Thursday –
My dear Henry
We are very glad to hear of your safe arrival & we congratulate you on your having travelled with your accustomed fortunate celerity. I wonder how you prosper in your lodging? – you have at least some brighter weather for your operations than you had here of late.
Lady Elisabeth <1> is quite determined on going back to Sackville Street <2> tomorrow – though Horatia <3> is anxious to remain till Saturday, – especially as the weather is become fine –
Why don’t you explain to your correspondent that the name of Your Abbey is not Calke? I wonder his letters find their way at all –
Your affte
Constance
Notes:
1. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.
2. 31 Sackville Street, London residence of the Feildings, often used as a London base by WHFT.
3. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.
4. Calke Abbey is near Ticknall, Derbyshire, near the Mundy residence. WHFT must have had some connection with it - see Doc. No: 08699. The correspondent is unidentified and there are no known surviving letters addressed to WHFT this way.