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By Root 659 0

Sissy Harlech in Kennedy days after David was appointed Ambassador. Harold replied to the toast for the British theatre in an excellent, short, impromptu speech. That night at dinner at Evangeline Bruce’s, Harold talks happily to Aidan Crawley, the politician who had formerly played for England, about cricket. We still seem to be going to Haiti, thank goodness. Later we went to a party at Carl Bernstein’s (we were keen to go, having seen the film All the President’s Men). Alexander Cockburn: ‘The apartment is a young journalist’s dream of what he would do if he got a million dollars.’

2 February

The opening of Otherwise Engaged in New York. A runner came with the first TV reviews: ‘Britain has sent us a beaut.’ ‘That’s me,’ said Simon. An enthusiastic New York Times review is dictated down the phone to the producer and the ‘Adman’. Nobody thinks of telling Simon, who is standing by.

3 February

A ‘nervous hit’ when we go to bed. A ‘solid hit’ when we get up. My financial situation not very good at home. I need a £60,000 loan. I’ll simply have to work very hard. And not think about it, better still. It’s only money.

6 February

We knew we were in Haiti when the Customs men gave us a real search, much worse than in Poland in 1969. It was books they were after: Harold’s The Collected Works of Louis MacNeice looked extremely suspicious on the counter. We had been warned not to bring Graham Greene’s The Comedians. We are in the Olafson Hotel, appropriately enough in the John Gielgud suite. We begin to relax. Harold even swims towards evening, thrashing round and round the pool with great attack, his eyes rolling fiercely. I am reminded of a dog thrown into a pool who wants to get out.

9 February

Lunched at the American Embassy, with an introduction from Arthur Schlesinger, to meet the writer Jean Dominique and wife. He has survived many regimes.

When an enormous coconut fell into Harold’s glass, breaking it into smithereens, Dominique clearly thought it was a bomb. Talked of the father and the old man and the boy – Papa and Baby Doc – but never mentioned either Duvaliers’ name out in the open.

15 February

Back at Heathrow. P.S. I had a short-lived reign as one of the world’s best-dressed women. Journalist in Haiti, having read of my (temporary) inclusion on the newspaper list: ‘Voilà une des femmes les plus soignées du monde.’ Wow! Harold very impressed. But was photographed getting out of the plane in check jacket and crumpled dress, old shoes. Haystack hair. End of reign.

24 February

Last night of No Man’s Land. Sir Ralph absolutely superb; I would have hated to miss one savage glint of his eyeball.

26 February

A night with the Oliviers after a performance of Stevie in Brighton. I liked their home life, their happy home with a lovely Etty nude hanging on the wall. Sir L.: ‘I have never got over a schoolboy taste for such things.’ So I sent him a Haitian PC of a similarly pneumatic beautiful black lady as a thank you.

3 March

Francis Wyndham has given me a short story by Henry James about the man who wanted ‘the uncontested possession of the long sweet stupid day’. It quickly becomes a catchphrase between Harold and me: ‘I’d like the uncontested possession …’

10 March

Bad day at Black Rock. Our landlady Yvonne Finch in hysterics: it turns out she has illegally sublet to us although it had been done through an agency. She must have vacant possession in two weeks. You can imagine …

17 March

Alan Ayckbourn’s Bedroom Farce at the National: Harold laughed so much at Derek Newark’s frustrated rage and impotence (seeing himself, he said) I thought he would explode.

21 March

A large kindly young man, our house lawyer, comes round to sort out this wretched mess about the house. Tells me that we cannot be expected to perjure ourselves as we rented in good faith. We shall not therefore be got out till we want to go in August.

30 March

Signed books – Love Letters – at the new Cartier boutique at Harvey Nichols. A dotty lady appeared who had sung in the choir at my wedding at Our Lady of the Assumption,