Wed. Dearest Father. I have signed and returned the papers you sent me and also filled in the amount of my Army pay. I only began to be paid in July 1916. Col. Wilson has arrived I'm glad to say. I think he intends to stay here 4 days and then go to England and I still hope that I may get away with him. We had last night an extraordinarily interesting evening at Mr Stead's house (editor of Times - I don't like him but he was very useful.) The party was Domnul, T.E.L. [T.E. Lawrence] and me to meet a number of French journalists (Temps, Debats and Matin were the chief) and a man connected with the Quai d'Orsay and the President of the Marseilles Chamber of Commerce. After dinner T.E.L. explained exactly the existing situation as between Faisal and his Syrians on the one hand and France on the other and outlined the programme of a possible agreement without the delay which is the chief defect of the proposal for sending a Commission. He did it quite admirably. His charm, simplicity and sincerity made a deep personal impression and convinced his listeners. The question now is whether it is not too late to convince the Quai d'Orsay and Clémenceau and that it what we are now discussing. At any rate I see a ray of hope in that direction but the complexity of the whole mechanism makes it difficult to realize any project, no matter how obviously advantageous it may be.
I'm now going to lunch with the Bucklers to meet Morgenthau. Lord Robert, bless him, is such a help to me personally. I see a great deal of him and I always come away feeling as if my soul had been rested, if you understand. Your very devoted daughter Gertrude

I don't hold with orders but if Dennington is going to put any letters after my name let them be CBE not MBE.