Page 370 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

368

1928

Tennis & Bridge at Mespers, the last time we shall go there as the Spences leave on Monday, they will be
a great loss.

Thursday 16th [February]
Court, took a long time, till one oclock. Parke came in & Sh Abdulla. We & the Parkes motored out to Sakhrir in the
afternoon. Had a long visit there. The Shaikh tried hard to avoid talking about the business of the Amir by talking of
endless other things that did not matter. He began on the murder case & said the relations had been brought to see him
& said they would like the Khalid Shaikhs to return, therefore didnt I think that there need not be any trial. He was
very angry when I didnt agree. Eventually he agreed to moving the Amir & the other fellow to Muharrak. Abdulla &
Sulman were there. Altogether he was very tiresome. M & Mrs P came in & sat in the corner while we talked
business. Went over to Agency after tea. Barrett has referred the whole business to the Resident on account of my
letter. I am very glad. Dined at the Parkes.

Friday 17th [February]

Went down the bazaar in the morning. Had a look round & then called on de Grenier, one of the Americans was there.
Listened to the gramophone for some time & then came home for lunch. Cloudy day, looked like rain but none came.
Tennis & Bridge at the Agency. None of the Mission women were there so it was much better than usual. Quite good
tennis & Bridge.

Saturday Feb 18th

Court. Parke came round. Very windy day, a sudden gale came up in the night banging all the doors it started by a
south wind & then turned north so I suppose as usual the boat will be delayed. Went to the garden in the afternoon.
We have to returf a piece of the lawn as the water doesnt get to it so it has to be made lower. Heard rather a comic
story about Sh Abdulla. The father of one of his many wives brought his daughter back a present of a fine carved
Indian bed from Bombay. Shaikh Abdulla when he called on the lady saw the bed & admired it. Next time he came he
said he wanted it to give to one of the English people. The wife was rather annoyed but said as it was a present for an
English person she supposed he would have to take it. The bed was removed. Shortly after some friends of the wife
came to tall her that they had seen the bed in the house of one of Abdulla's lady friends, not even a wife. The wife was
furious, next time Abdulla visited her she had a row & said he must bring it back at once. He said he would do what he
liked with it, she got excited so he said she couldnt have him & the bed too, she said she wanted her bed, he divorced
her on the spot, gave her three hours to turn out of the house & sent the bed along after her. The lady burnt the bed.

Dined at the Agency, the Spences, Straker, de G, & Armstrong were there. Played Bridge, went down
badly. M has a heavy cold.

Sunday Feb. 19th