3 Chesham Place
Friday May 27th 1870
My dear Henry
It was very wrong of me not to have answered your letter & kind invitation to Laycock Abbey – but I fancied you meant us to go there on the way up to London – & as I got there before your letter, it was of course impossible to do so. I must have laid my plans obscurely before you – but they were hampered & altered by the marriage having been put off twice, because the futur <1> had overworked himself, & was not well. Originally it was to have taken place on the 12th then on the 19th & we should have gone back for it from Bournemouth – & at last on the 24th
Once in London, Ly Brownlow <2> did not wish me to go all that way back again expressly for the ceremony – so I remained here – Only Ernestine <3> went down, as she was Bridesmaid, with Georgie Edgcumbe, Emma Cust, <4> & Miss Quin, a young friend.
The names of the “Happy pair” sound very romantic – Herbert & Flora St George. <5>
You have heard a true account of him – He is young (not too young) 25 – poor & Clerical – only as yet in Deacon’s orders – But his Aunt, (a Mrs St George who has long resided at Torquay) helps them, & so does Lady Brownlow. His curacy, in County Mayo, only gives him £100 a year. I have not seen him myself, but I hear he is not good looking, & very insignificant in his appearance – but has a pleasant countenance, & is, I believe, thoroughly good & amiable. He is moreover completely devoted to Flora.
The Wedding went off very well – everyone in excellent spirits – & Flora quite beautiful! They are gone for a few days to Thanckes, George Edgcumbe’s <6> House, & were to go sail today, by long sea, to Dublin.
They will only be able to stay 3 or 4 days at their home, before they will have to go to some place, for his ordination – so they will not be settled for some little time.
Now I have given you all these details, I consider that you are bound to answer those three questions –
1o Why the Moon always turns the same side of her face towards us?
2o Why it is always high tide on both sides of the globe at the same time?
3o Why do starts twinkle?
Edward Nicholl’s <7> marriage must be a great distress to his family; I have heard however that Jane <8> has taken it better than could have been expected; but it is universally asserted that he never could return either to Lacock or to Llandolph.
Love to Constance & Ela <9>
Yr affte Sister
Caroline
Notes:
1. The future husband.
2. Emma Sophia Cust, née Edgcumbe, Lady Browlow (1791–1872), wife of John Cust, 1st Earl Brownlow.
3. Ernestine Emma Horatia Edgcumbe (1843-1925), WHFT’s niece.
4. Emily Fanny Georgiana, daughter of George Edgcumbe, Caroline Edgcumbe’s brother-in-law, and Emma Augusta Charlotte (b. 1844), daughter of Charles Cust, son of Earl Brownlow.
5. Flora Porcelli, who married Herbert St George. [See Doc. No: 09638]. Miss Quin was probably related Lady Harriet Payne Gallwey (1784-1845), née Quin, widow of Lt Gen Sir William Payne Gallwey, 1st Bart (1759-1831). She was the daughter of Caroline's husband's niece through his sister, Lady Caroline Sophia Edgcumbe (d. 10 April 1824), who was the first wife of Reginald George Macdonald (d. 1873). In 1848, Annie Sarah Macdonald (sometimes Sarah Anne) married Alfredo Salvatori Ruggioro Andrea, Baron Porceilli di Sant Andrea, a Sicilian nobleman and revolutionary commander.
6. George Edgcumbe (1800–1882).
7. Edward Nicholl, son of Jane Harriet Nicholl.
8. Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796–1874).
9. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife and Ela Theresa Talbot (1835–1893), WHFT’s 1st daughter.