definitely taken me on at
£
5.5. a week to write a sort of running commentary of current events, starting with the all England croquet championship at Brighton. They are sending me to everything free, the Opera, the Shakespeare festival at Stratford, etc. I think I shall get lots of fun out of it all don’t you.’
‘So to celebrate this I went out today and bought myself a divine coral tiara—the family think I’ve gone mad. I do love spending much more than I can afford on
myself
don’t you—something quite useless too.’
‘Hamish is in the country which is sad as I’m not allowed down there… Henry [Yorke] says Robert [Byron] will go through London like a flail putting everything to rights again…’
17th April: ‘Once more you must assume the ungrateful role of confidante for which I can only hope that your reward will be a heavenly crown because I fail to see how any earthly benefit can be your share.’
‘More to-do’s of course need I say in the Hamish affair. Oh Mark, talk about getting to know each other or knowing one’s own mind—if I had been married to Hamish for five painful years and borne him six male children I couldn’t know him better and the curious thing is that I’m quite certain that I shall never never be so fond of anyone again. All this as I am on the point of losing him for I don’t see how he can fail to break off our engagement after what I’ve done.’
‘I had a perfectly heartbroken letter from Lady Rosslyn [Hamish’s mother]… saying Hamish is going to the bad as fast as he can, can’t you advise me what can be done? So in a white heat I took my pen and said “The bottom of all this is Oxford. Hamish at Oxford doesn’t lead one single day of ordinary normal life—these parties which are incessant will ruin him, etc, etc, can’t he be taken away now and given some job—if this were done I would give my word not to marry him” and so on… However I can’t and won’t plot with Hamish’s parents behind his back so wrote at once and told him all. Mark he’ll
never
forgive me if this results in his leaving Oxford…’
‘Then by this evening’s post a screed from Hamish saying everybody nags him the whole time and that Farve has written again to Lord Rosslyn complaining we see each other too much. Oh my life is difficult trying to manage Hamish
and
the family. And what will he say when he hears this I can’t bear to think of it—and rightly because what business is it of mine to find fault with his character, much more for him to complain of mine really considering our relationship. But if anybody was ever worth a struggle it is Hamish because you know underneath that ghastly exterior of Rosslyn charm etc he is pure gold at least I think so, in fact I’d bank everythingon it but what chance has he [with such ineffective parents]… Sometimes I think it is too much for me or anybody else. Only I believe that I’m something quite solid in his life, which is the only comforting reflection.’
From Old Mill Cottage, 17th November: ‘My life recently has been one huge whirl of gaiety and I’ve had no time even to think let alone write letters. But next week promises to be quieter and I’ll write you my usual five volumes then… a ball at Blenheim the other night… it was grand fun. I motored from London in an open Rolls in my ball dress, the misery of it. Edward James motored me back in his car which becomes a bed at will…’
From 4 Rutland Gate Mews, l0th December: ‘awful the way everyone treats me as Hamish’s nanny isn’t it? I believe he’s been sent down from Oxford, at least everyone I see tells me so but perhaps it is only a merry joke. Personally I shan’t mind if he is, I find Oxford very dull now.’
‘I’ve got out of going to Switzerland thank heavens, it is a blessed relief to feel that I’ve escaped those snow-capped peaks. Like my hairdresser, when I said why do you hate Switzerland, “
Ah les montagnes
”, was all he could
£
5.5. a week to write a sort of running commentary of current events, starting with the all England croquet championship at Brighton. They are sending me to everything free, the Opera, the Shakespeare festival at Stratford, etc. I think I shall get lots of fun out of it all don’t you.’
‘So to celebrate this I went out today and bought myself a divine coral tiara—the family think I’ve gone mad. I do love spending much more than I can afford on
myself
don’t you—something quite useless too.’
‘Hamish is in the country which is sad as I’m not allowed down there… Henry [Yorke] says Robert [Byron] will go through London like a flail putting everything to rights again…’
17th April: ‘Once more you must assume the ungrateful role of confidante for which I can only hope that your reward will be a heavenly crown because I fail to see how any earthly benefit can be your share.’
‘More to-do’s of course need I say in the Hamish affair. Oh Mark, talk about getting to know each other or knowing one’s own mind—if I had been married to Hamish for five painful years and borne him six male children I couldn’t know him better and the curious thing is that I’m quite certain that I shall never never be so fond of anyone again. All this as I am on the point of losing him for I don’t see how he can fail to break off our engagement after what I’ve done.’
‘I had a perfectly heartbroken letter from Lady Rosslyn [Hamish’s mother]… saying Hamish is going to the bad as fast as he can, can’t you advise me what can be done? So in a white heat I took my pen and said “The bottom of all this is Oxford. Hamish at Oxford doesn’t lead one single day of ordinary normal life—these parties which are incessant will ruin him, etc, etc, can’t he be taken away now and given some job—if this were done I would give my word not to marry him” and so on… However I can’t and won’t plot with Hamish’s parents behind his back so wrote at once and told him all. Mark he’ll
never
forgive me if this results in his leaving Oxford…’
‘Then by this evening’s post a screed from Hamish saying everybody nags him the whole time and that Farve has written again to Lord Rosslyn complaining we see each other too much. Oh my life is difficult trying to manage Hamish
and
the family. And what will he say when he hears this I can’t bear to think of it—and rightly because what business is it of mine to find fault with his character, much more for him to complain of mine really considering our relationship. But if anybody was ever worth a struggle it is Hamish because you know underneath that ghastly exterior of Rosslyn charm etc he is pure gold at least I think so, in fact I’d bank everythingon it but what chance has he [with such ineffective parents]… Sometimes I think it is too much for me or anybody else. Only I believe that I’m something quite solid in his life, which is the only comforting reflection.’
From Old Mill Cottage, 17th November: ‘My life recently has been one huge whirl of gaiety and I’ve had no time even to think let alone write letters. But next week promises to be quieter and I’ll write you my usual five volumes then… a ball at Blenheim the other night… it was grand fun. I motored from London in an open Rolls in my ball dress, the misery of it. Edward James motored me back in his car which becomes a bed at will…’
From 4 Rutland Gate Mews, l0th December: ‘awful the way everyone treats me as Hamish’s nanny isn’t it? I believe he’s been sent down from Oxford, at least everyone I see tells me so but perhaps it is only a merry joke. Personally I shan’t mind if he is, I find Oxford very dull now.’
‘I’ve got out of going to Switzerland thank heavens, it is a blessed relief to feel that I’ve escaped those snow-capped peaks. Like my hairdresser, when I said why do you hate Switzerland, “
Ah les montagnes
”, was all he could
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