Margaret to Tom 23.4.42

What a lovely week we have had. It seems ages since I first saw you last Thursday & would have seemed longer If I had had the whole week off. I do begrudge all these beastly office hours. I long to be free especially nowadays when we never know where you will be next. Work is not going too badly today. I'm working hard so as to shatter all feelings, but my thoughts are constantly wandering and I know will continue to do so until your letter arrives. and I can get some idea of the place you have gone to. I went to the library this lunch time but could not get a book on Gloucester regions although I know Cheltenham is supposed to be a lovely place, You are not far from the Vale of Evesham are you? I expect you will wander around finding some more honeymoon places before long. I went in to Mr Warner this morning and he, as usual, asked me how I was. I told him I was bearing up under the strain. Then we got on to the subject of leave and he asked if I had signed for mine yet, this being summer leave. I told him I was not sure when it would be, he laughed heartily and said as it will be my wedding, leave could be arranged especially. I'm very lucky being at an office like this aren't I? Because all our days & half days I have had since knowing you would probably have been denied me at Ledger branch, so I suppose we must thank God I'm where I am. I thought it was going to be a lovely day today, but the sun has apparently decided to day must be dark as it is quite dull this afternoon with the sun peeping thorugh occasionaly. On Saturday I have arrange to play tennis with Nancy, Betty and a girl who used to go to my school and is a few years younger than me and supposed to be quite a good player. So think of me on Saturday won't you with all those females. You will write to Bob and your aunt and uncle in St Helens, won't you? I have loads of stuff I ought to do before the wedding and I really do not know where to start. My clothes like yours are just falling off me and it would be nice to chuck the whole lot away and start afresh, as we should be doing in ordinary times, instead of which I have to sit down and patch, patch, patch. It's not really as bad as it sounds, but times are hard aren't they? Mr Graddon swears I'm leading a double life because he is sure he saw me in London in December with a soldier who had horn rimmed spectacles on & about your build, but apparently did not look like you. It must have been that day I had off for shopping & met you in the afternoon. I do hope you have settled down more to army life, All my love Margaret.