BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, 25 MAY 1949
BRACERS 19873. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

<letterhead>
Penralltgoch
Llan Ffestiniog
Merioneth1
25 May 1949

My dearest Colette

First, my very warmest thanks for the lovely things you have given me for my birthday. You are incredibly generous. I have been away,2 so I only got them and your letters3 today.

The sort of letter4 I had in mind for you to write to soothe Conrad5 would not, so far as I can see, expose you to any fresh

<portion of letter excised>

what Peter6 can do against you. She is vitally concerned to prevent scandal from touching her lover,7 and therefore does not intend legal action, though for a moment she thought of it. If your lawyer thinks you run any risk through such a letter as I suggest, I would much rather you didn’t write it. But I should have thought it would diminish your risks. I am terribly sorry for all I have involved you in. All love. <letter is cut off>

• 1

  [document] Document 200881.

• 2

  been away BR spent 18–19 May at the Shiffolds, home of R.C. and Elizabeth Trevelyan.

• 3

  your letters Not extant.

• 4

  sort of letter There are three drafts of this letter; the first (document 200879) is in BR’s hand; see BRACERS 19871 for it.

• 5

  Conrad Conrad Sebastian Robert Russell, born 15 April 1937 to BR and his wife Patricia.

• 6

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

• 7

  her lover Peter reportedly had had several lovers over the course of their marriage. The identity of this one is not known. Colette wrote to her friend Phyllis Urch on 17 March 1949 that Peter “insists on reciting” the names of all her lovers to BR.