A visit to my darlings

The dear Contessa writes that she finds herself lingering in Paris, and may not reach bella Londra for some months yet. Indeed this suits me, for I am in great desire to go visit my darlings.

I inform Docket that I daresay that do I need to dress for company while I am there, I confide that Williams will be able to contrive. Docket looks thoughtfull and then nods, saying it will give her opportunity to furbish up my wardrobe.

So I set off upon my visit.

O, I do long so very extreme to be with my darlings, to see the dear children once more and in particular our precious jewel, Flora.

I arrive on a sunny afternoon, and there they are awaiting me on the doorstep, o, 'tis so very agreeable to see them all.

I greet them all very warm, kiss the girls and Quintus, but Flora is obstinate and will not come out from Mrs F-'s skirts even when exhort’d, saying No! and turning her face away. This quite pierces me to the heart and I am in great risque of tears but that I mind that I am in company and must put on a brave face.

My darling comes with me to my fine reserv’d chamber, tells me I must not fret, 'tis just the way Flora is at present that she will be about saying no, and being a naughty creature, quite generally; sure 'twas the same with the others at a like age.

Oh, says I, I should indeed be most troubl’d at such a development: sure it is so much better that she is with you, that will not get into a fuss and a fret over the matter.

And then, O, I cry, you do not go about to punish her, I hope?

No more, says my dearest, than a little smack upon the hand does it offer to go where it should not. Mayhap we are sadly indulgent parents – sure when Harry was being so troublesome, Josiah was in a great fret that he would be oblig’d to whip him. Indeed, for all of them it seldom needs more than a sharp word to remind them and bring them to a proper frame of mind.

Sure, she goes on, I think perchance our little jewel is somewhat cross with you for going away and therefore goes about to act the indifferent.

Can this be so?

My love shrugs. She has been much the same with us when we return here. She will come round. But my dear one, I have not yet kisst you as I should like to.

Indeed I have greatly misst my wild girl’s kisses.

But this is a time when we may exchange no more than a few kisses, for, she says, all clamour to see Aunty C-, Miss N- doubtless will desire me to read to the girls, and Quintus will want his tiger. She adds that they have already told them a little about the forthcoming changes, so that it does not come as a sudden shock.

Another thing, she says, is that there will be a ball in the Assembly Rooms for the hospital and we have took tickets including one for you. Sure I daresay you will find it a tedious provincial matter but 'tis an excellent cause.

Oh, says I, I do a deal of things for excellent causes and sure this sounds less tedious than some, as I daresay there will be no Evangelickals present.

We kiss a little more and then she says she will send Williams to help me change and unpack my trunks for me.

Sure I am always happy to be here, even am I troubl’d about Flora: for I fear my darling goes about to soothe my worries and that my jewel really has taken me in a dislike.

Comes Williams with a can of hot water, for she dares say the road was very dusty and I should like to wash. She asks after Docket and how Tibby gets on in her place with the Duchess. She expresses a certain eagerness for the propos’d move to Town.

I am now consider’d entire a part of the family and am not oblig’d to stand upon ceremony and be entertain’d in the parlour but may go at once to the family room where my darling conducts her business while Quintus and Flora play around her.

Quintus most immediate desires me to play tiger, which I am entirely happy to do. Flora sits with a thumb in her mouth and scowls quite horrid for a while, but then shouts tiger! and comes join in and is soon a pretty giggling darling that I long to pick up and cover in kisses but that I think that this may turn her cold again.

The door opens to admit our dearest Grand Turk: Flora runs to him crying tigers! and he swings her up to kiss her, declaring that he supposes she no longer cares for bears now there is a fine tiger to play with. Bear! says Flora very peremptory and I can see that he is quite wound around her little finger as he immediate concedes to play bears with her.

My darling looks on very fond.

Next come Bess and Meg with Miss N- (the boys are at school) and tell me of the plays they have put on with the toy theatre. Miss N- indeed solicits me to read to them. She is looking very well. After dinner she contrives a little private converse with me, and I apprehend that she has suitors, a matter about which I am able to convey her a little advice. Sure I do not think she inclines in particular to any one of them just yet, but is exceeding flatter’d by their attentions.

I ask does she go to the hospital ball and she says yes, Mr and Mrs F- have very kindly taken a ticket for her. I say that perhaps she would like to borrow my pearls again at which she goes very pink in the face and says O, Lady B-! and expresses how very much she would.

I am besought to read a little to the family after Flora and Quintus have been taken off to bed by Patty, tho’ I do not give them Juliet’s nurse.

At last in the middle of the night my darlings come to me and we are all very happy together, exploring the angles of the triangle and also holding councils of war about matters to do with the election, moving into R- House, &C.

In the morning there is the accustom’d chocolate party levée; sure I think the chocolate persuades Flora to make very civil towards me, for she shows exceeding fond of it. We have fine tales of the elephants, a little playing tigers, and 'tis all most congenial.

After breakfast my dearest wild girl proposes a little jaunt into town: oh, says I, that will be most agreeable, and while we are there perhaps we could pass by the newspaper office so that I may give Mr L- my impressions of Naples that he solicit’d of me at Christmas.

What, you do not go about to offer him some horrid tale?

Sure my horrid tales are becoming known: I fear did I give him any it might lead to the revelation of my incognita.

Would that be so very terrible, my darling?

I wriggle my shoulders. O: sure I think that there might be a little prejudice among the philanthropick set did they discover me to be the author of such tales. Now, did I indite tales of improving morality, none would object, I daresay. But alas, my pen will not turn in such a direction, tho’ I understand there is a great market for such things.

Oh, 'tis a great pity, says my darling, sure I should like to read improving tales writ by the very best of C-s; I confide they would be entirely out of the common.

Wicked creature, says I, what you mean is, quite thoro’ scandalous. Tho’, indeed, I am in supposition that the Evangelickal set could bear with a deal of scandal and immorality, so be there was an edifying repentance or a dreadfull warning at the end. Alas, it is just that that I cannot come about to contrive.

Sure you would have to be an entire hypocrite to do so!

Indeed I should. I look at her over the table. Sure I should also have to put in some wicked wild girl that comes to a bad end, and 'twould quite entire break my heart to do so.