BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, [27 JAN. 1920]
BRACERS 19608. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

<letterhead>
70, Overstrand Mansions,
Prince of Wales Road,
Battersea, S.W.1^, 2
Tuesday3

Beloved

Bless you for the tie and books — and the presents to C.A.4 which he loves — and bless you for your dear little line this morning.

Dear Heart’s Comrade,5 I am sorry you have this great trouble — but you have splendid courage, and the worst pain won’t last very long — I can’t tell you how glad I am that you have been able to speak of it to me.6

Dear Love, my heart is weary — I feel very old and lonely —

Goodbye my Cherub —

B

• 1

  [document] Document 200601.

• 2

  [envelope] The Lady Constance Malleson | 6 Mecklenburgh Square | W.C.1. Pmk: BATTERSEA S.W.11 | 1.15 PM | 27 JAN 20

• 3

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

• 4

  C.A. (Reginald) Clifford Allen (1889–1939). For information on him, see BRACERS 19046, n.7.

• 5

  Heart’s Comrade For information on the use of the term, see BRACERS 19145, n.12.

• 6

  to speak of it to me During the autumn of 1919 BR knew that something was troubling Colette but did not know what. Her difficulties concerned her involvement with Lewis Casson. Naturally she was reluctant to discuss the situation with BR, whom she feared, based on what had happened in the past, would become extremely jealous. Casson’s wife, Sybil Thorndike, had been having an affair with another actor, Stanley Logan. Casson, although still loving his wife, took up with Colette, who was crushed when she found out Casson still loved his wife.