To Lord Chesterfield | c/o Oxford University, sent by the mail service

[Darlene Hamilton]

Saturday the 17th

 

Dear James

I hope you are making some great progress on your papers. I am still terribly looking forward to the completion of your book. My brother the Author. How fine it shall feel to say that! For it shall be your own achievement, shant it. Though of course I know you to be diligent to your duty to the Family title and estates also. At least I hope those are all positively thriving still.

Brother, I am making some fine progress too. I believe I have currently about three suitors, though I am still not certain if I shall truly want to marry any one of them.  It is so difficult to choose you see, when each has their separate recommendations. To choose one, is to reject the others.  And I am hardly that cruel. 

And just recently it has occurred to me that I would like to have a very important position at court. No, do not fear, I have not sights on Mr Killigrew’s job any more, that despicable fiend. But actually I was thinking more along something like Mistress of Robes. For the Queen.  That might really suit me don’t you think?

So in those regards, and trusting that the family estate is as abundant as it ever was, I wondered if you might assist me, in two ways. 

Point one, I don’t think I have much widows bed. Is that what they call it? I mean that amount of money somehow attatched to me from the dowery given to Thomas, whatever that sum had been.  I can only imagine you to be more informed of that than me.  I hope it is not ll gone. For whatever else that comes in to play with Marriage, I know suitors, potential or otherwise, put some stow in a sum in which to then invest into some great endeavour. Though I don’t actually know if Thomas did that, and if that went well or not.  But yes, have I any remaining, and might you top that up? or if there is none at all, might you reinvest in my future all over again. I promise I am being far more sensible now.  As you shall discover when you read my point two.

Point two.  Again I am no authority upon it, but I am fairly certain that the positions in the Queens household are not hereditary at all. For instance, if one of the queens ladies, heaven forbid, died, it would not go to her family to then appoint whom inherits her role.  Yes?  So it is I think that rather the ladies families purchase those positions - of which I now discover myself entirely desiring.  Would you James? Would you pretty please purchase me a position? It shall be a very good thing for the family I am certain.  Why I might even attract the eye of the Chancellors single son if you did so.  And that would be a fine thing, don’t you agree?

Did I mention I sort of shared an office with him last season? Apart from marrying someone like a Solicitor, the Chancellors son would make a very good pairing. 

I don’t know what position I might best have at Her majesties Household, in case you get to actually choose,  but it would need to be something un boring.  If there is a position called something like Lady of the Embroidery cottons for instance, I don’t think I'd be good at that. 

Oh but sorry that I speak so much of myself, these matters are so very strongly on my mind as of late. If I am absolutely honest with you dear brother, I should like to have a child, one so beautiful as the babe that you and Gracie have come to hold and love.  Yes, so I hope to set a course for myself towards the fulfilment of this actually quite simple dream.

 

With all my love

Darlene

 

p.s. Though I would surely make the Queens Embroidery cottons a far more exciting theme that it's ever previously been!