BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, 14 NOV. 1918
BRACERS 19387. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

In the train.1^, 2
14 Nov. 18

My dearest Darling

It was a most heavenly time and has left me feeling very very happy — much happier than I have been at any time since I came out of Brixton3 2 months ago today. All the black thoughts are gone entirely. I love you, my Beloved, very really and deeply — Oh I am so happy to be loving you freely again. You have been unbelievably forbearing — I can’t think how you managed not to fight back yesterday — Bless you my Heart’s Joy —

Now this ends the trouble of the last 2 months, as the earlier one ended after Falmouth4 — And love will pass freely between us again —

I find I took Clare’s5 letters away — I will post them with this at High Wycombe —

Eleven Sat. morning. A long long time till then!

If we can get away for a longish time don’t you think it would be nice to go to Linton6 in Devonshire — You know the pictures of it one sees in the train.

Or shall we try to get the Rinders’ cottage,7 for economy? But Linton would be nicer.

I might take coming to Garsn.8 2 days a week — there would be a lot to be said for that — after our holiday —

Goodbye for the moment my lovely Cherub — All my heart goes with this, and a thousand thousand kisses —

B.

• 1

  [document] Document 200377.

• 2

  [envelope] The Lady Constance Malleson | 34 Russell Chambers | Bury Street | London W.C.1. Pmk: HIGH.WYCOMBE | 7 PM | 14 NO | 18. Colette wrote on the envelope: “End of Brady Mitchell trouble”.

• 3

  Brixton Brixton Prison in London where BR had been incarcerated from 1 May that year.

• 4

  Falmouth Colette had been there to film The Admirable Crichton in January. While she was there, BR suffered from terrible jealousy and even threatened to visit her there, despite the fact that he was banned from the coast by the government.

• 5

  Clare Clare Annesley (1893–1980), Colette’s sister.

• 6

  Linton  Lynton, Devon. BR’s suggestion to go to Lynton was in fact followed, and they were joined by Clifford Allen. The threesome spent Christmas there that year and the following year. Colette went on her own in 1920, when BR was in China with Dora Black.

• 7

  Rinders’ cottage Gladys Rinder had offered her family’s cottage as a place to stay once BR left prison. Windmill Cottage was in Icklesham near Winchelsea. Because of his jealousy of Colonel Mitchell, BR and Colette did not go away together after his release. Once they had patched things up, they went to Lulworth Cove for a few days. For information on Mitchell, see BRACERS 19366, n.4.

• 8

  Garsn. Garsington Manor, near Oxford, the county home of Lady Ottoline and Philip Morrell.