[21 October 1925] [Between letters of 9 and 15 Oct in album] Baghdad. Oct 14 [i.e.21] Darling Father. It has been so wonderful coming back here. For the first two days I could not do any work at all in the office, because of the uninterrupted streams of people who came to see me. "Light of our eyes" they said, "Light of our eyes" as they kissed my hands and made almost absurd demonstrations of delight and affection. It goes a little to the head, you know - I almost began to think I were a person. Between all this I must take up the story of our days. On Thursday afternoon I went with Sylvia to call on Zaid and on the Queen. Zaid was charming and Sylvia was delighted with him but she could not bear the Queen who is, I must say, a most boring woman. Sylvia also came to dine - Sir Henry was out and I seized the occasion to snatch her from the company of the Vernons (NB they have now left the Residency and my High Commissioner's health has greatly improved in consequence.) I had Mr Cooke and Major Wilkins (C.I.D.) to dinner and bridge, and we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. Sylvia has fallen a victim to the charms of my dear Mr Cooke and she thoroughly appreciates Major W. an N.C.O. whose merits both as a policeman and a colleague I value greatly; though his hs are very uncertain his manners are otherwise perfect. On Friday she moved over to me. She has Marie's room which we have made very comfortable and Marie sleeps in the garden room - the sitting room when you were here. My household are thrilled to have her and put themselves in four to serve her. We dined that night with Mr Keeling (Turkish Petroleum Co) to meet Sabih Beg and Group Capt Brooke. The point of the evening was that Sylvia so firmly attached Mr Keeling's scalp to the long line already hanging on her Bellt that he arranged to take her on Monday to the Khanaqin oil fields which she had expressed a wish to see. On Saturday afternoon we annexed Mr Warner (our travelling companion who is on his way to the Tehran [(Teheran)] Legation) and took him off to call on Haji Naji. Haji Naji could not contain his satisfaction. He took us through all the orange gardens, loaded us with fruit and flowers and gave us tea and coffee. It was so delicious - Sylvia loved it. Mr Warner came to dine, with Nuri Pasha, Sabih Beg and Capt Holt. He talked to Nuri after dinner while the rest of us played bridge - this was by special arrangement as Mr Warner's own desire was to have a heart to heart talk with a real Arab nationalist so I gave him the best I knew. He left on Sunday for Tehran to our great regret. Captain Holt came over before breakfast, bringing horses from the Residency, and took Sylvia for a ride. They both returned here for breakfast at 9, after which Sylvia and I sat gossiping till 11 (this, I must tell you, we do hour after hour) when I joined J.M. [Wilson] at the Sarai to settle some pressing affairs about the museum. I had seen J.M. on Thursday morning - he is going, you know, and I can't think what I shall do without him - and after a long talk he took me over to the Sarai where I called on all the Ministers, found them all in their offices and had a most satisfactory talk with each one of them. They are worn to a shadow what with having to sit in Parliament all the morning, get through their office work between 12 and 4 and then attend a meeting of the Govt party to settle the line which is to be taken next day in the house. But the system is working excellently; they have a solid majority and {carry} overwhelm regularly the opposition led by Yasin Pasha. They have almost got through the work of the preliminary session (the budget) and hope to adjourn next week. The new session meets on Nov 1 but their scheme is to open it formally and then prorogue for a month or 6 weeks. I devoutly hope they will for I find the compilation of the parliamentary reports from the very bad reports in the vernacular papers a most exhausting business. One begins by reading all the papers through and then one compiles a composite report drawn from all four. On Sunday afternoon Sylvia and I went to the races. It was excessively hot - it has been over 90 every day since we came back) and S. wasn't feeling very fit, though she would not hear of not going. I sat in Sir Henry's box and had my first really uninterrupted talk with him while S. and Capt. Holt strolled about and looked at the horses and incidentally the races. H.E. gave us tea after which I found a good many people I knew, including the Air Marshal and his wife. These I introduced to S. She was looking quite enchanting in a black and white muslin gown. She creates a sensation in Baghdad society whenever she appears. H.E. brought us back and sat talking for a bit. Sylvia then went to rest and read while I tackled some of my gradually diminishing pile of papers. At 7.30 I went in to see if she were ready for her bath and found her very unwell and in great pain. I sent at once for a doctor; Sinbad is still away but I got hold of a man called Woodman whom we both like very much - I scarcely knew him before and now feel that I am so deeply in his debt that I shall never be able to exhaust my gratitude. Her temperature was 104! Meantime, Ken and Major Eadie had arrived to dine and play bridge. I was so anxious about Sylvia that I couldn't attempt to be anything but a distracted hostess but they were very sympathetic and comforting. On Monday morning S. was better - the Khanaqin trip had been put off and she stayed in bed. I saw her doctor before I went to the office and heard that he considered her malady to be nothing but the usual sort of internal upset that almost every newcomer goes through before they settle down to Baghdad. I've no doubt the unaccustomed heat had something to do with it. After tea S. was very cheerful. Mr Keeling and Ken came to ask after her and I took them both in to see her. But in the evening the pains came back, she had a bad night and a temp. of 102 on Tuesday. We were both terribly discouraged but Dr Woodman again turned up very early, reassured us and provided effective medicines. I came back to lunch and found her quite clearly on the mend. Mr Cooke came to tea with her while I went again to the Museum with J.M. I found Mr Cooke still there when I came back and subsequently the Joyces called and made Sylvia's acquaintance, she in bed. I must break off here for I am writing, as usual, before breakfast and it is now time for my bath. After lunch. Sylvia is almost well again but she is to stay in bed today and most of tomorrow, as a precaution. I have had such an alarm that I feel as if I am likely to keep even too much of a dragon-like guard over her. Today H.E. ordered me to lunch to help to entertain a Col. Lyson (brother of Lord B.) who is one of the new officers come out to join the 'Iraq Army. You know the scheme hatched by the Secs of State when they were here? They are going to speed up the progress of the 'Iraq Army by forming a number of pattern units with Englishmen in executive command. Most of us (including me) feel very doubtful about it, as most of the new officers know neither the Arabs nor Arabic and we fear that the close union between British and 'Iraqi officers, which has been the outstanding feature so far, may be jeopardized. A certain General Daly is coming out in Nov. to take the place of Col. Joyce, the latter becoming - if he stays, which is doubtful - the General's C.G.S. Col. Lyson proved to be very pleasant. He is going straight to Mosul [Mawsil, Al], so we shall not see him again for the moment. I must tell you that Sir Henry has written a quite admirable short report on the history of the country since 1920 - taking it up where my White Paper left it. The C.O. is going to publish it and you must read it at once. There is a really beautiful page about Sir Percy with a very graceful mention of me at the end. For once in my life I have liked being mentioned by name as part of Sir Percy's material. And I know that he will be pleased. We were both going to dine with Ken tonight to meet Zaid but we had to put ourselves off as Sylvia must not go. I have compromised by promising to drop in after dinner for I don't sit with Sylvia later than 9.30. Oh dear, I'm so thankful she is getting better. Thank you very much for the cuttings containing Mr Amery's speech etc. I think we are now on safe ground. And the Turks, in anticipation of the coming of Laidoner are already sending back some of the Christians they carried off and ordering their property to be restored. I have also got your letter of Oct 6 - no, railway discussions can't be very cheerful at this juncture. I do wish you hadn't such horrid things to do - I feel a real compunction at having such nice ones to do myself. Goodbye dearest Belloved Father. Your very loving daughter Gertrude Do you see what a time the French have had at Damascus [Dimashq (Esh Sham, Damas)]? You may wish to have the enclosed.