Surely you say wrong in the hour for to-morrow. Also there is the express train. Would it not be better?
Your Ba.
R.B. to E.B.B.
11½ Friday.
[Post-mark, September 18, 1846.]
My own best Ba. How thankful I am you have seen my blunder—I took the other company’s days for the South Western’s changed. What I shall write now is with the tables before me (of the Railway) and a transcript from to-day’s advertisement in the Times.
The packet will leave to-morrow evening, from the Royal Pier, Southampton at nine. We leave Nine Elms, Vauxhall, at five—to arrive at eight. Doors close five minutes before. I will be at Hodgson’s from half-past three to four precisely when I shall hope you can be ready. I shall go to Vauxhall, apprise them that luggage is coming (yours) and send mine there—so that we both shall be unencumbered and we can take a cab or coach from H’s.
Never mind your scanty preparations ... we can get everything at Leghorn,—and the new boats carry parcels to Leghorn on the 15th of every month, remember—so can bring what you may wish to send for.
I enclose a letter to go with yours. The cards as you choose—they are here—we can write about them from Paris or elsewhere. The advertisement, as you advise. All shall be cared for.
God bless and strengthen you, my ever dearest dearest—I will not trust myself to speak of my feelings for you—worship well belongs to such fortitude. One struggle more—if all the kindness on your part brought a strangely insufficient return, is it not possible that this step may produce all you can hope? Write to me one word more. Depend on me. I go to Town about business.
Your own, own R.