Offered £5 for a place. It being the last day of the month, the mail was unusually heavy with newspapers and monthly publications. The guard allowed me to stand on the iron step till we reached Cambridge. It was bitterly cold, with snow falling. At Cambridge I got an outside place on the pair-horse mail to Lynn, and so to Wells, where I arrived exhausted. Found wife better than I expected. The small body had been taken to Wareham by my brother Tom, where I went next day and saw the child in its coffin. In the afternoon Tom and I dug a hole in his garden, where my little Rufus was buried. The engagement of the Queen to Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg was announced on November 23. CHAPTER XXIII SHORE TIME [Sidenote: 1840. Jan. 20.] Left Holkham with wife for Watergate while Droxford was being made habitable. [Sidenote: Feb. 3.] Jack Crosbie, who was laid up in bed, gave me a mount with Wyndham’s hounds. Meet at Aldsworth Bridge: found at Stanstead; through Watergate and Up Park; killed at the Semaphore, West Marden; fast run, forty minutes, Jack’s horse distinguishing himself. [Sidenote: Feb. 10.] Queen’s wedding-day. My father and brother George present. Had a mount on Bill Crosbie’s Brown Windsor. Meet at Aldsworth Bridge. [Sidenote: April 3.] General Crosbie, wife, and self dined at Goodwood to meet the Duke of Cambridge. [Sidenote: April 28.] Went to London. Lunched next day with father at Buckingham Palace. [Sidenote: May 9.] Invitation for wife and self to the Queen’s ball. To London by “Yeoman” coach. Dined with father, and so to the ball. [Sidenote: May 25.] Returned to Watergate. Rode with Frank Collier to see Southwick, which had been completely burnt down. The loss to Mr. Thistlewaite fully £25,000, independent of insurance. [Sidenote: June 1.] To Winchester, by train to London. Attended committee at our failing Old Naval Club in Bond Street. On returning, our train, stopping at the curve, Fareham, was run into by an engine at full speed. Many hurt, but no lives lost, three empty horse-boxes, going for racers from Ascot, receiving the first shock. Lord Saltoun bruised; Colonel Lambert cut about the face. Got late to Droxford. [Sidenote: June 22.] Found my small groom, George, nearly exhausted, hanging on a high gate, caught by the leg; was only just in time to rescue him. During these last two years enjoyed sport with the Garniers, Delmés, Sloane-Stanleys, Crosbies, and many others, never, if I could help it, missing a day’s hunting. [Sidenote: July 28.] At Cams. Goodwood week. To races on Delmé’s drag. The Cup won by Duke of Orleans’ Beggarman. The best week ever known. My father gave me a cheque for £50, which I dropped riding home. Sent a man to look for it; he found the cheque on the road, four miles away, the envelope having been torn off. [Sidenote: Aug. 1.] Walked from Watergate to Droxford and back--fifteen miles each way. [Sidenote: Sept. 15.]