ALS, signed “Jackie,” four pages, 5.75 x 8.25, Villa La Pariola, Rome letterhead, Tuesday [no year; circa 1968–1970]. Jackie writes to her brother-in-law, actor Peter Lawford. In full: “I was going to call you last night & ask you to come & have a drink & just sit in my room while I was getting ready to go out for dinner—then guess what happened—it was like a Marx Brothers movie. I washed my hair—& Provy [Providencia Paredes, Jackie’s personal assistant] plugged in the dryer & blew out every fuse in the U.S. Embassy & there was 1 hour left to see if you could dry your hair by sheer will power & get to a dinner & the Spanish ballet on time—or decide if you should break your leg to have a good excuse—as you couldn’t possibly tell the real one. If I could have found the phone in the dark I would have called you—but it was like the Tunnel of Love—everyone groping & saying oh excuse me & when the lights went on I was standing in 1/2 a towel in a closet with the electrician who I thought was Provie—& he is still apologizing in Italian. So this is just to tell you 1) I’ll call you when I get back & hope you’ll be there; 2) There is no one sweeter & kinder in the whole world than you—Better than any Buena Sera Mrs. Campbell movie vs. the story of you meeting Provie in St. Peter’s Square or wherever—& asking her & Mr. Walsh to join you at the nightclub—& making her feel so at ease. I always think of Provie as a member of the family until we are abroad & suddenly the Secret Serviceman is embarrassed to take her to see the sights in the evening because he suddenly realizes that out at our little close life together—she is colored & he is embarrassed— And you just see her looking sad the next day & know it is something you can never talk about—even though I’ve told him before that he has to take Provy everywhere—But you made her happier than she has ever been in her whole life. The 84—& drinking champagne & dancing with your friends—& you bringing her home—dear dear Peter—I don’t know anyone with as great a heart & understanding as you—except Stas—& I now know one more reason why he loves you so much—Thank you—You are so rare & good & kind— I’ll be back Nov. 12 with open running sores!—at exhaustion—but I’ll be awake the next day & hope to find you here & see you & hug you— You are my brother-in-law forever even if you are married to Gina Lollabrigida [a jest related to the film mentioned above]—& I hope you feel the same way—with so much love....” The Dominican-born Providenzia “Provy” Paredes began working for Jackie Kennedy as a personal maid/assistant in the late 1950s and became one of the most trusted and beloved members of the First Lady’s inner circle. Paredes later worked for both Robert Kennedy and Edward Kennedy and was willed $50,000 upon Jackie’s death in 1994. Lawford became a Kennedy in-law upon his marriage to Pat Kennedy, sister of JFK and RFK, in 1954. All four pages have been deacidified and individually encapsulated in Mylar. Light scattered wrinkling (slightly touching signature) and a few scattered faint stains (light spots near signature), otherwise fine condition. Auction LOA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and R&R COA.
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