194 The Life of Fred Archer 
"Sutherland Tower, 
" Torquay. 
"Dear Mr. Archer, 
" I am so sorry not to have seen you, and I should have 
been so glad to have the pleasure of making Mrs. Archer's 
acquaintance. Will you tell her this from me. The Duchess 
of Sutherland kindly took me to call on you, and I should have 
liked you to see her cobs, one of which, ' King Cole,' is quite 
a sight. I hope you have had a very happy time in this lovely 
place ; and that you both have such a bright life before you. 
" Yours very truly, 
" February 8." " Georgie Sumner. 
Lord Courtenay sent two telegrams suggesting that he 
should come and see Fred and his wife if still in Torquay, 
and asking them over to Powderham Castle. 
Mr. and Mrs. Archer returned to the costly house which 
he had built. Archer always regretted building such a big 
place, and more especially as it was in a very exposed position, 
and the contents were notoriously valuable. A burglary com- 
mitted at Jewitt's made him nervous, and it was then he 
furbished up and loaded the fatal revolver which had been 
presented to him after Sterling won the Liverpool Cup. 
Mrs. Pratt said : " I wasn't at Fred's wedding ; it was 
just when one of the boys was born. Soon afterwards, when 
I was in London, Nellie wrote to me to meet her at Blanchard's 
Restaurant ; in Bond Street, isn't it ? I thought she was 
so pretty. She was very young, but she only looked about 
sixteen ; a little shm thing. I liked her so much then and I 
always liked her. I went to stay with them at Falmouth 
House, and took little Fred with me. I think Fred was 
very pleased with the boy. Falmouth House was beautifully 
furnished and a lovely place altogether. 
" Indeed, it was all rather Uke a fairy tale. You see, Fred 
just went to the Dawsons' as an apprentice boy, and he ended 
