04Jul1865, Duke of Newcastle and His Miserable Daughter

LONDON, July 4th, 1865.
—Lou picked me up at 2, and we went (with 40 or 50 other folk) to St. George's Hill [FN: St. George's Hill, near Weybridge, later Lady Louisa's own home, after her marriage.], a lovely heathy place, all fragrant with bracken and honeysuckle and firs, where Ly. Blanche Egerton and her brothers picnicked us. Old Ly. Ellesmere also was there ; and young Ld. Ellesmere ; and a very pretty, noble-looking, open-faced fair boy of 16. I saw much of Tallee, and had a little bit of capping with her. Also saw dear Miss Dennett, now a little old lady, with traces in her worn face of the wretched life she must have had, striving to make peace between the poor Duke of Newcastle in his fatal anger and mismanagement, and his miserable daughter, when her whole self-will was set upon that tragical marriage. Lovely little Lady Dalkeith [FN: Daughter of the 1st Duke of Abercorn and wife of the 6th Duke of Buccleuch. ] and certain pretty unmarried sisters of hers— etc., etc., were there.