Page:Diary of the times of Charles II Vol. I.djvu/81

Rh I have never failed in the duty which I owe to you, and which you do so justly exact—that of waiting upon your Ladyship every time I have been in town. I came up but on Friday, and thought your Ladyship was gone to Althorpe, till I was undeceived by my Lord Spencer, whom I met accidentally last evening. Yesterday I intended to wait upon your Ladyship, but was told by a friend you were not at home; so that I hope your Ladyship does absolve me of that want of duty and good manners as well as of gratitude.

"If I were upon equal terms with your Ladyship in other circumstances, then nothing I should take more to heart than your displeasure at my sincerity, because I do not importune your Ladyship for trifling replies, nor do I ever intend to mortify you, nor have you any cause to complain of my regards. I trust then, Madam, that your Ladyship will reproach me again in this manner, when I fail of doing you any real service which is in my power.

"Madam, I most heartily congratulate you on the recovery of my Lady Bristol. I did not know till now that she had been at all indisposed." In the Spring of 1681, Lady Sunderland, who, notwithstanding all her protests against being too