Mildly homesick for 1021. I’m off on my own on a special job for the Colonel (oddly enough) & for four or five days, at least, he & I live in a block of flats & work in the office I’ve established for him. That was my job. Finding an office, finding desks filing cabinets etc., requisitioning them, & getting his H/Q established. When all goes smoothly I returned to my dear familiar o/c & men. He sent me in advance, & called this morning & approves. Tomorrow at 9o/c he arrives to start work. It’s all very odd. Cliff & co teased me & said I was a lost soul, & a future H/Q wallah, but there’s no indication of that. So we’ll leave it at that.

                        For company I have your mail, which I have pinned together in order & its a constant companion, the perfect book. Your writing is very good you know, & my letters, for all your kind comments are unworthy of the love I have for you & your deserts. But you can read my heart in the dumb words & we need no poetry, any more than, together, we need words. To sit, or stand, by a lovely scene, silent, with you hand in hand, would be my wish now to any fairy. This miracle of birth, our beloved Richard, is such that my heart fills with new love. But above, beyond & enhanced by that, is my humble, all pervading & entire love of you. That you so completely complements that love is added bliss. Indeed we have so very much to thank God for.

                        And our reunion. I speculate often on it. Shy ? coy, nervous ? What. When shall it be ? In our little home ? God speed that day & give me the powers to live &  worthy of you & of our child. You need never fear that I find your letters about you & he selfish, as you suggested. I cannot have enough. Other news is good, but news of you & Dickie is life itself.

                        I shall not have any mail for a day or so, even if any does come. But it’ll be kept for me, perhaps sent on by

                        One of my jobs has been getting an interpreter & I’ve met such a charming Naval Lt. (Italian) who has shrewd views on Fascism & Nazidom. He lives in Florence actually & offers to take us round when we go after the war. He is very sad about the parlous state his country has fallen into because of Fascism.

                        Everywhere we see the cheap & pompous facade of Fascism. Furniture in our flat is modern & shiny, inlaid & streamlined, but shoddy work inside,  & all lacks  & wobbles.

                        Dear heart be happy with your baby, my gift to you, Gods gift to us. Gaze at him, hold him,  love him, and let him not not know me.

                        My love sweetheart