Chipping Norton
August 13th /77
My Dearest Eugénie,
Your welcome letter received this afternoon quite made up for any disappointment occasioned by the former and I think I must write a few lines, at once, to express my joy at the news of your coming to England.
Oh, my darling, I shall count the hours till the time when we may hope to meet and when I may clasp my own Eugénie to my heart and draw a long, long kiss of love from the dear lips of my own sweet loving girl!
I have looked at Bradshaw and see that the tidal train on Saturday is due in London @ 8.35P.M so that you will scarcely reach Richmond before 10 o’clock, and seeing that they will be quite unable to take me in, and that I should be troubled to get away from here, till the last train, I must give up the pleasure of meeting you at Charing Cross as I should have wished, and take the train from here @ 7.45P.M. sleep at the “Great Western” at Paddington and run down to Richmond early, we are so tremendously busy this month that I shall have to leave Paddington at 6A.M. on Monday but I see my way to twelve delicious hours with you and that, short as it is, will be a time of real happiness for me, I can hardly believe that we are so soon to be together.
I do not always turn out at such unreasonable hours for I don’t like it (5 to-morrow morning) but just now we are brewing almost beyond our capabilities and it requires management, in the future I shall have to be careful not to disturb my darling’s peaceful slumbers!
I daresay one gentle kiss won’t wake her.
I so much enjoy looking at, and talking to, your picture when I am reading your letters, answering them, or thinking of you, the dear eyes seem always looking at me from any part of my little room!
I was so glad the dinner party was successful.
How kind of you dear girl to tell me of the pleasure you receive from my letters, yours are very precious to me.
Good-night, God bless you.
With fondest love, believe me, darling,
Your own affectionate
Julius Sladden