BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, 17 JUNE 1949
BRACERS 19874. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

Festiniog, N. Wales1
17.6.49

Dearest Colette

It will be quite all right, until Sp. 20, for you to send letters via Phyllis,2 provided she puts them in fresh envelopes and addresses them (your typewriter is distinctive). Mrs. Crawshay-W3 is quite right: I am enjoying having a rest to my nerves, and finding complete solitude what I need. This of course won’t last for ever.

I hope you will soon make up your mind about the letter4 I suggested your writing. I don’t see that it involves you in any risks. If you decide against it, I shall have to choose between you and Conrad,5 which I don’t want to have to do. His holidays begin about July 20, and the matter must be decided before then.

Don’t think about your sins. Yours are fewer than most people’s, and in any case thinking about one’s sins is profitless. All my love, Darling

Your
B

• 1

  [document] Document 200882.

• 2

  Phyllis Phyllis Urch, a friend of Colette’s.

• 3

  Mrs. Crawshay-W Elizabeth Crawshay-Williams (d. 1977), BR’s friend and neighbour in Wales, and the wife of Rupert Crawshay-Williams.

• 4

  the letter BR drafted a letter for Colette to copy as her own (BRACERS 19871). The purpose of the letter was to smooth things over among Colette, BR, and Conrad, who had all been pitted against one another by Peter. There are two other versions of the letter: BRACERS 19872 and BRACERS 19876.

• 5

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