August 6. Baghdad Darling Mother. I have your letter of Aug 6 and by the same post the first letter from Father from Ceylon [Sri Lanka]. Doesn't he sound happy! darling old man. Your accounts of adventures in rain and cold don't perhaps seems to me so disagreeable as they should for our temperature is still anything up to 115° and rain seems most enviable. We shall not have a drop for another 3 months. I've had a rather interesting week as you will see from my letter to Father. Tomorrow I have got to dine with the King again to help him entertain the A.V.M. and next day en famille with Ja'far, so I've been rather forced out of my hermit shell. You know I have grown into a very solitary person with all these months of living almost completely alone. I always lunch with Nigel; we both like it, for it gives us an opportunity of discussing the news of the day. Thank the lord I've finished my annual report for the League of Nations - the High Commissioner's report I should say, but I write it. It's a load off my shoulders. I do all the High Commissioner's part and the report for the Ministry of Interior about which I know as much as anyone. And upon my word I'm often surprised at the amount I do know! I hope you'll approve of my letter to Mr Spender. Isn't Mr Philby a big[?] dog! Ever darling your very affectionate daughter Gertrude.