Chapter 5
Mexico
Image of Mexico-Tenochtitlan from the Codex Mendoza
The aristocratic class in England would leave their children in the care of nannies or friends and travel on holiday and follow their life styles wherever it took them. Rider Haggard was no exception, for he travelled to Mexico in 1891 at the age of thirty-three. This visit led to the writing of Montezuma’s Daughter,[i] published in 1893. Tragedy hit the family when, after six weeks, they received news by a telegraph message that their son, Jock, aged nine, had contracted and died from the measles. Having “passed away peacefully”, he was to be buried in Ditchingham churchyard at the ‘chancel door’. The Hagggards took the decision to remain in Mexico City and continue with their holiday and not to return forthwith to Norfolk, for “what was the good of returning home?”[ii]
The Haggards travelled through the South of America over rough and dangerous terrain, sometimes attacked by marauding bands of Indians, and beset by disease, influenza and heatstroke. Eventually, Haggard’s health suffered and ultimately he returned to Norfolk to write the romance that he had researched. Travelling by sea via Liverpool, and by train arriving at the newly constructed Charing Cross station, (see illustration Mary Evans ©) and Liverpool St. Station, they continued their journey after one night by hansom cab and rail, via Norwich, Beccles and the branch line, despondent and exhausted to Ditchingham Station, only to see the grave of their loved and lost child.
Rider and Louis were thrown together after the death of Jock and their love grew stronger. Letters from Haggard to Louis show the depth of his affection for his wife, and omit any feelings for his former love Lillith. Back in the fire of early love they could write endearing words of love:
Rider and Louis were thrown together after the death of Jock and their love grew stronger. Letters from Haggard to Louis show the depth of his affection for his wife:
"My Dearest Louie; A week ago you were scarcely a name to me, today you are more than all the World.... My own sweet love, you can never know what a rest and happiness this is to me... my past life has been so very lonesome and unhappy, that the prospect of your sweet companionship, of your true love, seems almost too good to be true. It is like coming out of the darkness into light. Dearest and best you shall never regret this step if I can help it; if it is in the power of a man to make you happy you shall be happy.”[i]
Writing again in the same vein when apart Haggard declares that Louie is his true companion:
My own sweet Louie… I have learnt to love you so very dearly, sweet Louie that it is a great trial to me being away from you… I can hardly realise that you have promised yourself to me to be my very own, my wife, my sharer of all my hopes, of all my joys and sorrows, giving your sweet companionship and comfort to my life… If anything were to take you away from me now, I don’t know what I should do. I don’t indeed. Sweet my love, it shall be my life’s endeavour to make you happy, and to prove to you that your hand rested on no broken reed.[ii]
Louie replied in sim<