Cotehele <1>
Thursday August 25th 1870
My dear Henry
Many thanks for telling me about the safe arrival of Rosamond & Amandier <2> at Dover. I am very glad indeed to hear of it – for I could not help feeling a little uneasy, lest they should get into trouble – particularly at Paris – & especially as I did not know whether they had a courier with them or not.
I think they were very brave to come by a road so near the theatre of war. <3>
Ernestine <4> & I send our best loves to them – & Val <5> joins with us in congratulating you on their safe return. He is just come, with Katie, <6> who has not seen Cotehele for 8 years. They arrived at Mt E. <7> from Eastwell Park, last Thursday – & found poor little Alick <8> had the Scarlatina – so they went next day to the Winter Villa <9> – & came today to pay us a little visit. They hired a Steamer, & came up the River – much the easiest way. The day is quite lovely!
Little Alick has had the fever very mildly, & was only 4 days in bed – but the other 3 have been kept quite away from him, & shew no symptoms yet.
Are you not sorry for the French? I should much like to see that fac-simile – Love to Constance <10> –
Yr affte Sister
Caroline
Notes:
1. Cotehele, Cornwall: ancient house, seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe, now a National Trust Property.
2. Rosamond Constance ‘Monie’ Talbot (1837–1906), artist & WHFT’s 2nd daughter and Amélina Petit De Billier, ‘Mamie’, ‘Amandier’ (1798–1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family [See Amélina's journal].
3. The Franco-Prussian War.
4. Ernestine Emma Horatia Edgcumbe (1843-1925), WHFT’s niece.
5. William Henry Edgcumbe, ‘Val’, 4th Earl Mt Edgcumbe (1832–1917), JP & Ld Steward of the Royal Household; WHFT’s nephew ‘Bimbo’.
6. Lady Katherine Elizabeth Edgcumbe, née Hamilton (1840–1874), wife of William Henry Edgcumbe.
7. Mt Edgecumbe, near Plymouth: seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe.
8. Piers Alexander Hamilton Edgcumbe, Viscount Valletort (1865–1944).
9. Winter Villa, near Plymouth: estate of the Earls of Mt Edgcumbe.
10. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.