Baghdad Nov 26. Dearest Father. Thank you so much for your letter of the 11th. Happy to tell you I'm perfectly well again. And I have got my two Belloveds back, which is so delightful. But not without some anxious moments. On Sat. 22 when they were due to arrive an awful south wind and duststorm began, the usual prelude to rain. At lunch time when I was wondering if they would get through in time, came a telegram from Ken to say they weren't arriving till Monday. It didn't rain but the wind and dust went on - I've never known anything like it since 1917 - and I pictured them struggling across the desert. Well, on Monday they still didn't come and when it got to nightfall there was no news of their having even reached Ramadi [Ramadi, Ar], so I finally went to bed in real distress, not knowing where they could be in the universe of desert and dust and wind. And at midnight the telephone woke me and there was Ken's voice saying they had just got in. I was relieved.
They severally spent a large part of Tuesday with me, bless them. This is for you and Mother's private ear and Molly's as I think she knows. Ken has finally done what is known as giving his wife evidence - what one sees in the Times daily and everyone knows that it is trumped up. But she insisted saying there was no more affection between them - which is of course true. He wanted to hold on for the sake of the children for of course as the delinquent party he will have no legal right to them and though she has promised to let him pay for their education and maintenance, he never feels quite certain that she will keep her promises. She really, I'm convinced, wants to marry someone else. I think, myself, that on the whole of all the bad alternatives for the children this is the least bad. Her step-mother and father weren't on speaking terms with one another for the last 20 years of their life; they continued to live together and all the sons and daughters took the mother's side and cut the father, practically, while cheerfully taking large allowances from him! I don't see that that sort of life can be better for children than a clean break. But I'm dreadfully sorry for my dear Ken who has been through a hell of a time and is miserable. However I feel sure he will be better now that he has got to work. He has such a big position here and is such an important trusted person, and he has the devotion of his friends, of whom I am the chief. I do love and admire his salient, his almost aggressive integrity and I prize more than I can say the trust and affection he gives me in such full measure.

There! that is all quite secret, of course, but I want you to know about it.

Iltyd told me of his last call on you when he was so much delighted to meet you and Moll. It is very kind of you to ask Zaid to the ball. I am sure he will be as pleased as Punch. Do you remember our having that little Buddhist rajah (Sikkim) who told me solemnly that incarnations don't dance! I don't think sharifs dance either.

The Loraines are still here - Ken and I are dining tonight at the Residency as the Dobbses go to Mosul [Mawsil, Al] for 10 days tomorrow. Things are going from bad to worse between the Shaikh of Muhammarah and the Persian Prime Minister, who after the Shaikh had made full submission and apology, broke all his promises and declares that he will drive him out by force of arms. H.M.G. has got onto its hind legs and revealed to the P.M. our secret undertakings to protect the Shaikh in a treaty concluded long before the war. So it's a pretty muddle and the A.P.O.C. are twittering about their pipe line which in the rough and tumble of military operations can't be regarded as safe.

The frontier commission has announced its bonne arrivée for Dec 27. H.E. has telegraphed back that they had better come a little later as his staff will be enjoying a well-earned holiday. He wants to go to 'Amarah ['Amarah, Al] himself and shoot, while I am going with Ken and J.M. [Wilson] and Iltyd and others to Babylon for the same purpose. And oh how I shall enjoy getting out for a few days. That's all I need, long long days out of doors.

Mr Slater has resigned - yes I told you. We're so glad and so is the King with whom I went to tea and a long talk last Friday. He has done so much harm. It is an immense relief to Ken of whom Slater was horribly jealous and tried on every possible occasion to spoke his wheel - horrid little viper. So you need not put yourself out about him if he comes to see you, a thing he ought not to do if he has any decency for he must guess what I think of his disloyalty to Sir Henry.

Esme and I went on Sunday afternoon to the opening of a Women's club - yes, indeed. Aren't we advancing Moslem women. There's a quite considerable women's movement going on. Esme was such a darling. The ladies made interminable speeches in Arabic and when I brought one of the longest and most tedious speakers to be introduced, Esme said sweetly: "I did so enjoy your speech." Afterwards she observed aside to me: "I think they are less boring when you don't understand a word. Goodbye dearest - your very affectionate daughter Gertrude.