Baghdad Jan 27. Dearest Mother. A little bit o' business, as the Hon. George said to Uncle Frank. Is this bill paid? I mean have you paid it out of my cheque book? If not will you accept this cheque and pay it for me. The reason I think it must have been paid is that otherwise A.S. would have d...... me for it and he hasn't. I have just forgotten it. I'm sitting in the garden, odd as it may seem to you in England, answering your letters of Jan 13. As I have already said to Father it is almost incredible from what you all say that Hugo should be alive at all. I have written my news to Father to whom I address the diary letter. I am looking forward to a visit to Ur next week with Lionel (to whom I gave your message - I didn't know till after that he had written to you) We shall go to Kish on the way back and if only the weather is nice it will be delightful. It has been raining in such torrents that I hope we may have a dry spell for the next ten days. We take with us a Dante from which to read our favourite cantos. It sounds rather priggish but I don't think that matters. I shall also take some novels, I may add, and some delicatessen to eat in the train. Haven't you loved the 3rd vol of Page's letters. I've written about them too to Father. Now I must go and see the Queen. How I wish the Queen had been wrecked on the way here. Your very affectionate daughter Gertrude. I wonder if 'Ali's wife when she arrives will be just such another.