BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, [9 NOV. 1917]
BRACERS 19240. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

<London>1^, 2

My Darling

Just back from Nat.  Comee3 — the first free moment I have had — I was very glad of your letter, and sorry not to be able to come to lunch today — Haven’t seen any one here yet to know what happened4 — Hope Miles5 is not really ill — I breakfasted with Brett6 and Ottoline7 this morning — unsatisfactory and painful. News of S.S.8 bad. —

I was sorry to have hurt you Thursday — you were very good about it.

I have been wondering whether it would be better not to meet again till the Studio9 is ready — blessed refuge it will be! I fear I may hurt you again — but I don’t feel now as if I should. I can’t bear to think of being horrid to you. Let me know what you think best — I don’t really know how much I hurt you — It is best to have as little hurt between us as possible — but I should hate to be so long away from you — Goodnight my Darling. My love is with you always.

B.

• 1

  [document] Document 200228.

• 2

  [date] Colette wrote “Friday 9 Nov. 1917.” on the letter.

• 3

  Nat. Comee Of the No-Conscription Fellowship.

• 4

  what happened Allen’s prison work strike divided the National Committee (Papers 14: lxxv).

• 5

  Miles Miles Malleson, Colette’s husband. For further information on him, see BRACERS 19046, n.4.

• 6

  Brett Dorothy Eugenie Brett (1883–1977), painter, known as Brett.

• 7

  Ottoline Lady Ottoline Morrell née Cavendish-Bentinck (1873–1938). For further information on her, see BRACERS 19077, n.5.

• 8

  S.S. Siegfried Sassoon (1886–1967), poet. For further information on him, see BRACERS 19182, n.9.

• 9

  the Studio The name given to the place that they had rented on the ground floor at 5 Fitzroy Street, Soho. “It had a top light, a gas fire and ring. A water tap and lavatory in the outside passage were both shared with a cobbler whose workshop adjoined” (annotation to Colette’s letter of 9 November 1917, BRACERS 113087). It was still being readied by a workman for occupation.