BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, [22 AUG. 1919]
BRACERS 19537. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

<West Lulworth>
<letterhead>
70, Overstrand Mansions,
Prince of Wales Road,
Battersea, S.W.1^, 2
Friday3

My Darling

Your little line came this morning. No, I shall not have had lunch. So let us go to the Isola Bella — better say two o’clock as the train may be late. Or if you like we could lunch at Waterloo,4 and then go home. There is so much I want to hear about. I am troubled and anxious about you, my Heart’s Love. I feel I must have hurt you — you are unhappy about things unknown to me, and I keep imagining horrors which I hope are worse than the truth. But I feel they can’t be slight or you would have written. It has been trying and difficult staying on here5 since I have been anxious about you. Dear Love, you may trust my real love for you — whatever came to you now, I would love and cherish you — nothing in the world could drive me from you. Formerly, that was not so, but now it is. You need never again fear that I shall feel as I did after Blackpool and when I came out of prison6 — Those things belong to a less deep love than I have now. I want to help you and sustain you and make you feel always that I am beside you with tenderness and devotion, to give whatever it may be that you are wanting. Goodbye till tomorrow my dear Heart. Every moment my love surrounds you.

B

• 1

  [document] Document 200524.

• 2

  [envelope] The Lady Constance Malleson | 6 Mecklenburgh Square | London W.C.1. Pmk: WEST LULWORTH | 22 AU | 19

• 3

  [date] The date is taken from the envelope’s postmark.

• 4

  Waterloo The London station where his train would arrive at 1.10 pm on Saturday.

• 5

  here Newlands Farm, West Lulworth.

• 6

  Blackpool and when I came out of prison BR was extremely jealous of Colette’s relationships — real or imagined — with other men when she was away in Blackpool making a film in 1917 and while he was in prison in 1918.