Baghdad Jan. 17 Dearest Father. I have your letter of Nov 21 and 30 and Mother's of Dec 2, yes and another from her undated. I was deeply grieved about Beatrice; I've written to Mr Austen. What a loss she is. There were few people who were her equals in fine sanity and I realize now how much I always counted on her friendship. Now as to your plans - I don't so much regret the change as it's possible (not certain) that I may come home a little earlier. A.T. Wilson  shows signs of wanting someone at home who can help to give a guiding hand, if that's possible, keep him closely informed of how things are shaping and at the same time represent the experience we have gathered here. He has already suggested that it might be well if I went early in Feb. and I have told him I will do just what he thinks best. In that case I should perhaps motor up to Aleppo [Halab] and come down through Syria, so as just to see what's going on there, which would be an advantage. I shall telegraph of course if anything is settled. I really don't mind much one way or the other myself. I should like to be back here in Oct., but we'll see what happens. I think on the whole I'm more useful here than in England, but just at this moment I might be able to help to keep things straight - if they'll let me.
I have been struggling with a chill this week and feeling rather a poor thing, but it's nearly over. We had our first health class in the house of a Pasha's wife; a lecture from the new lady doctor. She is rather a horrid woman and she does not talk a word of Arabic, so that it all had to be interpreted, but she did it quite well and we had 30 ladies, mostly Jews and Mohammadans, and they seemed quite pleased. We have another next week - oh and a Mohammadan tea party tomorrow, it rains tea parties. This one is in the house of a widow lady whom I like very much. I'm getting to have quite a nice lot of friends. Frank Balfour is doing extremely well in his new and by no means easy post of Military Governor here. He drops in to the office very often after tea time and tells me his tales. We are having rather a windy time over self-determination - I'll tell you some day, if ever we have hours enough to get through all the talk. I wish very much that Sir Percy were here, but he is earning such laurels in Persia that it's difficult to take him away from there. The I.G.C. is going home on leave next week - I'm telling him to call on you. There aren't words to tell you how good he has been to me. The C. in C. goes on leave early in Feb. but I expect I shall not be long behind him so I shan't send him to you specially. I don't think highly of the Cabinet - do you? And as for Germany I can't make out what's happening there, but I fancy it's nothing but the inevitable. Ever your very affectionate daughter Gertrude.

I've written a little letter to Sir George Trevelyan this mail.