HORSE-DEALING 



mare her mash. We went in, and the Duchess of 

 York, now Queen Mother poured out tea for us. I 

 remember so well her asking the Duke of York, 

 how the brown mare went. He said : " Why, 

 of course, she went all right." Anyhow, I thought 

 it best to take her back, and sent him another in 

 her place. 



I was very sorry indeed when the King gave 

 up hunting. I wrote to the King and told him 

 that, if it would help, I would keep two or three 

 really good hunters for him, and that all he would 

 have to do would be to let me know when he 

 wanted to hunt and I would have the horse at the 

 meet. He wrote me a charming letter to say how 

 much he appreciated my offer and how sorry he 

 was he could not accept it. I have several letters 

 from him and books he gave me with his best 

 wishes which I prize very highly. 



Here are some letters which he wrote and which 

 express his sorrow at giving up hunting. 



145, Piccadilly, 



W.l. 



May 12th, 1931. 



Dear Drage, 



I was sorry not to have had another chance of 

 seeing you before I left Thornby, as I wanted to 

 have a talk with you about the brown mare. But 

 seeing that I had not a chance I am sending you a 

 cheque for ** Hildebrand " with the hope that you 



37 



