[5 July 1918] Baghdad July 5 Darling Father. So far this week's mail has brought me only 2 letters, but they are two splendid long ones from you of [half a line left blank]. And the first and most interesting thing in them is your suggestion that you might come here next spring. I can't imagine greater pleasure than showing you this world of mine. I hate your not knowing what has meant so much to me. And besides
showing you all the country - G.H.Q. would vie with one another in offering motors to take you about - there are my colleagues, whom I know you would like, and they'd love you. You would stay with the Willingdons at Bombay and would meet you at Basrah [Basrah, Al (Basra)], where we would stay with the I.G.C. and I think you should stay with the Chief here, that would be more comfortable for you. And you would enjoy being with the H.Q. people too - they are such dears. There! it's too good to think of. But I can't help thinking of that, even before poor Philippa, though I'm dreadfully sorry for her. Poor poor child; she has her children - I wonder how much difference that makes.

And then, darling, there's your lordly gift. Dearest I've got quite enough money - quite as much as is good for me. Why do you give me any more? I think I like it most because it's a gift from you - but everything is a gift from you, everything that's worth having.

Today is Friday and I'm going to Persia on Tuesday night. I really feel as if a judgement ought to fall on me for doing anything so nice, and after 2½ years of almost uninterrupted office I can't tell you how nice the prospect seems. I go by train at night over the hot plain, meet the Chief's car at dawn next day and in the evening sleep 5000 ft up in the hills. Next day to Kirmanshah [Bakhtaran] where I stay 2 nights, with the Kennions I hope - he's our consul. And then to Hamadan for another 2 nights - it's a long day's journey over hills. Then to Tehran [(Teheran)] via Kazvin [Qazvin] - I shall probably get through in 2 days but it might be 3. The situation in Persia is, we all think, lunatic; I shall be much interested to see for myself. I'll cable to you before I leave. It has been very hot this week. The temp. danced up one day to 118 and I can't keep my office under 100. I'm still very well, but I don't feel as if I could bear 3 uninterrupted months of it. One gets so half-alive. I've had a good deal of work, too, finishing up jobs before I leave. Otherwise I've done almost nothing. I went to the opening of a nurses' club, a very nice place, but it was a wickedly hot evening. The Chief and I fled presently and went out motoring in the desert to get a breath of air. Today I went to tea at H.Q. to settle up a few things about my journey with the C.G.S., Gen. Gillman, and after I paid a long farewell visit on the nurses, bless them. Mr Bullard, who is now P.O. Kifri, is in for a week and dines with me on Sunday. General Bate has proved a great standby for he is Father of Horses, you know, and my pony has got mange or ringworm or something, so he is going to give me another to take to Persia. I shall try it on Sunday when I ride with Gen. Stuart Wortley. It's a great thing to be in with the Remount Dept. He is also particularly nice, Gen. Bate.

Sir Percy should reach Bombay in a day or two; but he goes to Simla first and I don't think he'll be back here before the middle of Aug., if then. Yes, he is very shy and reserved, but he is a great person when you get to know him - a very real person too. I think he has rather suffered from having a wife who doesn't care a damn about anything at all. He doesn't expect ever to meet with sympathy or understanding. He has always lived boxed up in himself. Father, do you know I think that's the greatest thing that the habit of finding loving sympathy from one's own family does for one. One goes out into the world expecting to be friends with it and then one is, of course, because one carries the atmosphere of human friendship with one. That's everything.

Talking of money dearest, do you know I've spent quite a lot of money this year. Some was very well spent in giving little parties, especially to the Baghdad Ladies, and some has slipped away I don't really know how - the way my money does. Happy to say I saw a beautiful piece of Persian embroidery and didn't buy it! The exchange is so ruinous, and getting worse and worse. I think when Sir P. returns I must try and arrange a loan with him so as not to get money out from England.

George White's letter was delightful - I wish he had come here. And I'm so grateful for Springy's speech which I thought quite admirable.

By the way I sent some astrachan skins home - if they arrive, will you give them to Elsa? perhaps she would like them for herself or the children. It's no good letting them lie there. I'm so glad Sylvia is better - oh, how I hope nothing will happen to Anthony. His letter was wonderful.

Will you take a subscription from me from the 4th Yorks prisoners - and for anything else that you think fit. I gave a handsome subscription to the Red X here when we had a Red X week. My letters will now be very irregular but I'll send you an occasional telegram. Ever your very loving daughter Gertrude