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36 Smith Square, Westminster.—Discusses arrangements for meeting.

(Undated.)

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Transcript

36 Smith Square, Westminster

I’m terribly afraid tomorrow is bound to be a failure, but if you liked, & werent busy wd you pick me up at Mansfield St anytime after a quarter to 11, & not later than 11.15 & we’d drive back together. This is rather a foul suggestion as it entails a long dreary solitary drive for you & I {1} shall more than understand if you say you cant. Perhaps you’d like to let me know as if you werent coming I dont think I should go to Mansfield St at all.

You’d have found Aggie Barbara, Pamela & me if you’d lunched & of course dear Reggie. He was very sweet. If you want to go to Walmer early you will wont you.

I shall see you Wednesday {2} anyway 4.30.

Yrs
Venetia

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Written in two kinds of pencil (see below). Printed in H. H. Asquith: Letters to Venetia Stanley, p. 492.

{1} Up to this point the letter is in lead pencil; the rest is in blue pencil.

{2} 24th.

24 Queen Anne’s Gate, S.W.—Hopes he enjoys Newmarket, and urges him to come to Munstead as early as possible. ‘Dont say I’ve been to Reading. Eliza rang up to ask if we were coming and I said I wasnt. I think she’s a little rusty.’

18 Mansfield Street, Portland Place, W.—Invites him to join her ‘anti-yacht’ party at Penrhôs at Whitsuntide. Asks whether he has managed to convert Violet to Dorothy’s cause (i.e. temperance). Is seeing Sir Herbert and Lady Jekyll this afternoon, and dining with Geoffrey and Captain Guest.

(Dated Sunday.)

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Transcript

18 Mansfield Street, Portland Place, W.
Sunday

I am starting an anti-yacht party at Whitsuntide, just to show them that in spite of Winston its still possible to have fun in England. Will you come? Either for actual Whitsunday itself {1} or for the following week, which ever suits you best, {2} or both. Dont say you are going to Geneva for the Alpine Crow or to Italy with Geoffrey because you really are pledged (ever since last summer) to come to Penrhos. Its the nicest time of year there and ought to be delicious. There is only one legitimate excuse for you and that is if they after all dont go on the yacht and you want to go somewhere with the Prime.

Have you managed, on this glorious day, to convert Violet to Dorothys cause {3}? I’m afraid it will be difficult.

It is a waste being in London. I am reduced to Kew with Sir Herbert and Lady Jekyll this afternoon, and Geoffrey and Captain Guest to dinner.

Yrs
Venetia

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{1} 26 May.

{2} Comma supplied. The next two words are interlined.

{3} i.e. temperance. Dorothy Howard’s mother, the Countess of Carlisle, was a prominent temperance reformer.