BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, [11 JULY 1917]
BRACERS 19108. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

<London>
Wed. night.1^, 2

My Darling

I have been glad of your letters3 — I have wanted to write but have been too full of things to do — I am sorry about Bomb.4 How lovely of you to have ordered my tea-caddy — I shall love it, also the tea-strainer — You are good. Yes, the D.M. says I have no reasoning power5 and have lost my sense of humour — sad, sad.  I shan’t return to Smith6 for ages, and I shall never be away long enough for letters. We have N.C.F. Comee. Sat. and Sunday and I have a lot to do for that — afterwards I shall be less busy.  You know I want to go with you to look for wrist-watches7 some afternoon — will you be back from the cottage8 Monday? if not, Friday of next week? and come here for tea afterwards? I would come and fetch you about 2.30. What fun it will be when you have your baby house-warming and you and I dine in your new little dining-room!9

I am no longer feeling grim, only busy — Catherine’s10 arrears have to be cleared off — She is back, still far from well.11 I am taking my new duties seriously12 and assuming airs of pomp and responsibility.

The general outlook is rather black. I shouldn’t be really surprised if the war went on into next year.

Goodnight my dearest Angel, my lovely Joy — I kiss your eyes and your dear lips.

B.

• 1

  [document] Document 200080.

• 2

  [date] The date has been assigned by reference to her new flat and her being at her cottage.

• 3

  your letters Her letter of 10 July indicates that she is seeing him the next day (BRACERS 113038). There is no mention in this letter that they have been together, but his letter of c.10 July does (BRACERS 19183).

• 4

  Bomb Most likely a tea bomb.

• 5

  Yes, the D.M.  says I have no reasoning power “D.M.” presumably is an abbreviation for either the Daily Mail or the Daily Mirror. BR to Gen. Cockerill has an earlier reference to lack of humour.

• 6

  return to Smith The name of the butler at Frank’s home in Gordon Square. BR’s tenant, Helen Dudley returned to his Bury Street flat, thus forcing BR back to Gordon Square on Tuesday, 6 February (BRACERS 19119). However, she must have gone away again as BR has had access to his flat from at least June (BRACERS 19174).

• 7

  wrist-watches BR wanted to buy Colette a wristwatch as early as December 1916 but could not find the time. As late as 5 September 1917 they were to meet at Hatchett’s to look for watches. The watch was purchased that month, as Colette wrote on 5 July 1918 (BRACERS 113137) that the watch would be celebrating its first birthday when BR got out of prison.

• 8

  from the cottage Presumably her cottage, “Nimmy Not” in Bellingdon  near Chesham, Bucks.  She and Miles spent the weekend of 7–8 July there (BRACERS 113037).

• 9

  new little dining-room Colette and Miles had moved from Bernard Street to nearby Mecklenburgh Sq. in London. Her letter of 15 June 1917 describes her new quarters (BRACERS 113032). It appears he has been too busy to dine at her new flat.

• 10

  Catherine Catherine Marshall (1880–1961). For further information on her, see BRACERS 19043, n.5.

• 11

  She is back, still far from well. Marshall left the office to rest on 1 June 1917. Her return date to work was rather vague, but she thought she would be away for a month (letter to BR, 1 June 1917; BRACERS 19182). Just the previous day BR had written to Colette that she was back “full of beans” (BRACERS 78216). On 11 July Marshall wrote him a frustrated letter after their meeting (BRACERS 53393).

• 12

  taking my new duties seriously He had been elected Acting Chairman of the No-Conscription Fellowship on 18 January 1917.  BR must be referring to duties taken over from Marshall when she was away.