Baghdad Dec 12 Darling Father. I'm beginning a letter to you today, because I'm going out all day tomorrow with the King to see some cotton which is much less good than his - pleasant sight! - and in the eveing I go up to Mosul [Mawsil, Al], coming back on Saturday. I have Tuesday, Wed. and Thursday there, motor down to Samarra on Friday - there is only a train from Mosul once a week and it doesn't suit - catch the Saturday train at Samarra and get back on Saturday afternoon. I send you a little puff about H.M.'s farm which I published in the Baghdad Times. I hear that the cinema man was an immense success - did I tell you that I sent one up? He photographed all the farm, with the King picking cotton - and the tractors working etc. and we shall have it in Baghdad shortly. I had an immense talk with H.M. yesterday afternoon, about his household arrangements and Syria and everything. He has asked Ken and Iltyd and me to come to his farm for Xmas. We all think it will be very nice and the King is overjoyed at the thought of giving a Xmas party all of his own. I am bustling up some of the new armchairs to be there against our coming so that there may be something comfortable to sit on. Zaid left for Oxford by airmail last Thursday. There was an official gathering on the aerodrome to see him off. Ken and I went. The most noticeable event was that Saiyid Talib was present! He has been spending a few days in Baghdad but wisely kept out of my way. I saw a crowd of people, saluted them and was struck by being saluted in turn, very deeply by one of them. I looked again and it was Talib who was evidently preparing to come and shake hands with me. So I seized hold of the Prime Minister and asked him to go and advise Talib not to try, as I should cut him. The P.M., much amused, did so and T. sank into the background. He saw the King who told him he thought he had better live abroad. I hear he is going to Egypt. H.M. was delighted with my tale of our encounter. Before Zaid left, he came hurrying up to me and begged me to look after his brother. "You know how lonely the King is" he said. "You make such a difference to him." So I, deeply touched, promised to do all I could. He is the loneliest man in the world, I think. Ken and I are the only people who can help him. I have had Lionel and my two nice American archaeologists to lunch and now I am just going to have a number of ladies to tea to meet Mrs Kerr. I'm immensely busy these days and shall enjoy a little break which Mosul will give. Dec 13. [13 December 1925] I've just come in from spending the day out with the King to find the mail. I am off in an hour to Mosul [Mawsil, Al] so all I've done is to read the news about Hugo. I'm so thankful that there is better news but of course there's still large ground for anxiety and oh I'm anxious. I shall be back before the next mail comes and till then I don't suppose I shall hear anything. Goodbye my darling step-mother and father. I do feel for you both so. Your loving Gertrude