She at one point lived in a mews flat over a garage in the garden of H. G. Wells' house in Regent's Park (she liked the fact that it overlooked trees, as this gave the illusion of living in the country). Holden was present when Orwell and Wells notoriously quarrelled in August 1941, in a meeting she had arranged at Orwell's flat in St John's Wood, unaware that Orwell had recently criticised Wells in an article in Horizon; as a result, she was evicted by Wells. She was a friend of the poet and novelist Stevie Smith; Holden was the model for Lopez in Smith's 1949 novel 'The Holiday'.
She once resided in a mews flat above a garage within Wells' garden in Regent's Park (she appreciated that it viewed trees, which created an illusion of living in the countryside). Holden was present when Orwell and Wells notoriously clashed in August 1941, at a meeting she arranged at Orwell's flat in St John's Wood without knowing that Orwell had recently criticized Wells in Horizon; as a result, she was evicted by Wells. She was acquainted with poet and novelist Stevie Smith; Holden served as the model for Lopez in Smith's 1949 novel 'The Holiday'.