19Oct1878, Charles Gets Married

LONDON, Saturday, October 19th, 1878.
—Charles's wedding-day a golden day within and without! Thank God for this great happiness that has come to him, and thro' him to us all, after the heavy sorrows of the last 2 years. The Keble couple, Sybella and Sal, Auntie P. and Mazy, went to Latimer Friday. Nevy, who is best man, escorted Charles down from Hagley on Thursday, and went thro' the various duties of his office with military spirit all his own! All the rest of us, with Uncle W., At. Coque, Stephy, Uncle B., arrived early on Saturday in a great army. Very plucky of old Meriel under the circumstances. She and I, Bob, Edward, Spencer, etc., drove up together in a bus and had ridiculous jokes: behind us came a trap piled with the Rev. gentlemen, who appeared to be equally jovial. Latimer looked lovely: the walk to church all of a glow with golden sunshine and autumn tints. Katie Cavendish [FN: Sister of the bride, afterwards 2nd wife of the 1st Duke of Westminster.] and Ly. Susan Byng, Lena Grenfell and Mazy, Mary Talbot and little Sal were bridesmaids. Miss Grosvenor played beautifully in church, and the hymns went to one's heart. The little bride looked her very best, her face so softened with deep feeling and joy; Charles glorious! At breakfast afterwards Uncle W. made a most faultless little speech, and Charles answered very perfectly: his face a sight to see, as he looked down at his little wife with that smile of his that is like both Papa's and Mamma's smile. They drove off to Cliveden in the glowing afternoon, and Netty [FN: Lady Chesham, the bride's mother. She was Henrietta, daughter of Rt. Hon. W. S. Lascelles and Lady Caroline Lascelles, who was Lord Frederick's aunt.] took me a walk by the river and warmed my heart with her love and appreciation of Charles and indeed of all the brothers.

Dear Sybella [FN: Sybella, Lady Lyttelton, Lady Frederick's stepmother. Lord Lyttelton had died in April 1876.] most brave and unselfish; only broke down a little after the service. Of course there was the inevitable tract of ages to get thro', but all was nicely managed. There were many departures. We ought to have had the old 8 photographed together again: the many great blanks make one thank God the more for this dear unbroken number. There were many more relations on our side than on the Cavendish.

At dinner we still mustered strong: Gladstones and Sybella, Spencer, and Bob, Nevy, Georgiana Leicester, Lena, Mr. Balfour, the Compton Cavendishes, and Ly. Susan Byng.

Went to Syb.'s room late, and heard the extraordinary Sal read French with perfect fluency and no end of spirit and emphasis, and sing a German song, her Fräulein having only been with her 2 or 3 months. Katie came in too: she is a dear pretty little body: not little neither.