Sure I could sit thus for hours upon end

Our agreeable party begins break up. Jacob S- says that he should be getting back to the matter of the Admiral’s fine estate, especial if Lady J- be in prospect of return or already return’d. Mr de C- says that there is some exhibition in prospect with some of his fellow-artists and Sir Z- R- has been wishfull to conclave with him on the matter, so they should be getting back to Town. He puts his arm about Phoebe and remarks that indeed, they still feel the painfull blow, but they become resign’d and ready to pick up the threads of their life again. Phoebe nestles her head against his shoulder and nods.

I say that I confide that Dorcas will have been about ensuring that their house is clean and tidy.

Phoebe adds that she has grown immense fond of little Deborah, but now Martha is quite entire heal’d and may feed her herself once more.

Biffle and Viola set off for Q-, with the intention of preparing for the return to Town and opening up of M- House. And, says Biffle, to ensure that all is in order and that m’sister will not go chide us for poor stewardship. Viola says 'twill be quite the best thing for Essie when the nursery society returns to R- House – have seen how agreeable he found it to play with Bobbie. 'Tis a little lonesome for him until Cathy be a little older. And sure Quintus F- sets them a quite excellent example.

Sandy confides that the time has come for him to make representations in person over various matters to do with Mrs D- K-'s affairs.

My darlings sigh and say indeed they need to be going home, to wave off Harry to Leeds, and to put matters under hand for their removal to Town.

Sir B- W- and Susannah go solicit me to stay a little longer, but I make my excuses that I have much business to be about.

They add that they have prevail’d upon Captain C- to remain on the estate – there is a neat little cottage he may reside in while they are in Town, and the quacks are of the opinion that he would do better out of the smokey miasmas of Town. He makes some acquaintance with the county neighbours, there will be shooting and hunting for his recreation, does he desire a deal more in the way of society and entertainment 'tis no great distance to Bath.

That is exceeding good of you, says I.

’Tis quite entire agreed that Mrs D- K- shall take up the post of Old Lady W-'s companion. I take an opportunity to ask whether this is entire congenial to her.

She sighs and says, 'twill be out of Society and that set that they us’d to be in, that she does not incline to have to do with (I daresay there will those that her late husband pander’d her to that she had rather not encounter). And what else might she do? 'Tis as good as anything else: a roof over her head, a warm bed, food on the table, she can contrive to put up with the old lady. (I confide she thinks of the alternatives that might have been: sure the dear T-s like the antipodes exceedingly but 'twould be a different matter being a convict, even did she not suffer the extreme penalty).

She clasps my hands and says she still does not understand why I act’d as I did, but she is most exceeding gratefull. ('Tis most embarrassing, she goes about to weep.) I pat her hand gently and know not what to say.

But at last I am bound for departure, my trunks and boxes are loaded onto my carriage, Docket and Sophy have taken their places, and my traveling desk is beside where I shall sit. I embrace dear Susannah and shake Sir B- W-s hand and we take our farewells. Sure, says I, 'twill be no time before we are all in Town again.

I get into the carriage and we drive off. Docket leans back in her seat and says how very pleasant it was to see dear Tibby, how well she gets on, and sure she must find her work more agreeable now that Her Grace is no longer in mourning. Sophy, I confide, looks a little jealous.

Rather than overtax the horses and perchance risk Docket’s health, we pass two nights staying in inns on our journey.

But at last we come to my darlings’ fine house, and they are at the door, with the dear children.

I get out from the carriage, and most immediate comes up to me my darling treasure with flowers in her hand, saying For you, and pursing her lips for a kiss.

The flowers have some sign of having been pickt a while since and clutcht in a hot little hand, but I am most immense toucht and feel tears spring to my eyes. I exchange kisses with my dear belov’d child, and then with Bess and Meg, shake hands with Harry, ask Quintus is he grown too big a fellow for a kiss from his Aunty C-, at which he shakes his head, kiss my dearest darling Eliza and shake hands very warm with Josiah, see Miss N- standing a little to one side and shake hands with her and ask how she does: o, I am most immense glad to be among them once more.

We go into the parlour with Flora clinging onto my skirts, the sweet darling.

There is tea and the girls chatter about how they have spent the summer and their anticipations of the return to Town. Flora desires to display a little counting rhyme Miss N- has taught her.

Sure I could sit thus for hours upon end.

But I must change out of my traveling wear once my trunks are unpackt, and go to my fine reserv’d chamber to do so. There is hot water ready for me. Docket unpins my hair and brushes it. I hear Sophy bustling about in the dressing-room.

As Docket commences to put my hair up again there is a tap at the door: 'tis my dearest Eliza. Docket finishes the matter of my hair and goes into the dressing-room.

Eliza and I kiss extreme warm and stand embrac’d for a while in silence.

Josh does not come home? I ask at length.

Oh, he does so well at Captain P-'s, and is so happy there, we conclud’d to leave him with 'em until we are return’d to R- House, to make sure he is quite entire recover’d, rather than have all the journeying to and fro. But sure, from his letters, and from what that excellent woman 'tother Lady B- writes, he is quite got over the measles and is as fit a fellow as has ever been.

Indeed he was a deal more lively when last I saw him.

She goes on to say that Mr D- comes to family dinner this e’en, has a very great desire to communicate to Lady B- the matters that are afoot at her mine.

I sigh and say I have had little time to give to matters of business these several weeks.

Dearest of C-s, you have had a deal on your mind lately!

'Tis true, says I.

And, she says a little mournfull, I daresay some of that will be secrets that are not your own to disclose.

I rest my head upon her shoulder and say, perchance.

She strokes my hair. Sure we have been in some worry about our darling, that will put on her brave face as she goes about in company, but that we can see has been unusual troubl’d lately.

She kisses me and then says but she will not press her to reveal all.

O, says I, 'tis entire foolishness – 'tis not so much that I am bow’d down under heavy secrets, but that my spirits have been lower’d most unwont’d and somehow I do not come round as I should hope.

Well, my darling, you must remember that you have friends that you may call upon and not bear all on your own.

Indeed I have most excellent friends, says I, a little tearfull.

She kisses my cheek and says sure this is not the time to go rouse the lovely C-'s spirits in a particular manner she confides would show most efficacious, alas, and she will leave me to dress.

I squeeze her hand. Dearest of dear loves, I say.

At dinner, Mr D- is really most exceeding desirous to communicate to me a deal of matter about my mine, steam-pumps, the smelting-mill &C; Harry also is most eager to talk upon the business.

I mind that I have not yet heard from Marcello concerning the likelihood that there will be less money for the Cause while this matter is under hand; or mayhap the letter goes nestle somewhere within the large pile of correspondence that sits upon my pretty desk in my own pretty house.

Sure I should go look into my little memorandum book and make sure I do not go neglect anything I have writ down that I will go undertake – have not yet even not’d the matter of finding one to instruct Lord N-'s offspring about acting, I am sadly behindhand.

But I daresay now I may consider the Mrs D- K- trouble as clos’d and her fate confid’d to other hands (tho’ indeed I will not go dispose of the hat-pin just yet). None has mention’d any rumour or gossip concerning the flight of the Mad Marquess of B- from the fine madhouse where he was confin’d, so I am like to suppose that his keepers were most greatly inclin’d to hush it up.

I turn to Mr D- smiling and saying, sure I am but a simple uninstruct’d creature. Perchance did he repeat that thing about the smelting-mill, I might go understand it?