Sunday. Dearest Father. I had 2 postcards this morning, one forwarded from Perugia and one written here. I think I have collected all your letters and Mother's; also many Timeses for which I am very grateful. We had the most delicious afternoon at Fiesole yesterday. We had tea on a little balcony looking over the Arno valley after which Caroline made a sketch while I scrambled into some fields and gathered dark blue irises - they are so lovely and the vinyards [sic] are a joy what with all the flowers and the vines coming into leaf. Then we went into the little theatre and into the church - you remember the Mino tomb there? I love it so much. We came home at sunset. Today was again perfectly delicious; we strolled out in the morning, went to see the Michelangelos and a couple of frescoes and did some shopping for Caroline. After lunch she went to pay a call on the Pagets while I went to the Uffizi - with my Florence picture book under my arm, tell Mother; it is a great delight to me. The Pagets were out and Caroline presently joined me and we enjoyed ourselves immensely - after all the Uffizi is one of the most satisfactory galleries in the world. I was very much interested in the Venetian rooms which I had scarcely realised before and delighted to find a portrait of John Bellini by himself. There is also a Durer portrait by himself, in profile which is nearly as beautiful as the Munich [München] one I think. The more pictures one sees the more one likes to see - they become so much more interesting when one has something to compare them with.
Our rooms are right at the top of this hotel - it's a very expensive hotel, but Caroline would come here because of the Talbots and I couldn't help it - mine is at the corner, and one window looks out to San Miniato and one fronts the Lung 'Arno - you can't think how delicious it is at night with the moon over it. Florence is just exactly what I meant it to be - a mass of flowers. You buy a great bunch of roses for a penny, and roses lilacs and irises are heaped up against the walls of the Strozzi palace. It really is worth while seeing it at this time of year. We are extremely happy.

I shall not have quite enough money to come home with, but Caroline has a lot of money with her and she told me to borrow from her instead of sending to you, which seems on the whole the simpler plan. I think if she pays for my ticket from here, that will see me through.

I do adore Florence - don't you? Let's come here with the family! I am at last well again, which considerably adds to my enjoyment, though I think I have borne my indispositions like a man! Caroline is a delightful companion - we are particularly happy. I do hope I'm not costing too much! I have awful pangs of conscience what time I pay my hotel bills and take my railway tickets! Ever your very affectionate daughter Gertrude