Page:Wives of the prime ministers, 1844-1906.djvu/182

WIVES OF THE PRIME MINISTERS "23rd March 1847.

"I cannot express to you my disappointment at not finding you at Baron Lionel's on Sunday, having fully understood that you were arrived, or I should not have left home that day. They assure me that you will be here soon—but when? Do tell me that you are better—quite well. Your kind letter would have made me more happy had you given a better account of yourself. With so much kindness of feeling and being so much appreciated you must be suffering to remain so many months in retirement.

"I hope you will feel all the affection for our new child that I have for you. Tancred appears to be a greater favourite than Coningsby. Is not this a great triumph? The orthodox world have as yet made no hostile sign, but the journals have declared it brilliant. What will the Times say? I have suffered much anxiety."

Until the purchase of Hughenden Manor, which was concluded about this time with Mrs. Disraeli's money, Bradenham, the house of Disraeli's father, had been practically their country home. Mrs. Disraeli loved Hughenden; she laid out the grounds herself, and was never tired of making improvements. She made a 148