Darling, darling, darling

This is what I've been waiting for

Your freedom left me dumb and choked up

but now I feel released

Christopher, my dear, dear man it is so wonderful

You are coming home!

Golly, I shall have to be careful

This excitement's almost too much for my body

You must be careful too, darling —

all this on top of what you've been through

It's difficult to keep it down

but you can't help the excited twinges in your midriff, can you?

Do keep well, angel

I shall have to say that to myself, as well

Marriage, my sweet

Yes, I agree — what you wish, I wish

While you're afraid you will not be happy

We must get rid of these fears between us

Confidentially, I too am a little scared

Everything in letters appears larger than life-size

like my photograph — it didn't show the white hairs

beneath the dark, the decaying teeth the darkening skin

I think of my nasty characteristics my ordinariness

Yes, I too feel a little afraid

I can't be bothered with that now for we are going to meet

Does anything else matter, Chris?

Oh dear, dear me Plan a week somewhere

Oh, up comes my heart

A week somewhere by the sea with you

Where should we go?

Of course, I'd choose North Devon — sea, country, and air

but March raises the question of weather

Might we go to a largish town?

I prefer villages normally, but with you I guess I'll do what you want

Also, I feel that you'll need looking after

I don't think you should walk around in the rain

not for a while anyway

I guess I don't care where

as long as it's the sea and you, you, you

Inward clangings and bouncings and I wonder how soon

Now, I say to myself

"Bessie, my girl, you're not so hot"

but I think that you may have a similar feeling

I say, how's your digestion? Mine's awful

I should be reduced to taking Rennies or something — a wind remover

My tea at this moment is stuck somewhere in the middle of my chest

I can't help wishing that you won't get these letters

that you'll be on your way that the time to wait is short

because my impatience is getting pretty bad

Being able to write like we have has been a wonderful thing

but it's always remained the beginning of contact for our future

and a beginning that must change to something else

Now it is changing

What do you think of the war news?

I don't like getting too optimistic but wouldn't it be wonderful

to come home to stay?

I love you Bessie