| Transcript or Index | Winton
August 19th (1851,1852 in pencil)
My dear Eleanor
Your very kind letter reached me this morning, without loss of time, I hasten to thank you for it, as well as for your affectionate invitation. At present dear Eleanor (so soon after my pleasurable tour to Clifton) I must be quiet at home!
You may dear Eleanor congratulate me on dear Emma’s engagement to a most agreable delightful person and far better than this, a truly religious conscientious man. It seems he has long had his eye upon her but from prudential motives kept from expressing his feelings until a few weeks ago. The engagement has been so warmly received by every member of his family that my heart is truly cheered. Their family connections are good, many of them settled in this County and some in London. Emma goes on Thursday to join his Mother and Sister at West Ham where they now reside. Mr Lefroy is an only Son so though not too affluent at present but with their views and occasional tastes, I doubt not their living most comfortably even in London, which will be dear Emma’s future home. I think they will not marry this year, but nothing on this head is as yet settled her leaving will be a sad break up of our reduced family but as both Catherine and I see the comfort and happiness in store for dear Emma we are unselfish enough not to think of our own loss. You shall hear further from us dear Eleanor on this to us at least deeply interesting subject. We have good report of the Miss Lefroy you name and have received kind messages from her through Mr Lefroy’s sisters. They will I hope be very good friends when they are brought together, which I hope they will be after Emma marrys, as Miss Lefroy and her Husband are to live a year in London after their marriage, which I fancy will be ere long. Catherine has not been quite free from her usual bilious attack and could not at present I am sure accept your kind invite, for I am sorry to say she is now in bed but after some salutary dosing she will I trust soon be herself again, she would send her love did she know I was writing to you. I may as well say lest I should forget it, that Emma’s Mr Lefroy is a Nephew of the Lefroys of Montague Square and now let me hope you and your good husband as well as your dear Children, have returned much bettered by your visit to Duffield. Aunt Di tells me she had a peep at you, but merely this (her own fault) this as she was invited to see more of you. The box, dear Eleanor you will I hope kindly take charge of, until I can hear of a conveyance for it.
Believe me very affectionately yours
Isabella Cracroft
Has William Kay been heard of? How strange the Prices do not write to any of us, particularly Mary – is it not? |