18, Claridge House,
32, Davies Street,
London. W. 1.

7th January, 1953

My dear Bettina,

Please forgive me for not writing to you before to thank you for your wonderful parcels which came to brighten our otherwise sad Christmas.

My dear Mumsie passed away on the 19th December after being operated on the day before for an ovarian cyst. Sven saw her after the operation and she seemed to be doing well and came and gave me a good report at the theatre before I danced ‘Swan Lake’ at the Gala performance in front of the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret which incidentally was a great success. The next morning we were called to the hospital but we were too late and she had already died. It was a terrible blow to us all particularly for my poor Daddy who is so lost without her. He came here until the New Year but is at his flat now and comes round here for most of his meals. We miss her so terribly but we feel that her spirit is with us all the time, helping and guiding us.

After Boxing Day when I was again doing ‘Swan Lake’ we got down to our parcels – my dear, how can I thank you enough for that perfectly lovely jewel case and for the contents too, also the delicious candies and your Christmas card!! I must congratulate you on the clever way you sent the nylons – they are most acceptable and thank you so much for everything.

Unfortunately I have just had a week in bed with a really bad cold and throat but to-day I have been out for the first time and feel so much better, now I am looking forward to dancing again.

Again, a thousand thanks for your wonderful presents – all the very best for 1953.

Love, to you and your mother,
Beryl [Grey]