The Mitfords: Letters between Six Sisters. Charlotte Mosley

they might be shot at. Apparently the day before they had come within a few yards of the house and then been too afraid to approach. It seems so odd to think they are grown up; they seemed incredibly babyish and so shy. (Not Debo of course.)

      Kit has got such a lovely new rod for spinning minnows, he caught a huge trout last night with it. We are having such heavenly hols.

      How too awful if you have to miss the Parteitag, but thank goodness it is the same year as me. I expect you will go but don’t overdo it darling. Come back soon.

      You know the grey flannel dress and coat you gave me; well Nanny has let the dress out and it makes the most wonderfully concealing garment for best. I shall have to give it back when you have one. You can’t think how I bless you every time I wear it.

      All love darling from Nard

      Dear Miss

Poor Boud got beaten up in the Express, did you see (I know you read the papers from cover to cover all except the news, the book reviews or anything of interest). I must say I think it was silly not to write the letter herself but then Boud always is silly.¹

      Love from NR

The dr just been says that for two months I mayn’t go in any sort of vehicle, isn’t it deadly. I mayn’t even take a taxi & go out to lunch.²

      Darling Diana

Wasn’t it funny – the very day your baby¹ was born I was transcribing letters about Alice Stanley’s² baby & she called it Alexander St George. I recommend St George to your attention, I think it’s so pretty.

      I expect you will have a lovely Xmas in bed which I envy you in every way.

      Much love from Nancy

I am going to Roy³ & Billa tomorrow, did you know they are having a baby also the David Cecils.⁴

      Darling Nard

      Thank you for your letter.

I had lunch with the Führer on Sunday & Monday, & he asked me to send you viele Grüsse. Both days he was in his very sweetest mood, particularly on Monday, he held my hand most of the time & looked sweet & said ‘Kind [child]!’ in his sympathetic way because he was so sorry about England & Germany being such enemies.¹ However he said nothing but wonderful things about England & he completely gave me faith again that it will all come right in the end.

      Yesterday I visited the new English Consul, he is awfully funny & rather nice.

      There is still snow on the ground here, but it’s getting a bit warmer.

      Do write soon.

      Best love from Bobo

¹

Well, I had lunch with Wolf² today. We are invited to Bayreuth, I don’t know when it begins but will let you know later. He was in his least forthcoming mood, you know, all preoccupied.

He asked after you and Alexander and when I told him Alexander was bald, he said ‘Other people lose their hair through wisdom. He is wise from birth.’ So when I said ‘Let’s hope so’ he said ‘Let’s hope not. It’s better to have hair than wisdom. Weisheit hilft nichts.’³

      Darling Nard

      Your letter of the 30th just arrived. You can’t think how thrilling it is every time I hear the letterbox click, as I always expect every letter to be the last that will get through.

I listened in to the English news last night, it seems quite hopeless doesn’t it.¹ I wonder if this letter will get through.

      I think Chamberlain & co are criminals & should be hanged.

In case you didn’t hear the Führer’s speech, this is what he said about England. ‘Ich habe England immer wieder eine Freundschaft und, wenn notwendig, das engste Zusammengehen angeboten. Aber Liebe kann nicht nur von einer Seite angeboten werden, die muss von der anderen ihre Erwiderung finden.’²

      I tried to ring you up last night but was a few hours too late – no more calls to England allowed.

      Last night we had blackout for the first time, the streets were so pitchy black one had to feel one’s way. Today I covered all my windows with black paper.

      I fear I shan’t see the Führer again. Nardy if anything should happen to me, & the English press try to make some untrue story out of it against W, you will see to it that the truth is known won’t you.

When the war is over, do try to get Boy³ back, I am so worried about him. Baby knows where he is.

      Very best love, to you & the boys, from Bobo

      I do hope you will feel better soon. It must be awful to be feeling ill just now.

1 Violet Williams-Freeman (1877–1964). A childhood friend of Lady Redesdale, ‘Mrs Ham’ was also a favourite with those she called the ‘Horror Sisters’. The butt of many of their teases, she could be querulous and demanding but her intelligence and sympathy ensured that she remained a cherished friend. After her husband Arthur Hammersley’s death in 1913, she became known as ‘the Widow’ or ‘Wid’, which suited her pessimistic outlook. She lived between Tite Street, Chelsea, and Wilmington, Totland Bay, on the Isle of Wight.

2 When Lord Redesdale learnt that Diana had taken Unity to the Parteitag, the annual Nazi Party Congress in Nuremberg, he wrote her a furious letter saying that he and Lady Redesdale were ‘absolutely horrified’ that they should accept hospitality from ‘people we regard as a murderous gang of pests’, and begged her to avoid embroiling Unity ‘with matters & people you know we cannot tolerate’. (Lord Redesdale to Diana, 7 September 1933)

3 The Poor Old Female, i.e. Lady Redesdale.

4 Tom Mitford.

5 Ernst