Anna Beddoes to Davies Giddy, 27 Sept 1808 [to Looe]
Tuesday 27th —
There is little, if any chance that these lines should reach you in time, yet I am so apprehensive that you should think me careless about seeing you, that I have written to every place where a letter could possibly reach you — yours I did not receive till yesterday the 26 — three days in coming which seems to me a long time — I ought to have immediately answered it, but I had not been an hour in the house having just returned from a long journey from Aberystwyth where I had been with Dr B. who had been sent for by a patient – the roads were so wretched, we travelled so late & early that I felt fatigued on my return and took some little time to consider whether I had not best give up my chance of going to Chepstow which Louisa Dashwood had agreed upon before I set off for Wales but upon reading a letter from her which she writes at Chepstow, she tells me that she & Julia would not have gone there but for the hope of my spending a few days with them & that they shall take it unkindly if I do not keep my promise – I have a week to spare that week they shall have but I would not for the world miss seeing you – so come by all means I shall be at home by the sixth & as Mr King has commissioned me to request you will put up at the Kings Arms [1] till my return, I cannot be so unkind as to refuse him — you like his company so well, he wants yours so much that I should act but an unfriendly part in trying which I have done some times to appropriate your society to myself – But what do you think of accompanying Mr King who talks of going to the passage & coming to see us & squiring us home — we could see either Piercefield or Tintern & you could stay a day to rest if you liked it – if not – I assure you it will be no grief to me to return, where believe me I shall most gladly welcome you & that more from the good news you have sent me – it is needless to say more – write to me at the post office Chepstow yours affectly
Anna
Address: Davies Giddy Esq M.P. / Post Office / Loo / Cornwall [2]
Endorsement: Anna / 1808 / Sepr the 27th.
Notes
[1] A joky reference to King’s home, rather than to an inn.
[2] Anna used a piece of scrap paper as an address wrapper. On the reverse of the wrapper she writes ‘This was an old beginning to your fath[MS missing]’. The text of the incomplete letter is crossed through but reads ‘I thank you my dear Mr Giddy for your kindness in writing, for though your letter was none of the longest it contained as much as one page could well hold’.