Page:Wives of the prime ministers, 1844-1906.djvu/158

WIVES OF THE PRIME MINISTERS herself, inspected all the accounts, and never left anything to servants that was not properly within their province. This gave her constant occupation, and the business connected with her possessions was often of an arduous character. In 1860 there was a good deal of correspondence and trouble over the sale of a mill at Brocket, and in 1862 she paid a visit to her "Scotland estates," which she had not looked over for nine years. She described it as "something like the treadmill," with the talking, "walking, inspecting farms and fields and mines, making the agreeable, and listening to all the various conflicting reports on the same subject." Her labours, she declares, were much increased by "all the glorification and popularity of Palmerston, which burst out on every opportunity."

In 1861 Palmerston was made Warden of the Cinque Ports. Lady Palmerston evidently went to Walmer Castle, the residence belonging to the office, before her husband had seen it, for she wrote to him that the place was splendid, "so large a house and such a quantity of gardens and trees. I am sure you will be delighted with the place, and the sea is covered with shipping and a beautiful setting sun to light them up." 126