Baghdad Feb. 24 Darling Father. Do you know I never got your letter of Feb 2, of which you speak in this one of Feb 10. I thought you might have had too many arrangements on your hands and did not bother, though I was surprised. Possibly it has gone round by sea. Otherwise I can't account for it.
The funeral must have been very beautiful and dearest how brave you are being. It does relieve me so; I felt such great anxiety about you and Mother. What a good plan that the Richmonds should come to Rounton in the summer.

It is as you say, one can hear nothing about Hugo but what is good and dear. But when I think of all your plans for him, darling, and your happiness about them, I do grieve.

My chief bit of news is that the rain has stopped. I thought it never was going to. It stopped and then it came on again, but it looks as if it were over now. In a lucid interval last Friday, Iltyd and I went out riding and ended with tea with the King who is very cheerful. He dined with the Sinbads on Sunday, Ken, Iltyd and I to meet him and we played bridge. But it was raining in torrents again and Ken and I were as near as possible bogged on the way to my house. Ken came back on Saturday - he had been on tour for a fortnight - and was very sympathetic about Hugo and talked much about you.

Yesterday, Violet Bourdillon had a large party of Baghdad ladies to tea. It went extremely well. They are growing a little brighter now that they know us better and instead of dropping into the first chair and staying there till they go they get up, move about and talk to each other and to us.

Do you ever see Ja'far Pasha? I can't think how his wife gets on in London for she hasn't a word of English. Ja'far must do all the housekeeping, but he has plenty of time, his duties as 'Iraq representative not being very exacting.

I am still busy with plans for my museum. If I get the building I want, I think I might manage to open a geological department with the aid of the geologists who are out prospecting for oil for the Turkish Petroleum Co. An American one whom I met at dinner said they would like to supply specimens and say how they were to be arranged. Wouldn't that be nice. Also Ken, who is a great entomologist, looks forward to making a collection of butterflies and moths in the summer, but we're not yet certain that there are any moths in the 'Iraq. There aren't many I fear, but plenty of butterflies which I like better.

I wish I knew more about arranging museums - now you know so much don't you. Mr Woolley is going to give me some advice when he finishes his season. I spend most of my Sunday mornings in the museum and last Sunday had a number of people to take round, among them one Mr Ward Aldam who once contested M'bro [Middlesbrough] in the Conservative interest and knew you or of you. Do you remember about him?

Goodbye dearest, I want to write to Mother. Your loving daughter Gertrude