Belgrave Square
Dec 3rd 1851

Josiah has become very attentive of late. Ever since I told him how gorgeous Little Bradstone was and how much Boo was enjoying motherhood. I wonder what is on his mind.He coos and twits over me if I so much as cough and he is constantly asking me if I have everything I need. He leaps up and runs to my dressing room when I mention looking for a new comb or pin for my hair and this morning he even laid out my clothes for me as I was washing at the stand! I laughed so hard to watch him doing servant girls’ work that I knocked over the water jug and drenched myself. I cracked the jug a little on my chair. Josiah ran to my aid and would not hear of me going to fetch another nightgown. Instead he raced to the dressing room and came straight back with a dry one. He seems not to want me to exert myself at all where my own toilet is concerned.

I suppose I shall have to inform the landlord about the jug. I may ask Villiers if he can repair it or seek a replacement on his London walkabouts. Heaven only knows where he goes, but the other day he came back with a Chinese silk kimono. I thought it was a gift to me from Josiah at first, but then I saw Villiers wearing it late one night as I went to look for some water. I must ask him where he bought it.

My Dear Boo

I am the lady wife of an Entrepreneur! Josiah has gone into business with some of those boring men you met. I confess I do not fully understand the nature of the enterprise but he tells me he is a founding father of a new travel system, whereby people will be able to move around London – honestly, Boo this is incredible – below the surface of the roads. People will sit in carts inside huge tunnels, some of which will be dug even lower than the Thames itself! They will walk down great flights of stairs to reach these tunnels and then climb back out and find themselves in a completely different part of the city. Truly, it is a thing of the future.

Josiah has asked me to suggest that Mr Pitt might like to invest in this as well. I cannot in all truth explain the details or answer any of the sensible questions that might be asked of me, but I should like the chance to mention it when I next see you. Do you think we might both become wives of famous businessmen?

I will be coming to celebrate the anniversary of your becoming a mother as soon as I have completed the gift I am embroidering for you. Might I spend a few moments then trying to help you both conceive of the idea of travelling under the ground? It does sound exciting.

Till we meet, which will be soon,

Kisses to LB and to you my dear

Yrs

Effie x