Sir, – I write as the literary executor to the Countess of Avon, with knowledge of her life gleaned over 42 years. I was pleased to see a proper obituary in your paper, but greatly shocked by the earlier account Celia Lee gave of Lady Avon's friendship with Guy Burgess ("British PM's widow was engaged to Soviet spy Guy Burgess, biographer reveals", November 16th).
In particular I take exception to the insinuation: “There can be no doubt that Burgess used her to obtain first-hand information about the war from Winston that he passed on to the Russians.”
This disgraceful allegation is not supported by any of the extensive research undertaken by Burgess’s biographers, and had it been printed during Lady Avon’s lifetime, it would most certainly have received a writ for libel. There are numerous misconceptions in the article, and the verdict that her motto in life might have been: “Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die” is so far from the truth as to be risible.
– Yours, etc,
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HUGO VICKERS,
London.