to Eleanor Hinkley
Thank you very much for your letter. We are delighted to think that we shall see you in New York. UnfortunatelyEliot, Esmé Valerie (née Fletcher, TSE's second wife)shielded from EH's importunities;d4, I would prefer not to show Valerie this letter from you and should, therefore, be very grateful if you would merely write Valerie a short letter saying that you will be in New York in December.
I am not sure of our address because we hope that a friend will get us into the River Club for at least part of our stay. If we cannot be there for the whole time, we shall try to get into the Gladstone Hotel in 52nd Street.
That is very odd. The letter was postmarked ‘Concord’ with no address. ItHale, Emilyrelationship with TSE;w9TSE re-evaluates;h3 showed what I had come to feel was true of the writer – that she had never been really interested in me – and she had admitted one [sc. one day/once] that she did not like my poetry – but only respected my reputation!1
1.Postcript in TSE’s hand.
7.EsméEliot, Esmé Valerie (née Fletcher, TSE's second wife) Valerie Fletcher (1926–2012) started work as TSE’s secretary on 12 Sept. 1949, and became his second wife on 10 Jan. 1957; after his death in Jan. 1965, his literary executor and editor: see 'Valerie Eliot' in Biographical Register.