Chapter 7:
Cora awoke with a stir. She blinked and suddenly shot up in a straight sitting position. „Robert! What happened", she yelled. Then she saw her three daughters sitting next to her bedside as if she was dying . „Mother, try to remember: Father is missing in action. You got a letter today and….", Mary started to explain but was cut off by her mother suddenly breathing heavily.
Cora remembered clearly now and closed her eyes. Tears were gathering again but she breathed in sharply and focused on not crying. „Mother to be honest two letters came today. The second one was from father", Edith said worried.
Cora opened her eyes again and said: „ Where is it? I would like to read it…." But her hands were trembling so Sybill took the letter opened it and started reading:
My dear Cora,
„I dreamed of you and our girls tonight. You were making a picknick and everybody was laughing. Imagine even Mary and Edith were joking with each other and having fun", at this point Sybill smiled at her older sisters who were turning red but Cora squeezed their hands and smiled at them. „Go on honey."
„I wished I was there with you. It was one oft he finest dreams I ever had here in the trenches before I got woken by a signal for a meeting. To be honest I am not sure I will…." Sybill broke off, tears dropping down her cheeks. Edith took over for her after taking a deep breath: „To be honest I am not sure I will still be alive when this letter arrives at Downton, I am not sure if I will survive today's battle or if it ever will find the way to Downton but I am glad I wrote it. I have to end now, it is time fort he attack. If I should die, please promise me you will at least try to be happy again. I love your smile and your laughter. Give the girls my blessings and my love. Tell Mr. Carson, that William…", Edith paused. Now Mary gripped the paper and read on: „Tell Mrc. Carson taht William is allright too (till now) and I even saw Matthew yesterday. They blow the whistle… I have to go.
I love you
Ps.: If I die, I will die as a happy man because the last thing I will see is you sn the girls at the picknick."
Mary lowered the paper and looked around. All of them herself included had tears in their eyes. Then suddenly the girls followed an impulse and flew into their mother's arms, so that she fell back on the bed. They started sobbing and finally all four oft hem fell asleep. Mrs. Hughes and Miss O Brien found them like this when the dinner gong had already rung but nobody was coming downstairs.
