Tells him she did not go to church and that her mind is occupied with finding servants. Reflects on what their life will look like at the Holt. Informs him of her intention to hear Mr Clutton-Brock speaking for Labour and her plans to stay in London for a few nights. Tells him she is feeling tired and updates him on her father's health. Describes how Clare has been pretending he is home.
Updates him on her father's health and tells him about Clare's play date with Mary Smart. Describes reading a book by Stephen Tallent. Tells him how much she loves him and wants him home. Expresses her opinions on Johnstone's book about Napoleon. Discusses flooring for the Holt. Updates him with news of Doris's baby.
Acknowledges his last letter and discusses his embroidery and financial matters. Expresses her fear that he might not be home for Christmas. Updates him on the servant situation. Expresses her opinions about Stephen Talents book and the marriages of Stephen and Bridget, and Mary Anne and Owen. Describes the girl she has hired as a maid. Asks him about the young man he encountered.
Acknowledges his letter and discusses him buying a picture and asking the artist to paint Clare. Reflects on making friends unexpectedly. Expresses her wish to learn French. Describes in detail the Labour meeting about the League of Nations and gives her opinions of it. Updates him on news from Mary and Berry's progress.
Asks him if she should write to the Headmaster to speed his discharge up. Tells him where and when she is staying in London and who she has arranged to meet. Updates him on Mary Anne's moving arrangements. Describes how the electric engine is not working and the weather. Informs him she is expecting the new cook to visit. Reflects on what their life might look like once he is home.
Acknowledges his letter telling her about his flight in an aeroplane. Tells him about a conversation with Mrs Irvine about the Ministry of Labour being slow bringing men back from France. Informs him that Marjorie Waterhouse is coming to stay. Updates him on the progress of hiring the cook. Discusses how to answer a letter from the Heanies. Is glad to hear that he was welcomed back by his battery. Updates him on news from Mr and Mrs Irvine concerning the process of applications between the War Office, the Labour Bureau and the Headmaster.
Gives him the news that he will be sent home through the normal demobilisation process rather than through the scheme to get schoolmasters back first. Expresses her heartache over this disappointment. Informs him she has engaged the new cook and discusses wages for the staff. Tells him her plans for visits in London. Describes a visit from Marjorie Waterhouse. Reflects on the fact the Fletcher's did not inform her of the demobilisation decision. Tells him about the parcel she has sent him for Christmas. Sends him her love.
Hopes that he will have a happy Christmas. Tells him about the daffodils she has bought him for Christmas. Expresses how much she loves and misses him.
Tells him about the uninspiring church service she attended. Expresses her views on religion and politics in detail. Describes the town during polling day. Acknowledges his letter telling her he has moved to Calais. Discusses the coal and wood situation at the Holt. Is sad to hear his headaches are back and asks him if he received his parcel of apples. Tells him about the books she is sending him. Describes a conversation with Owen O'Malley about his return and leaving the Holt. Informs him of Bob's new address in Dunkirk.
Describes her Christmas shopping trip and the presents she has bought everyone. Discusses the renovations at the Holt for when they move in. Tells him about the items in his next parcel. Describes a visit to see Nancy Graves and gives her opinion about their characters. Describes the weather and the living conditions at Westbrook. Tells him about a suggestion from Stephen that he rent a room in Calais to write in.
Describes a visit to a tea shop with Jelly. Expresses her impatience for him to be home and how thankful she is that he survived the war. Updates him on news of Doris. Describes her visits to Stephen and Bridget's house, and Joyce Fletchers'. Discusses the organisation of demobilisation.
19 December - Acknowledges his letter telling her he has applied for leave.
Describes her activities shopping, going to lunch, and visiting friends. Tells him about her conversation with Ka regarding speaking to a man at the Ministry of Labour to get him brought back to Charterhouse as a solider. Updates him on Ka and Will's news. Describes her journey home on a wine cart. Acknowledges his letter telling her not to use the spare room as a nursery. Asks him if he can order reading glasses.
Discusses Christmas arrangements. Tells him David Pye has been asking after him. Discusses the arrangements for the nursery at the Holt. Asks him to see a doctor about his headaches and is glad to hear his ankle is fully healed. Expresses her opinions about Stephen Tallent's book.
Tells him about Clare and Beridge attending a party at the Holt. Describes Violet's reaction to receiving her five pound bonus. Describes making a necklace for Marjorie. Asks him for reading suggestions and expresses what she would like to read. Tells him she would have liked to vote in his place. Asks him where in Calais is he located and expresses her fears of him being assigned another task that will keep him from coming home. Expresses her opinions about party politics. Discusses the nature of their friend's marriages and openness of their lives. Tells him she will always use the baby welfare group for doctor's advice because it is paid for by the rates. Sends him Christmas wishes.
Reflects on the last few months and expresses her sadness that he is not home for Christmas. Discusses the progress of demobilisation. Describes a conversation with Mary Anne and Violet about the Holt and the moving date. Expresses her concerns about Clare learning bad manners from the Fletcher boys. Tells him what presents she sent to his family and the preparations for Christmas. Reflects on all the things they can do together when he is home. Discusses the sugar ration.
Expresses her disappointment that he may not be home for another nine months. Recommends that he write to Mr Beveridge and Mr Fletcher about his leave. Discusses arrangements for the Holt in his continued absence. Asks him for his opinion about the Government's organisation of demobilisation. Expresses her gratitude for him surviving the war and her disappointment that it is taking so long for him to come home. Asks him what the French organisation for demobilisation is like. Discusses her opinions on Neitsche and Christianity and the merits of living alone.
Tells him about collecting holly and describes a trip to Highdon's Ball in the cart. Tells him about the trees she climbed in the woods and Clare's reaction to her climbing down. Expresses her love of the trees and wishes he was there. Describes the weather. Asks him if he wants his daffodils sent to him. Informs him she is attending a meeting of the Young Wives Fellowship. Discusses the conversation she had with Mr and Mrs Fletcher and tells him she sent a formal letter to Mr Fletcher about his release. Discusses furniture arrangements for the Holt. Reflects on their relationship and on her own character. Tells him she loves him.
Informs him that she has had a letter from the Headmaster saying that he may come back at once. Tells him she will wire the letter but he won't receive it before Christmas. Expresses her excitement for his return and tells him she has told Mary Anne. Thanks him for his Christmas letter.
Tells him she has not received any letters for the last three days and the children have colds. Informs him that she has sent him Mr Rendalls Christmas book of Winchester photographs. Describes the weather. Expresses her feeling that writing is difficult because she hopes he will come home instead. Updates him on news from David and Jelly. Expresses her opinion on finding passages from the Bible. Apologises for the uninteresting letters and puts it down to not reading. Tells him about singing around the piano with Aunt Polly.
Describes Christmas morning in bed with the children. Expresses her opinion about the sermon at Church. Tells him that Mrs Bond lost her son in the final few weeks of the war. Describes giving everyone their presents.
Describes a visit to the Williams' house. Describes the presents they all received. Expresses her impatience to have him home. Tells him she has written to Will and Ka inviting them to stay. Reflects on his time away at war. Expresses how putting the children to bed her makes her happy. Expresses her anxiety over waiting for his return. Asks him if he can bring currants and raisins back from France.
Acknowledges his letters and sympathises with him for having to live with drunken people. Asks if he has seen Bob and wonders if he can carry on his writing when back at Charterhouse. Expresses her opinions on an article she read in the New Europe about Christianity and politics. Discusses employing a gardener for the Holt. Informs him of the moving date and updates him on news from Mary Anne and Owen. Discusses where to hang the painting he bought. Hopes that he will be able to continue writing when home.
Expresses her anxiety over the delay in the post. Describes her father playing billiards. Update's him on Clare's character. Tells him about an article she would like to read in the New Europe about Germany. Describes the garden at the Holt and her plans for it. Reflects on the people they will have to visit and if he will have a form class again. Expresses her thoughts about not wanting to write anymore because she would rather tell him in person. Sends him her love.
Describes the German reaction to the armistice. Discusses how they will manage storing the O'Malley's boxes at the Holt. Expresses her hope that moving will go smoothly. Tells him that the calf has been born.
After spending the Christmas and New Year period making arrangements for moving, Ruth finally moves back to the Holt on 7 January, and George arrives home in the second week.
Describes the weather and a trip to see the new calf. Tells him about her morning tasks and activities. Tells him about the new maid delaying her start date and her plans to hire a temporary maid. Discusses where to keep their books at the Holt. Expresses her longing for him to be home. Hopes that Clare will become more settled at the Holt.
Updates him on Clare's health and news of Mary Anne and the moving date. Tells him that the temporary maid cannot come. Reflects on their previous letters to each other from the beginning of the war and on her abilities as a housewife. Tells him she plans to make a curtain for the nursery door. Acknowledges his letter and expresses her thoughts on living with challenging people. Expresses her impatience for his return. Informs him that she has enclosed a letter from Ka for him to read. Discusses moving back into the Holt. Expresses her reluctance to attend the study circle meeting without Mary Anne.
Discusses if he might be home in time for the new term. Expresses her opinions about the War Office's slow demobilisation process. Discusses in detail her thoughts about the meaning of humility. Describes her relationship with Aunt Maud. Tells him that Mr Raxworthy and Mary Mussen are visiting. Explains how Uncle Hawes intervened with Mr Fletcher for his release. Retells a story told to her by Mr Raxworthy about Mr Fletcher being rude to a General.
Asks to hear from him as it has been two days since she has. Informs him that Clare is feeling ill. Describes her search for a launderess. Tells him about attending the study circle and having tea with Constance Mussen. Describes the domestic troubles Mary Anne is facing. Expresses her wish for him to be there to help her.
Acknowledges his letter and asks him what his lecture was about. Expresses her hopefulness that he will soon be released. Updates him on Clare's health and Berry's progress. Discusses what to do with their letters to each other and suggests destroying hers but keeping his. Describes unpacking at the Holt. Expresses her longing for him to be there with her and her gratitude that he survived the war. Updates him on news from Robert Graves. Discusses the furniture arrangements and errands to do at the Holt. Tells him she intends to write to Robert and Mary Anne. Send him her love.