but I daresay she will not be sorry to have got to the end of it and take a complete rest. How soon do you expect Tilly & John and how long will they be able to remain at Lacock, in defiance of Duke, Grouse and all? –
I am very sorry to hear that Charles still complains so much of indisposition.. Have you tried to find out from him what is really the matter?...It is a pity he does not try a little sea-air which, he says, always does him so much good! I suppose Goodwin has already set to work servant-hunting, which will be a difficult matter, I am afraid, especially with regard to the Cook.
Yesterday evening a sudden gust of wind arose, so violent that the trees roared, the shutters banged, and the dust was raised in clouds from the torrent’s bed, like the sand in the desert; we all expected a great storm, but after blowing for half an hour it gradually subsided and nothing came of it – Only today there is more air than usual.
Please tell Charles I wrote to him in London a few days ago. Mamie sends her love, and I am, dear Papa, your very affecte daughter
Rosamond