My dear Mr Talbot
Your letter found us just returned from Encombe where we have been spending part of the day – There having been two arrivals to day we were at first afraid the house was quite full, but we have been able to secure you an apartment & shall be very happy to see you – By your letter we conclude you will be here Monday & have secured your apartment for that day – We like this place very much & find this Hotel extremely quiet & comfortable. I suppose you may have left Abbotsbury <1> before the arrival of the post & that you will take this up at Dorchester We should otherwise beg to be most kindly remembered to Lady Ilchester Ly Theresa <2> &c The [Keiths?] tell us Ly Ilchester had kindly intended inviting us to Abbotsbury About this time – we should have liked to go there most exceedingly had we been at liberty –
Believe me Sincerely Yours
Harriet Ker Seymer
Saturday Eveg
H. F Talbot Esqre
Abbotsbury Castle
Dorchester
Post Office
Swanage
Notes:
1. Abbotsbury, Dorset: home of William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways.
2. Possibly Juliana Maria Strangways, née Digby (d. 1842) and Theresa Anna Maria Digby, née Fox Strangways (1814–1874), WHFT’s cousin.