Thursday. 95 Sloane Street. Dearest Mother. I had a very nice evening with the Ritchies - Pinkie was there and she played the piano, and we talked (not while she played!) and it was very merry. They are all looking very well. I think they are coming to you for Easter. I lunched with the Wards - Mrs W. was a great dear; I don't think she looks very bad, but she is most fearfully nervous about herself, which is a disease in itself, and all her family sit round and shake their heads at her, which must be depressing. Tell Papa I asked Mr Ward about books for Venice [Venezia] and he strongly recommended Browne which I have ordered at the L.L. The St Loe Stracheys are very keen to give us a letter of introduction to Mr Browne and I didn't t...... them I need not say. Dorothy drove me up to Mansfield St and I went with the Stanleys to Lady Jeune's skating party which I enjoyed very much indeed. Miss Dixon and Lilian also came. Dayrell was there - he didn't learn much skating at the court of Weimar! I came away rather early for I had a lesson at 5. My Pundit was extremely pleased with me, he kept congratulating me on my proficiency in the Arabic tongue! I think his other pupils must be awful duffers. It is quite extraordinarily interesting to read the Koran with him and it is such a magnificent book! He has given me some Arabian Nights for next time and I have given him some Hafez poems to read, so we shall see what we shall see. He is extremely keen about the Hafez book.
I am going this evening with the Stanleys to a party at Mrs Walpole's. They pick me up and take me. Your affectionate daughter Gertrude