30 September–6 October 1878

A most lovely, almost summer day, and very warm. At a quarter-past ten drove with Bea- trice, the Duchess of Roxburghe, and Lady Ely (Harriet Phipps, Fraulein Bauer, and the gentle- men having gone on before), to Abergeldie Mains. We eot out and went into the dining-room, where the coffin was placed. Poor Mary Biddulph and her two children received us there. Her brother, Captain Conway Seymour, and the female servants, ourselves, and the ladies were present. No men came into the room ; they remained in the hall, the door being left open. Mr. Campbell came in a few minutes afterwards, and performed a short but very impressive service, just reading a few verses from Scripture, and offering up a beautiful prayer. The coffin left the house directly after, followed by Captain Conway Seymour. Bertie and his three gentlemen, Lord Bridport, General Ponsonby, Sir William Jenner, and Dr. Profeit followed in carriages to Ballater, as also did Lord Macduff and Colonel Farquharson. We sat a little while with poor Mary, and then left. Lady Biddulph and her children went in the same train with the honoured remains of her dear husband to Windsor.