BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, 2 AUG. 1952
BRACERS 19892. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

<letterhead>
41 Queen’s Road
Richmond
Surrey1^, 2
2 August 1952

Dearest Colette

Nalle3 sends me news of you that makes me very sad: that although the Doctors had had hopes about your deafness, they have none any longer. I feel the very deepest sympathy, but I know that is useless to you.

Are you going to live in Sweden4 altogether?

My very deep affection is with you always.

B.

• 1

  [document] Document 200896.

• 2

  [envelope] The Lady Constance Malleson | Sundborn | Sweden. Pmk: RICHMOND & TWICKENHAM | 4.30 PM | 2 AUG | 1952

• 3

  Nalle BR met Nalle Kielland when her children went to Beacon Hill School in the 1920s. When he travelled to Norway in October 1948 they met again and began an affair. Nalle’s husband would not have approved, so the affair was conducted in secrecy. Colette was staying in BR’s cottage, in Ffestiniog, North Wales in 1949 when a copy of his autobiography arrived which had been read by Nalle. Colette took it upon herself to let Nalle know that BR’s wife, Peter, was in a difficult and unpredictable mood with regard to her husband’s affairs. Colette and Nalle became friends through correspondence — their friendship would last for decades.

• 4

  live in Sweden Colette in her reply of 5 August 1952 (BRACERS 98456), said it was impossible to live abroad all the time because of the currency restrictions. This brief exchange of letters in 1952 did not appear to lead to more letters. Their relationship, broken off by Colette in 1950, did not resume on a more regular basis until 1955. She had moved her books and furniture from Ffestiniog to her new home, Ponder’s Cottage, Lavenham, Suffolk in the autumn of 1949.