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Bankhead
Saturday, 19th Dec. 1936

My dear John,

My best thanks for the splendid
Christmas card and kindly message from
across the Atlantic. You may be interested
to know how we were affected. It began
with people joking and talking about an intimacy
& high jinks on a yacht trip. Our press had
been discreet & silent but the American
paper "Time" was being smuggled over & a
friend of mine use to regale my astonished
ears with titbits. Then came the blundering
bishop of Bradford & the fat was in the fire.
But I think the trouble was brewing & ripe for a row. Johnnie
Jameson says that I said then that it must
mean abdication but, if he is right, my
immediately following reflections were to hope
& pray that 'he' would take a pull, part
from the lady, & go in whole heartedly
for his allotted regal life. Then came
the suspense and it was all very sad