BCARS
Add MSS 412 Box 6 File 2
BACHELOR’S CLUB
HAMILTON PLACE. W.
Nov. 18th
My dear Miss O’Reilly
I took the liberty of sending you a telegram on receipt of your letter as, on reading it, you seemed to me in a state of worry & I thought I might put an end to it sooner. I am so sorry I should have been the cause of making you feel so unhappy or uncomfortable for the last two or three months when my wishes have been entirely the opposite way. and I think it was both very kind & very right of you to write. Dont suggest I could be angry with anyone except myself. I fully understand all you wanted to say, and the only thing you can reproach yourself with in that you possess more kindness of heart and honesty than most people. I am so distressed at what you say about your having felt miserable in going to everything that was going on in Victoria. When I know & feel it is all my fault – though I did all I could to make sure you would not be talked about. Would it be any relief to you to let people know I wanted to marry you, & that you did’nt agree to it? You can do, so if you like, though I daresay, by this time I have passed out of people’s recollections.
You will, no doubt, have seen the last letter I wrote to your father & that I had found from a worldly point of view I should have to put off happiness anyhow for a time. I had steeled myself up to a point & if I have to put it off for ever, well, I believe that time is the great healer. I may as well tell you that I have often thought that when I left you, your feelings towards me were more governed by kindness of heart and pity that anything else & that I had determined I would not make you an offer of marriage until we had seem more of each other. In the mean time I hope we may meet as friends, & in order that you would not feel frightened at my presence which I do so hate the idea of. I will promise not to make any reference to the past. I beg of you to feel perfectly happy and conscious that your behaviour to me, in my opinion, has been everything that is kind and good.
There is one thing I am not at all inclined to forgive you for & that is for saying you must send back the pin I sent you. I dont want it back. I dont see that there is any “under the circumstances” where the thing is valuable or not (which it isn’t), I did’nt give it you with any ulterior motives in my head of matrimony or engagements. I like funny things accuracy. So, as long as your father and brother dont much I hope you wont hurt my feelings & if it arrives back, I shall send it back, that is, if it comes before I think you have received this letter – many things for the violets – you must have taken a lot of trouble to arrange them so well.
In answer to the last paragraph of your letter, I have nothing to forgive and I could not think hardly of you – You shall always be to me (if never anything else) as you sign yourself my loyal friend Kitty, & you know what is felt for you
Your affecate friend Harry Stanhope
Back to 1892 Correspondence
This collection of letters has been digitized from an earlier transcription project and is for informational purposes only. This transcription has not been verified against the originals. Researchers interested in these letters should consult the original documents housed at the BC Archives.