Margaret to Tom late April 1942

Thank you for both your letters. I hope you have received mine (two of them) The only thing I did not know about the address was that it was " A Coy" anyway no doubt they have reached you if the postman was able to find the hidden farm. So "the place" is a camp and does that mean that you and all the others provide the farm yard animals. It must be a funny place? I am sorry to hear you are not too keen on the place. Still you must remember that this course cannot last longer than 10 weeks after which you may find yourself enjoying life in more than one way. You have no doubt gathered from this & my last letter that my pen has arrived and with nothing to pay. Mr Hilliard is very kind isn't he? I am writing this between waiting for the dinner cook, so if any grease splashes or anything unusual should get into this letter you will understand. Jock is here this weekend as he and Joyce went to see Quiet Weekend yesterday. They both enjoyed the play very much indeed. You of course heard about Ronald. It is a pity isn't it? I think Nancy is quite upset about it although she does not say very much . It is very hard on her considering she has not heard from him for months now. And he never even mentions her in his letters home. I have no doubt a letter from you to Ron would wake him up. I really think she ought to know whether he wants to continue the friendship. Its ridiculous just to drop off like that. I must dish the dinner up now, so will finish this later. I won't tell you what I have cooked because it will probably make your mouth water having to exist on Army food. Well now having finished dinner and all survived, I can get on with this letter. Shandy at the moment is waiting anxiously for his walkee, so don't be surprised if this letter is full of paw marks and licks. Nancy has asked if I am coming to see you at Whitsun. Well it would be lovely wouldn't it? She would very much like to come with me the – what do you think about it I should be coming it would be a lovely change for her and I thought may be you could get Bowen or some of the others or all to join us. I know we couldn't have those lovely hours together etc, but I have no doubt it would do both of us good to have company like this especially as a month later perhaps 6 weeks later we should be getting married. Anyway, let me know what you think about it. I should not be able to come down until the Saturday afternoon, that is catching the 1.53 train and we should have to return Monday evening. And of course that would entail no leave & not so much money. That of course is providing the Monday will be a Bank Holday. So if you can come home about 9th May the 23rd will just leave a nice gap won't it? Nancy was wondering at dinner time how long the war would last, She thinks 20 years and by that time she will be hobbling along with two sticks. Joyce will be pushing a bath chair and Daddy added that I would just about be getting my eldest son into an office. (Great laugher at this. I don't know why do you?) Well this brings me on the to the subject of our marriage. Im glad we have had all this time to think about it. We have had such a lovely engagement which has gradually been preparing us for our marriage. We had a lovely game of tennis yesterday. Lorna Howard is quite a good player, but rather erratic. Betty and I managed to beat Nancy and Lorna easily, so I'm not so dusty after all. Tomorrow afternoon, I'm going to learn how to put out a fire bomb. It will be a change from work anyway. I hope you enjoyed your weekend, thanks for phoning, all my love, Margaret