Page 166 - Belgrave Diaries 1945_Neat

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India having spent the summer in Kashmir. Permanent residents are leaving there as they think life will be
difficult when India is independent. In the afternoon I went to see Leigh about some business, as usual he
never stopped talking. Came back for lea & drove to Gasari where the gardener, one of the ugliest men I
have ever seen, has made a very good job & has lots of plants growing. In the evening McGinty came in for
a drink, a nice fellow, he stayed a long time talking & we discussed American & English women. It is
noticeable how how much less traffic there is now than when I went on leave. Narayan still away. I feel
rather hopeless at the amount of office work that seems to have picked up.

Tuesday 29th January

Fort.

HH & Sh A, HH in a somewhat better mood but still with difficulty kept off the subject of Zubara & to
several veiled allusions to his finances. Discussed sales of land to Telegraphs for new telephone exchange &
he approved of a price. Discussed Education & appointment of a Director, he agreed that we should be better
with a man of our own so I wrote to Agency about Downes. Went round to see the Palace garden after tea, it
is very neglected, and later took Dick & Smith out to dine with Sh Abdulla in his house at Rafaa, a messy
little place & very poor looking but an excellent dinner, in front of me was an admirably cooked duck, which
I cleared up down to the bones. Went in to Snow's on the way back & sat there talking for as long time. A
gorgeous night, Sh A & I stood naming the stars after dinner, south wind, quite warm.