Tuesday, 27 - Wednesday, 28 April, 1943

Nurses Home                                                                                          (19)
General Hospital
Nottingham

27. 4. 43    

My Precious Darling,

I received your letter No. 7 this morning.  10 pages too!  It was grand.  I am glad I was off duty too.  It gave me plenty of time in which to read and digest it.

Well Dear, Easter has come and gone.  How did you spend it?

Easter Sunday was my half day.  I went into Nottingham and to the pictures.  Monday was my day off.  I did not do anything worth talking about.  My goodness – how time flies – I was just sitting back and dreaming (about you, of course) and somebody has just announced the fact that it is time to go on duty.

28. 4. 43

Darling, I received two more letters from you this morning.  It was simply wonderful.  One was written on the 16^th and one on the 18^th of April.  Really, taking everything into consideration we do very well for post.  Whilst I am on the subject Dear, you seem to be under the impression that I accused you in one of my letters of not having written regularly.  Darling, I am sorry if you read it that way but I can assure you that that is not what I meant to convey.  I know that you write me as often as you can and when I do not receive your letters I know that it is not you to blame.

The post also brought me a letter from your Mother this morning, telling me how many letters she had received from you.  So, you would like to know what your Mother and I write to each other about would you? Ah – inquisitive man!  Really, you men are worse than women!!  Well – some of our correspondence is for “Women Only” but (let me flatter you) you are our chief topic.  I can almost see you blushing.

So you would also like to know what my sewing consists of at present.  If I thought that nobody else read my letter I might tell you but Darling I can’t – who knows what hands my letter may go through before it reaches you.  I will tell you however that it consists of white silk and lace.  Now, I will leave the rest to your imagination.

And another thing (you have been asking questions) I am not going to tell you what I bought for your birthday.  Yes, it is something which we both can use and something which you said once you liked very much.  It was only by a stroke of luck I managed to get it.  There now – I have almost told you.

As regards the swotting question, well, now that I know when I am having my holiday I have decided to leave most of it until I come back.  It will leave me 6 weeks in which to work very hard.  If I try to cram much before my holiday I shall only forget it.  Darling, if I don’t get through don’t be disappointed will you?  You know that I shall try but exams are a matter of luck.  The exam means such a lot to us both – I know but please Darling don’t be too sure of my passing will you?

Eric is not here yet, by the way, I wonder when he will come.  It seems such an age since I saw him.  It is two years now and what a lot has happened in these two years.  The most important being our meeting and turn of the war in our favour.

Ah me!  This hospital routine.  My watch has just told me it is time I was going back.  One no sooner gets off than it is time to go back.  As I put my watch away I pricked my finger on a certain brooch which is always pinned on my pocket.  Yes, you guessed right – it is that of the Royal Corps Signals.

I have been counting up the letters which you have sent me since you went abroad.  They are 11.  The numbers which I have not received are 10,11 and 12.  However, they will turn up I suppose.

I am still at Selston but I expect being moved back to Nottingham this week-end.  The Matron came out yesterday to do her weekly inspection and I know that a few changes are discussed.  I shall be really sorry to go back now.  The weather is lovely.  It will be horrid to wake up in a morning and see brick walls around instead of trees and fields.  In Nottingham too, one has to take a bus before one can get anywhere but out here we can go for walks without any trouble.  I really prefer the country to town (as you know).

Once again, Darling, it is time to say Au Revoir.  Hope you manage to read this.  All my love, Dear.  Yours ever, Grace  xxxxxxx