22nd November 1848

Southampton

Bessy,

I cannot abide these dramatics. A girl cannot spend her life riding horses or clinging to the freedom of her youth.

You have two choices. If you wish to marry young Milner, do so. If you wish to marry someone else, take my sister and her husband up on their offer.

You will learn, in time, that your mother cannot fix everything. What would you have me do? Change the world and your place in it?

Your letter was forwarded to me in Southampton, where Sir Edward and I are seeing to the fitting out of his yacht. We will be in London briefly but will soon leave England.

We want to get into warmer quarters for the winter, and the yacht is to meet us in Marseilles.

I will send you an address where you can write to me. I will answer when I can, but you mustn’t expect to hear from me for some time.

Very truly, your mother,

Lady Scott