BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, 12 MAR. 1919
BRACERS 19451. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

<letterhead>
Garsington Manor
Oxford1^, 2
12.3.19

My Darling

Thank you for your dear letter this morning. I am glad Maurice has written3 — I felt sure he would. Although you love him and I don’t, you take a blacker view of his character than I do, which is odd.

Sorry we can’t have our walk Sunday, but I dare say it will be wet. If Wrinch4 can have me, I will go to her at 4 on Monday. Except then, I will not see Gladys.5 She is grown into a nightmare since those days at Overstrand Mansions.6

I have heard from Littlewood7 and he is willing to come for the summer8 except 3 weeks in August. I wonder how much free time you will have during the summer. God only knows.

I feel very lonely — cased in iron, nothing but will. As the spring comes on I feel it more — I long for love and feel the loss of it. But there is no use in these thoughts. Ottoline9 said a word of kindness unexpectedly yesterday and it suddenly reduced me to tears — otherwise I have felt as rigid as a poker.

Goodbye my dear Love — We have had wonderful happiness together, and it is still good to have had. Bless you my Beloved.

B.

• 1

  [document] Document 200439.

• 2

  [envelope] The Lady Constance Malleson | 34 Russell Chambers | Bury Street | W.C.1. Pmk: GARSINGTON | MR 12 | 19 | OXFORD

• 3

  Maurice has written Colette had written to Maurice Elvey to inform him of her “monastic mood”. His reply is not extant; in fact, none of his letters were sent to McMaster by Colette. Maurice Elvey (1887–1967), was a film director. For further information on him, see BRACERS 19056, n.5.

• 4

  Wrinch Dorothy Maud Wrinch (1894–1976), mathematician and theoretical biologist.

• 5

  GladysGladys W. Rinder (1882–1965). For information on her, see BRACERS 19044, n.5.

• 6

  Overstrand Mansions Clifford Allen’s flat, 70 Overstrand Mansions, Prince of Wales Road, Battersea. BR shared this flat with Allen beginning in February 1919 on and off until he left for China in the autumn of 1920.

• 7

  Littlewood John Edensor Littlewood (1885–1977), mathematician. Littlewood had two children, Philip and Ann Streatfeild, with the wife of Dr. Raymond Streatfeild.

• 8

  for the summer To Newlands Farm, West Lulworth, which he agreed to rent with BR.

• 9

  Ottoline Lady Ottoline Morrell (1873–1938). For information on her, see BRACERS 19077, n.5.