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6 Devonshire Place, W.1. - Asks Bob to forgive her for not thanking him before for his 'lovely poems at Christmas' [From the Shiffolds". He sees what she is now doing [organising the Busch concerts?]: a 'big task... with everything to arrange'. Adolf and Hedwig [Busch] came for two days last week en route to Switzerland, and will return with the Quartet in mid-April. All is going well. Postscript asking whether Bob had called in on her here one day: very sorry to have missed him if so. The 'Petrol ban is a curse' and she would have visited them at the Shiffolds long ago otherwise.

Lillywhites, Westburton, Pulborough, Sussex. - Replying to thank him for the 'lovely Christmas gift' ["From the Shiffolds"] does not mean it made 'no impression' on her: has read and reread the poems 'with great pleasure and thankfulness', especially the one to Goldie [Lowes Dickinson]. Thinks she gets continually worse at writing to people. Has only now finished with the 'wretched Busch Concerts (1948) and sends Bob the 'dire result' [no longer present]. Asks if she can come to see Bob about it: he said something 'very sympathetic & consoling' after the last Kingsway Hall concert. Feels 'responsible for the financial disaster', but George Booth has been 'overwhelmingly kind' and .offered to write off the whole debt if necessary'. Has also written to [Arthur?] Lister Harrison who originally promised some support. The 'great blow' was the American Federation of Musicians, led by Mr [James] Petrillo, banning recording anywhere outside America, which meant the recordings of 'those beautiful performances of the Cantatas', as well as the 'support and financial aid of the Columbia Gramophone Co.' were lost. Would not have suggested the Concerts without the promise of the support, but it was too late to cancel when news of the ban came. Adolf and Hedwig [Busch] have had a son, Nicholas, who is two months old.