On a damp morning in March 1936, a group including Track, her husband Tommy, her mother, and a nanny departed Southampton aboard the RMS Cameronia bound for Alexandria, Egypt, where Tommy, a lieutenant-colonel, had been posted. Their arrival marked the beginning of a period characterized by the social freedoms and excesses typical of the expatriate community in Alexandria amid the looming threat of war. Track’s correspondence from this time depicts a lively and often reckless lifestyle, with bed-hopping and late-night parties described as commonplace.

Track became pregnant that summer and returned to England the following spring to give birth to her second child, Flavia, named by Tommy. She warmly anticipated the return to the familiar surroundings of Cornwall, where family life offered comfort after the novelty of Alexandria wore thin. Shortly after, she resumed life in Egypt for the final months of Tommy’s posting, though her diaries reveal a growing desire to focus on her own ambitions, particularly writing. It was during this time that she began conceptualizing what would later become her acclaimed novel, *Rebecca*, a story rooted in Cornwall, revolving around a young wife and her older husband living in a generational family home beset by tragedy.

Despite the financial success and recognition following the publication of *Rebecca*, tensions within Track and Tommy’s marriage became increasingly evident. Track authored a biography of Tommy after his death in 1934, depicting a complex and often troubled relationship marked by possessiveness. Some family members have speculated on the nature of their bond, with suggestions ranging from possessive affection to potential incestuous undertones.

During World War II, Track’s relationship with Christopher Puxley, a wealthy family friend, became a source of contention within the family. Puxley, described as charming and carefree, offered a contrast to Tommy’s stressed and militarily occupied demeanor. Track’s correspondence and later reflections hint at an intimate relationship between the two, although this remains a matter of dispute among relatives. During a serious illness in 1941, Puxley was a devoted caretaker, and by 1942 Track had moved out of the family home, renting a cottage in Cornwall near Fowey, while Puxley stayed nearby. Local accounts recall moments of private time spent by Track and Puxley at a secluded coastal building known as the Watch House, suggesting a retreat from the pressures of wartime.

A letter written by Track in 1973 to a close friend expressed remorse over the relationship with Puxley, who had recently passed away. She acknowledged the affair and lamented the unfortunate end of both Puxley and his wife, both of whom died within months of each other from cancer. Despite lingering family disagreements about the details, Track’s reflections offer a nuanced glimpse into her personal life and the complexities of love, loyalty, and loss during a turbulent historical period.