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Wonders how Garbo is doing in her 'Luxury East River apartment'. Writes a 'word painting' of himself as he is at the moment he is writing. Outlines his plans to enlarge his house and garden, and possibly buy the pink cottage and rent it furnished, as his finances allow. Refers to his few business trips to London, where he had lunch with 'the little gipsy' (Pamela Berry), the Salisburys and Ann Fleming. Mentions his household staff, including the French cook at Pelham Place, and Mrs Murdoch. Enthuses about Spring. Writes of his mother's ill health. Considers taking a short holiday but is content to stay at Reddish and work. Refers to the impending arrival of Waldemar Hansen. Worries about Garbo's situation. Wishes she would show friendship to Mercedes de Acosta. Encourages her to fly to England. Sends news of Clarissa and Anthony Eden, including Clarissa's miscarriage.

Reminisces about the time he spent with Garbo in New York. Describes the boat journey back to England with William Somerset Maugham and Monroe Wheeler. Refers to his mother's ill health. Describes the scene on his return to Reddish House. Mentions that David and possibly Michael are in Tangier, Juliet [Duff] is in Bristol, and his sister, Baba, has visited Reddish. Sends news of Clarissa Churchill and her new cottage. Eulogises Bebe [Christian Berard], detailing the circumstances of his death. Discusses his short term plans. Refers to Nella Webb's predictions for Garbo. Writes a list of thanks, a list of things he is looking forward to, and a list of things he misses, regarding Garbo.

Discusses Lord Cholmondeley's vegetarianism and discourages Garbo from becoming a vegetarian. Details his activities during the week since he returned from America. Sends news of Clarissa Eden, who is caring for Anthony Eden during his illness. Admires her for remaining 'so unembittered by Mr Dulles'. Also sends news that Juliet Duff has her foot in a plaster cast and David has returned home to visit his father. Plans to celebrate his mother's eighty-fifth birthday but worries about her health. Impressions of reading a diary written by his Aunt Jessie in Bolivia in 1890. Hopes that Garbo will no longer be ill when he visits New York.

Refers to two plays that he has been writing. Writes that Clarissa Churchill has bought 'Rose bower' cottage near Reddish House. Mentions that he will do the design, at short notice, for a John Gielgud play. Sends news of his gardening efforts and the acquisition of geese at Reddish, and of an attempted burglary at his London house.

Complains of bad weather and a bad cold. Reports that he has been in London to arrange and open an exhibition, to see Lawrence Olivier's production of 'School for scandal' which he designed, and to make arrangements for his Gainsborough play to be produced. Mentions he may design for Wendy Hiller's new play. Sends news of Clarissa Churchill and her new cottage, Michael Duff and Juliet Duff. Enthuses about the novel, 'Adolphe', quoting a passage that reminded him of his time with Garbo, but advises Garbo that she should not star in a film version. Likens Garbo to Empress Elizabeth.

Recalls a day, a week previous, walking with Garbo in the park to see Katie, and having lunch together. Wonders if it mattered that she was late for her two o'clock appointment. Speculates about her week, mentioning face massage and osteopath. Hopes that she has decided to lease the back alley in California. Suggests that 'the present arrangement of being indispensible and available...should be altered by gentle degrees' [referring to Garbo's relationship with George Schlee].Describes his journey back to England. Writes about his meeting with the Director and Stage Architect of 'The Second Mrs Tanqueray'. Praises the pictures he took of Garbo in the Sherry Netherland hotel which are 'as nice as those sad ones were horrid'. Criticises Olivier's production of 'Venus Observed' in London. Reports that he has been to the country house of a friend to copy a scene in her tapestry room, and has had dinner with a friend whose sister is the only girl among 9 lads. Complains that he has had trouble readjusting to home and mother after luxury of New York. His garden. Work on costumes and scenery. Complains about a newspaper clipping that he was sent about him and Garbo from New York. Hopes it won't make things difficult with George [Schlee]. Wonders if Garbo will visit in the summer. Mentions the David Cecils coming to tea and his visit to Clarissa's cottage.

Describes summer at Reddish. Writes that he has just returned from Scotland where he put the finishing touches to the Lunts, who are playing in Noël Coward's 'Quadrille'. The production is a success. Considers what to do during his month off. Mentions that his mother has had a heart attack. Discusses Clarissa's marriage to Anthony Eden. Sends news that Hal Burton is taking five plays to Bermuda and has written Garbo a letter, which Beaton will send on to her. Mentions David Herbert.

Explains that he did not write before not knowing whether she had returned from Hollywood. Mentions his business in London and a current exhibition of his paintings. Informs her that his mother is away visiting a sister. Wishes Garbo would visit him in England, where she could be treated by Dr Gottfried. Sends news that Clarissa Eden is building a bigger house but Anthony Eden is ill, and that Juliet Duff has fallen out of a car and broken a leg.

Refers to Beaton's mother's ill health. Writes about Clarissa Spencer-Churchill's marriage to Anthony Eden. Believes that if she had rented a house with Clarissa, as Beaton did the year before, Clarissa would have been distracted and never have married. Plans to travel to Paris around 5th September and stay for a few days, or a long time, before returning to America. Writes that she could go to England and 'take over Miss Davis' job in the most inefficient way'. Her forwarding address is the Morgan Bank. Considers visiting Miss Bates on Central Park regarding her neck.