BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, 26 APR. 1949
BRACERS 19867. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

<letterhead>
Castle Yard,
Portmeirion,
Merioneth.1^, 2
26 April 1949

My Darling Colette

A thousand thanks for your very dear letter.3 It is a great happiness to me that after all these years and all my misdeeds you still like me.

I noticed all the merits of the front border4 and the hall door; also that the fender5 in the study shines as it never shone before. I remarked on this to Frances6 and she had the honesty to say it was your doing; she went on to say how very kind you were.

The Crawshays7 are quite willing to look after letters from you. I expect to be alone at Penralltgoch8 at least till late August, but Peter9 may turn up to pack. I am feeling happy like a man let out prison. All my heart, my Dearest.

B

• 1

  [document] Document 200875.

• 2

  Castle Yard, Portmeirion, Merioneth. The home of Elizabeth and Rupert Crawshay-Williams in Wales.

• 3

  very dear letter Dated 24 April 1949: “Only one small word to send all my thoughts and all my love — aujourd’hui plus que hier et bien moins que demain.” [today more than yesterday and much less than tomorrow], the phrase which she had had engraved on a gold disc for his watch-chain in 1919 after their reconciliation then (BRACERS 113285).

• 4

  front border Of his cottage, Pentralltgoch, in Llan Ffestiniog, Wales.

• 5

  the fender It was made of brass.

• 6

  Frances Frances Shepherd, domestic staff. She had given her notice in February (BRACERS 19858), which set off a domestic crisis. It is not known why she was still there.

• 7

  The Crawshays Elizabeth (d. 1977) and Rupert Crawshay-Williams (1908–1977) had been married since 1932. They had moved to Portmeirion in 1942. Rupert was a teacher and humanist who wrote a memoir, Russell Remembered (Oxford U.P., 1970), based on his diaries while he was BR’s neighbour.

• 8

  Penralltgoch His cottage at Llan Ffestiniog, Wales.

• 9

  Peter Patricia (“Peter”) Russell, née Spence (1910–2004). She and BR were married from 1936 until 1952.