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21 May 1900 — 3 Savile Row | |
Monday. 21st [May 1900]. Having heard that there was a sale of all the pictures & furniture at Orton Longueville, Lord Huntlys place near Peterborough & fearing lest any Layard family relics should be dispersed I decided to go down there to see about it. My Aunt (the mother of the present Marquis) had had in her possession all the Layard portraits– Huntly is now bankrupt & all he has is to be sold– I took a 12.30 train from King’s Cross & arrived at Peterboro’ at 1.50. I telegraphed before hand to Monty Alderson who is staying at Peterboro’ while arranging his house at Chesterton the living just given him by Huntly. However he was away at Lutterworth, so I was met by his clever housekeeper Charlotte & she & I took a fly & drove over to Orton. What a melancholy scene we found there. The stable yard full of carts &c– The house over run with people from Peterboro’ mostly tradespeople. The rooms were left just as they were when my aunt lived there altho’ all the best things had been removed either as heirlooms or to be sold in London– I could not help thinking how my Aunt would have felt the breaking up of the old home which she had done so much to improve. There were pieces of her needle work on the chairs & curtains! I thought if the time of the late Lord & my Aunt when Henry had been such a constant guest in the house & all was so merry & prosperous & what a contrast. There were prints of Henry, his publications, his bust—2 of his Assyrian sculptures—all for sale– I felt I must buy them in & I left the catalogue for Mr Dack who is a clever man, station master at the Eastern station & asked him to buy for me– Charlotte & I went back to the Precincts where I got tea & then ran off to the station & caught 4.10 train back to London where I arrived at 6. I had made the journey of 76 miles there & 76 miles back in less than 6 hours. Aimée & I dined alone Nellie being out for dinner– Aimée packed her boxes in the evening & made ready to start for Paris tomorrow morning. | |
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