Free The Secret Letters of Marilyn Monroe and Jacqueline Kennedy by Wendy Leigh

reserved a suite for them at the Ritz, and Jackie checked in at lunchtime. Partland arrived at the hotel at three, jet-lagged but wild for Jackie and desperate to see her. He strode into the suite, in a high state of passion, ready for Jackie to fling herself into his arms. But when he reached out for her, Jackie took a step back and said, ‘Wait. Not yet.’ Then, cool as a cucumber, she sat down at the dressing table and proceeded, extremely slowly, to apply her makeup. Partland watched, dumbstruck, unable to move, unable to touch her, as his desire mounted. Finally, after she had checked her makeup, Jackie got up and walked away from Partland, toward a closet. Then she took out a large picture hat, walked back to the mirror, where she spent an inordinately long time arranging the hat to her satisfaction. By now, Partland—this six-foot-three Philadelphia oil and steel tycoon with money to burn and overwhelming charisma—had turned to Jell-O. Jackie smiled a slow smile, gave him an extremely direct look, beckoned, and said, ‘Now.’ Partland was hers forever.”

8336 DeLongpre Avenue
     
    Hollywood, California
    Josephine Kendall
    1095 north Ocean Boulevard
    Palm Beach, florida
    November 18, 1954
     
    Dear Josephine,
    Thank, you for the beautiful gift and your kind and friendly letter. Reading it, I realize that you must have got my other letter before you knew not to open it. I am so embarrassed and hope you will forget whatever — and I still can’t remember what — stupid things I wrote in it.
    The scarf you sent me is beautiful. It makes me feel so glad to know that someone — no — not someone — you — so far away still cares about me, even though I don’t deserve it. I never owned a Hermès scarf before. Doesn’t “Brides de Gala” sound romantic? I loved it so much that I called Paris, found out Hermès made one with Napoleon on it — why not Josephine? So unfair … So here it is and I hope you like it.
    By the way, did you see Eisenhower’s historic first televised cabinet meeting last month? I think it is wonderful that television cameras can now bring us so close to the President. I never dreamed of seeing the President in action like that. I don’t like being on television myself — the lighting is difficult to control and the makeup is different — but I think it is wonderful that the people can see what the politicians are doing, don’t you? I’ve been a registered Democrat for as far back as I can rememberand I want to know as much about our politicians and their ideals as possible.
    I forgot, because of the hospital, to give you the big news that, just before I got sick, we finished shooting Seven Year Itch , and Charlie Feldman gave a dinner in my honor at Romanoff’s * I borrowed a bright red chiffon ball gown from wardrobe and I was glad I did, because guess who I danced with? Clark Gable! The orchestra played “Bye-Bye Baby,” Clark held me a little close, and I felt like Cinderella dancing with Prince Charming. During the dance, I was so shy that I just kept on smiling, but when it ended, I told Clark how much I admired him and that I longed one day to do a picture with him, and guess what, he said he had seen Gentlemen Prefer Blondes . thought I had “magic” — I remember you once said that about me as well — and that he wanted to work with me as well! So you will get to meet him after all—I’ll make sure of it!
    Thinking back to that wonderful evening makes me so happy, which I need to be now, what with Thanksgiving round the corner and not having anyone I love here with me. Today I heard a song which really made me cry, “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas.” It was almost as if I wrote it myself, except for the line “just like the one I used to know” — because I have never known that kind of Christmas, but it sounds wonderful, and maybe one day I will.
    Your advise [ sic ] about Mr. G was very kind and, I am sure, right. I know I’m wrong seeing him. But