Asking Middleton Todd if he would stay with them to paint the portrait of their father, [
William Leveson-Gower, 4th Earl Granville]. The letter encloses a press cutting commenting on Lord Granville's retirement as governor of Northern Ireland, and Middleton Todd's [undated] draft reply, in which he explains that he has always stayed in hotels when visiting various cities to paint portraits, through a desire of not being a trouble to his host, and having more time to think about the job in hand: he therefore asks to follow the same principal on this occasion, and only come to Government House for sittings. Middleton Todd goes on to state in the draft that his normal fee for a three quarter length portrait on canvas is approximately 500 guineas, "but it can always go up if this is not high enough!!", and asks Lady Mary to let him know what she feels she would like the fee to be.