Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Would like very much to see the plans [for Elizabeth and Robert's new house, being built at Leith Hill]; hopes they will bring them up to London. It will be a busy time, but they must 'set apart an hour'. Asks whether they will be there on the evening of [Charles and Mary's] wedding, 6 January; Annie [Philips] will be staying with them, and Elizabeth and Robert could come to dine and show the plans then. Elizabeth can have her dress sent to Grosvenor Crescent and change there; they must leave by one o'clock. Believes 'Valescure is still very nice'; seems wise not to make a very long journey in January; expects they will come back earlier than usual to 'look after the house'. George has a cold, and they had a very quiet Christmas day; '[Charles Augustus?] Fitch and a game of whist in the evening being the high water mark of festivity'. Very distressed about [Roger] Fry [over his wife's illness]. Hopes Elizabeth got the pheasants by Christmas day. Very sorry 'the doggie did not recover'. Is reading James's Life of Story ["William Wetmore Story and His Friends"] which is 'in its way quite delightful' and 'makes one long to be in Rome'.
Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Glad all in order at home, and that Elizabeth and Robert enjoyed their stay at Wallington; wishes the weather had been better so they could have made more excursions. Now very cold, but yesterday was 'delightful' and they drove in the afternoon to Capheaton for a sale of some of Sir John [Swinburne]'s cattle. Miss Fitch recovered quickly and left yesterday, returning all the books; the good uncle [Charles Augustus Fitch?] will be relieved. Glad to hear the negotiations with the V[aughan] W[illiams]s are 'satisfactory' and that they 'propose a lower rent'; hopes the agreement will be drawn up and the architect will get to work soon. Has been reading Madame de Lieven's memoirs; they are 'amusing up to a certain point', but she thinks her 'much over-rated'. Thinks George has returned from Wales; Charlie has gone to visit the Bells before 'starting his campaign of speaking'. 'Old Anne' is visiting, and Booa [Mary Prestwich] is very happy; Booa hopes Elizabeth got the parcel. Asks whether Elizabeth is having friends to stay, and whether she wants a melon, also whether she is quite well again. Glad she enjoyed the music at Chillingham; hopes she finds a good violin before long but it is right not to hurry. Has been looking through her autumn and winter clothes. A separate sheet says she thinks it is possible to get good dogs cheaply from the Dogs Home in Battersea. If Elizabeth wants a Dandy [Dinmont] 'like Pepper' they can get one in Wallington. Annie [Philips] also knows about them.
Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Thanks Elizabeth for sending her birthday wishes, though it is 'really too old to be noticed now'. Glad she enjoyed The Park, which is 'a nice old house, & a curious relic of the past'; it was less 'encircled' by the town when she was a child, and they used to 'ride about country lanes'. Annie told her she was going to give Elizabeth the necklace; thought she would be pleased with it. Poor Miss Fitch 'the older one, she is 19, who played Eviey [?]' has jaundice; Mr [Charles Augustus?] Fitch's housekeeper told Caroline he 'did not "understand young people" & was "much too kind to them" & gave them "too many good things to eat". Miss Fitch is still in bed and will not be able to leave for more than a week. [Edward] Keith took thirteen prizes at Rothbury show. She and Sir George are reading Carlyle's early letters aloud, which she 'much prefer[s] to Johnson'. Sent some figs yesterday; hopes they arrive in good condition. Asks about the Jones [Herbert and Lily?]
The Mill House, Westcott, Dorking. - Met the 'old postman' on his way back from the station so got her letter early; tipped the postman a shilling last week so he did not mind handing it over, and probably 'knows the sort of person these constant Dutch letters come from' and sympathises with Bob's eagerness. Glad that her letter was so cheerful. If the legal papers are long delayed, expects he will be able to sign them in Holland; if it is just a matter of a few days will be better to wait and sign them here. Thinks she is right that the Flushing route is best to travel back on. Does not know which hotel his parents will stay at [in the Hague]; thinks his father mentioned this in the letter to her uncle; thinks he himself will stay at the Twee Stede. Needs to get a topper; if he gets one in the Hague this will save taking a hat box. His mother has knitted him a white tie; asks if this would do. If his father's letter does not decide her uncle against it, she must tell him that Bob is 'very strongly against it'; though he would give in if there turns out to be a reason such as her aunt wanting it. Aunt Annie [Philips]'s silver candlesticks have come and are 'very splendid'; Mr [Charles Augustus] Fitch, the Trevelyans' clergyman in Northumberland, 'has sent a very pretty little silver mustard pot'. Hopes that Madame Dolmetsch, who sometimes visits the Frys, will come to play the clavichord; Dolmetsch could get them the Bach clavichord music; Bob is sure Bessie could play it 'well enough to please [him]', anyway he looks on the clavichord 'more as a picture than as an instrument. The roses are coming up well. Thoughts about married happiness Glad she likes 'P. & P.' ["Pride and Prejudice"] which is 'great fun'. May go to Roundhurst for a night with the Frys if it is fine on Saturday; will probably go to London on Monday. Expects she will bring her bicycle over.
Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Hopes Elizabeth is settled at Ravello and having a good Christmas day; expects it will be quiet, as theirs is. Had their 'very mild festivity' last night; George is staying, and C[harles], M[ary], and Mr Fitch came to dinner. They had music after dinner - Mary has greatly improved Charlie's singing - then 'played a letter game'. Most of their packing is done, and they leave [for Welcombe] on Tuesday; George will travel some of the way with them as he is joining Janet at Stocks for a week. The fogs in London, Manchester, Leeds and so on 'quite terrible last week'; hopes they will have gone. Asks if she may use one of Elizabeth's 'supernumeray [sic] silver inkstands' at Welcombe, as she is having a small room set up to use in the morning. George is well; he and Sir George discuss 'their respective works & the treatment of History &c &c &c at length & very amusingly'. Does not think George's book ["England Under the Stuarts"] has 'had a brilliant success', but it has been well reviewed. Asks to be remembered to Madame Palumbo; supposes Mrs Reid is still alive. Has received a postcard of Vesuvius from Heathcote Long so supposes he is somewhere near Naples. Asks if 'the diplomat' is any relation of Elizabeth's.