THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

[Dorking]

Friday, [June, 1942]

Belov Boo,
Ad has again gone to London so my letter may be superfluous!  He & Ursula had an early break together – Ralph took them to the station.  Ursula looked just right – a black dress and the green hat with a very light lacy veil & a red rose from the garden.  She’s like a lost child, likes someone to talk to all the time – she will be better when today is over – & then we can begin to plan her life.  She will have to earn.  She is returning here till Thursday.  Then she has a friend coming to stay a few days in her flat with her.
R did find the Romney much changed – not only the eyes – the restorer, an old man who looks after the Chatsworth pictures puts down all the changes to the mistakes of a former restorer!  R didn’t feel he was quite trustworthy.
The right thing w^d have been to have had the picture x rayed before the work was begun.  Anyhow the picture looks well – the g^t H¹ must have suffered agonies when he discovered it almost covered with mildew.
There’s nice rain for the garden.  R is only troubled now that the hens are not getting enough amusement on a wet day – he failed to dig up worms for them.  Now we suggest crushing some crab shell.  Anyhow 1 egg was laid this morning & one last evening.
I’m glad that Calvo is beter so that you needn’t hug M^rs Calvo again.
yrs A

1.  “H” was VW’s brother Hervey. Presumably this relates to a picture from Leith Hill Place, which Hervey had inherited on the death of his mother.