Letter from John Gray to Hugh Kane, 7 May 1973

7 May 1973
Dear Hugh
By now I hope you are rested and relaxing in some triumph after Friday's party. Everything about it: the food, the drink, the arrangement's [?] of thought and care. And I thought your chairmanship was both graceful and effective. I've done enough of this to know how much time and concern it all takes and how much strain it is. So this is both warm thanks and congratulations.
With this behind you Hope you will enjoy forging ahead in your new role. It is clear that there is a real and important job that only you can do. I hope it goes really well, so that a few months from now the whole painful shock and dislocation of the take-over will be half-forgotten.
I am sure that everything has been worsened for you by post-operative let down. It seemed to me you would not really be yourself until June. However in recent weeks you have seemed stronger at each meeting, and now you are in good form[.] George will realize even more what great strength he has beside him.
This is not the place to attempt thanks for the almost four years we had together or to express regret that they we so much rougher than either of us expected. Someday I will at least try.
Meanwhile let me just say that I admired and was grateful for the way you handled a tough role in a tough time; and how much you eased and sweetened my departure. On top of everything else it was kindly done.
Please don't bother to answer this; we'll meet soon.
Until then, my warmest to you
Affectionately,
John