Lock thanks Edith for her letter of 29 August, and its proposed newspaper story. He feels it would be unwise to write this letter at the present. "In the first place, I think it would prejudice negotiations with Brown Shipley and they might refuse to make any compromise at all on the grounds that their public reputation was now at stake and had to be vindicated. In the second place, although no names are mentioned, I think the letter is libellous."

Tylor writes that those close to Edith would be able to distinguish her through the descriptions, and know she was discussing her issues with Brown Shipley.

Edith has written at the top of the letter: "In any case no one would publish it."