Editing Nancy Mitford (section)

==Incipient writer==
As a means of augmenting the meagre allowance provided by her father, Mitford began writing, encouraged by Waugh. Her first efforts, anonymous contributions to gossip columns in society magazines, led to occasional signed articles,<ref>Hastings, p. 69.</ref> and in 1930 ''The Lady'' engaged her to write a regular column.<ref>Mosley (ed.), p. 62.</ref> That winter, she embarked on a full-length novel, ''Highland Fling'', in which various characters—mostly identifiable among her friends, acquaintances and family—attend a Scottish house-party which develops chaotically.<ref name=Thompson86>{{harvnb|Thompson|2003|pp=86–88}}</ref><ref name=Hastings70>Hastings, p. 70.</ref> 

The book made little impact when it was published in March 1931, and she immediately began work on another, ''[[Christmas Pudding (novel)|Christmas Pudding]]'', illustrated by her close friend [[Mark Ogilvie-Grant]]. Like the earlier novel, the plot centres on a clash between the "[[Bright Young People]]" and the older generation. Hamish Erskine is clearly identifiable in the character of "Bobby Bobbin", and [[John Betjeman]] is the basis for the supporting role of Bobby's tutor.<ref>Hastings, pp. 71–72.</ref> The thinly disguised caricatures pervading the book shocked Lady Redesdale, who thought it could not possibly be published under Mitford's own name.<ref name=Lovell147>Lovell, pp. 147–49.</ref>

The affair between Erskine and Mitford continued intermittently.<ref name=Lovell147/> While she often despaired of the relationship, she refused other offers of marriage, saying that she would "never marry anyone except Hamish."<ref>Hastings, pp. 73–75.</ref> In 1932 her plight was overshadowed by a family scandal involving her younger sister Diana, who had married [[Bryan Guinness, 2nd Baron Moyne|Bryan Guinness]] in 1928 and was the mother of two young sons. In 1932 Diana deserted her husband to become the mistress of [[Sir Oswald Mosley]], the leader of the [[British Union of Fascists]], himself married with three children. Almost alone of her family, Mitford offered her sister support, regularly visiting her and keeping her up to date with family news and social gossip.<ref>Hastings, pp. 76–77.</ref> Her own love affair with Erskine came to an abrupt end when, in June 1933, he informed her that he intended to marry the daughter of a London banker.<ref>{{harvnb|Thompson|2003|pp=99–100}}</ref> In a final letter after their parting, Mitford wrote to him: "I thought in your soul you loved me & that in the end we should have children & look back on life together when we are old".<ref>Mosley (ed.), p. 90.</ref><ref name=Lovell150>Lovell, pp. 150–51.</ref>