T. E. Lawrence to Lorna Norrington

Bridlington

24.2.35

Dear Lorna,

I'm sorry to have been so slow in replying, but I've been run nearly off my feet lately, writing letters to tell everybody that I'm going away. I've had a lovely little card printed 'To tell you that in future I shall write very few letters' and I'm going to tuck one into each letter that I write for the next six months!

I was thinking of you today, when our dinghy was jumping over the sea at the harbour mouth here. You would have loved it: the little boat was going beautifully. Your father was looking on.

My cottage is waiting for me, and I'm hoping to like it very much. I shall not get there for a couple of weeks, and will then go away again... but I hope later on to settle down there a bit.

The address is Clouds Hill, Moreton, Dorset, so far as the Post Office is concerned. Actually I'm not in Moreton parish, but the postman comes on to me from there, with his sidecar. When I'm away he has a box, into which he dumps them!

As I'm only 40 miles from Hythe, it will be quite easy for me to run over there on a bike and see you, when the weather is nice. I shall enjoy a boat-ride, when that time comes.

Yours

T E Shaw

Note: Lorna Norrington, then aged 15, was daughter of Flight Lieutenant Norrington.