I think I begin to see, Sir, one of the
drives, or motives, behind her piece—which was to produce later the hysterical and ignorant out- burst of Waugh. After the seconds-long inci- dent on Mr. Waugh's doorstep, Miss Spain and I both felt quite shaken. It was the sort of fury I had never experienced before. I said to Nancy Spain that one of the main things was the insult to herself as a woman. Secondly, it was, I felt, an insult to the House of Lords as an institu- tion. My title seemed to have some significance to 'Miss Spain (probably only professionally). But to what object her fabrication? To impress the mass of Daily Express readers with the enormity of Waugh and his behaviour towards a peer? Or to do me credit? (It seems to have been disastrous in this respect.) Awake, my soul, it may be a Waugh without end, but I hope npt. I do honestly think Nancy Spain's article was written in a light-hearted 'throw- away' tone. Why the Waugh came out to dis- turb the peace I do not know. I respect Miss Spain's talents; the degree of them does not warrant this sort of treatment of facts.
Now, finally, and shortly, to the assertion of Miss Werner Laurie, the Editor of She. Miss Laurie writes in your journal last week : 'Nancy Spain read her piece over the telephone to Lord Noel-Buxton before taking it to her editor.' After trying in vain several times to contact Miss Spain, in the company of my uncle and two other friends I rang her around 9 p.m. I should have been all day at the Express, where for hours these matters had been fought out and decided upon, lawyers and all.
The phone call was not related to the article. A features page is in the bag early. Miss Spain read out the gist of one or two paragraphs which I certainly applauded. They Were true and good. I certainly didn't applaud the phrases and suggestions that matter. Who in his senses would? I knew instinctively that it was a fait accompli.
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