Rome [Roma]. {Monday} Tuesday Dearest Mother. I had forgotten, till I got your letter this morning, all about the dinner party - I am so very sorry. I have telegraphed to you that I will come home if you like - I think I can do no less - so you must decide. Meantime I shall go on with my palaces. I've really got hold of the buildings on the Palatine and now I am going to begin on the Baths of Caracalla, which will be thrilling. If you don't tell me to come back I shall next take Hadrian's Villa and then the Baths of Diocletian. It's more exciting than words can say. I had a great morning with Miss van Demen on the Palatine today. Then I lunched with Mr Richmond and Baron Blanc at a charming restaurant on the Aventine where Father and I lunched with the Wyndhams. Then Mme de Filippi took Miss van D. and me to the Pretorian camp to look at brick work, and then to Trajan's Baths, which are I think too much ruined to be much good to me. I went to tea with the Millers - he is correspondent of the Morning Post - and a clever man. Tomorrow Mr Ashby and I are going with Mme de Filippi into the Campagna to see villas. It's heavenly weather. Your affectionate and repentant daughter Gertrude
It's being a revelation all this and I ..... I shall talk less nonsense in future.