Chapter XVI

15th August 1942

My dearest sweetheart,

I am alright, of course, don't you worry about me, you dear girl of mine. It melts my heart by just knowing that you indeed worry about me even though you really shouldn't! But it does make me feel very grateful and more peaceful by knowing that you pray for me, dearest, and every night at that! I'll say it again, am I not the luckiest man?

Yes, I did get a letter from Flora quite recently actually… I don't know why she stopped contacting you, it really is strange but when I asked her (in my letter to her) why isn't she speaking with you she simply ignored the question and didn't answer it at all so I really don't know, dear Hester, and I think that we might never truly know the answer. But yes, Flora is New York right now and she is about to start her History course at the New York College. Isn't it strange that she decided not to become a violinist after all? Well, I'm not here to judge so I'll leave the topic of Flora here.

I will warn you right now, dear, it won't be a very long letter because it is quite late in the evening, the lights will be turned off soon and then we will all have to go to sleep to have at least some energy for the next day… A tiring life of a soldier in the dirty trenches for you right here!

I do agree with you, it is a strange thing that Jo came back from Redmond so late, especially because she did finish her degree from English after all. And she's sorrowful you said? That's very strange indeed, from all your stories about Jo I can't really imagine her being sorrowful or anything near it to be quite honest. I don't blame her parents for worrying that something happened while she was in Redmond but the only question is, like you yourself are wondering, what actually happened to cause a frown appearing on her face? It is all interesting I must say. Sometimes by reading your letters I feel like I'm reading a story, you know, Hester? Maybe you should become a writer after all? Just like you told me to become a poet!

It is ever so good that you're keeping yourself busy if not with the orphanage then with the Red Cross or composing or playing your instruments, you are truly incredible my darling. Oh, God, Hester how much would I give to see you right now in this very moment and kiss you straight on the lips and then both of your rosy cheeks twice each?

I'm looking at the photograph you sent me in your last letter. The one with you pulling up your skirts while letting a wave from the ocean touch your bare legs. Your hair is all over the place although I can see that you tried to put it in a braid earlier and you're smiling, laughing I'm sure. Sweetheart, you truly are beautiful and this photograph makes my heart beat with incredible joy because it makes me know that you are still managing to laugh like that.

I know, dear Hester, I know you worry for all of us and now especially Gil and Walt but darling we all, including Walt and Gilly, are fine and we will be no matter what. We fight for peace in the world, to stop this dreadful war and suffering of so many innocent people. We fight for our families and for all our women-folk who stayed behind at home, for our sisters, wives, cousins, friends and sweethearts; so you see Hester we're all fighting for you and for your happiness so do keep on smiling because it keeps us all going.

I'm very glad you're enjoying listening to "La Traviata" by the great Giuseppe Verdi. It is rather beautiful, is it not? I wish I could listen to it now although I know it all very well myself. It is very hard for me here you know, without singing. Singing for me is like playing the cello for you, it makes you happy and it makes you feel complete and worthy of something but now I can't really do it, not because others wouldn't want me to but simply because I know that I wouldn't be able to give enough from myself to do it correctly. It is rather hard when one is in the trenches surrounded by dirt, mice and the boys singing "It's a Long Way to Tipperary" sometimes in jolly voices and other times in the rather gloomy ones. So I just can't sing, properly I mean, as you can see and that's what hurts me the most over here.

That's what also is happening to your Selwyn I think, with writing poetry. I really wish for both of us and your cousin John to meet because they are in France too, I remember from your letters. We're to be transported to near La Havre tomorrow and I heard that Selwyn and John are already near there too so it's possible that we'll meet, hopefully at least.

There, I have to go now, my darling. Remember that I love you and that I'm thinking about you every single day. Smile as much as you can and pray for all us still, to keep us all going in the fight for peace.

Always yours,

Seb

Hester woke up feeling cold even though it was the end of August and outside the window was a perfectly blue sky with a cloudless facade and a sun shining right through it. She was breathing heavily as if awoken from a nightmare even though she didn't dream that night at all.

She was sitting on her bed, her hand on her chest and she was looking all around her room, thinking: "Something happened.". She got out of her bed so quickly she almost fell on the floor. She ran downstairs to see her parents, who were in their nightgowns too, sitting right next to the telephone, Ken having a receiver right next to his ear and Rilla standing next to him, listening.

Both of their faces were pale and very focused, so focused and worried that they didn't see Hester coming into the living room. "Oh, my God, what happened?" she gasped, her hand on her chest again and her legs almost giving away.

Rilla heard her and immediately left Ken and put her arms around the only child of hers who she could be sure of to be safe and sound. "Dieppe, my darling." she whispered and Hester felt how soft tears were running down from her mother's cheeks onto her own.

It was a very restless day for Hester and her family. They were all awaiting the news from their boys and whether they were indeed in the Dieppe raid or not and if they were then they all needed an information regarding their safety, right now.

Selwyn and John were both near Dieppe and so their family was positive that those two handsome boys of their own were playing a part of that bloody raid from the day before. Walt and Gilly were still regarded "wounded and missing" so it was hardly possible that they played any part in it themselves, especially Gilly who was a member of the RAF. That left Marshall out of danger in that raid too. But then there was also Hester's own sweetheart who a week earlier wrote to her that he would be transported to the north of France, and therefore near Dieppe, which meant that he too, like Selwyn and John, might have been involved in this battle.

The whole family of Blythes, Merediths, Fords and also Douglases gathered together in the old and cosy Ingleside awaiting any sign of life from any of their boys at the front. Phillip came to Glen two days earlier and he was also there for Hester and her family, sitting in the Ingleside's living room with an arm around her shoulders and his other arm around Lily's, all of them silent while the war news was quietly coming out of the radio nearby.

"Cornelia was furious that she didn't start her nurse-training earlier in order to be there for our boys at the front today." Mary Vance said to her companions while playing with the hem of her dress nervously.

Una put a calm hand on Mary's arm to stop her from doing it and Mary looked up into her eyes and they both shared a knowing yet faint smile "I can imagine she was rather hoping she'd be there today, Mary." Una said kindly "Don't worry about her though, she is a responsible girl and she'll be fine. You know that I can see you worry about her."

Mary's eyes suddenly filled with tears but she pushed them away "It's silly that I should worry so much about her, she's not going to fight like her brother after all." she said nervously still "I suppose it's just that today I said farewells to my second child and only one is left safe and sound at my house." she glanced at her right to see Vance talking quietly to Marion and Hester, all of them sitting cuddled up together on the couch with Lily and Phillip.

The women around her turned around and looked at Vance and their own children and suddenly a twinkle appeared in all of their eyes, even if it was just for a moment. "Mary, I only have my Hester left too." Rilla said to her friend and squeezed her hand gently "I sometimes think that she should have applied to the Toronto Philharmony but most of the times I am so very grateful that she's going to be here with us instead." she smiled through tears at her youngest baby being not a small chubby baby she had in her mind in that moment, sitting on the sofa with her grown-up friends.

They all smiled at Rilla and Faith put her arm around her waist gently "I think we're all very grateful that not all of our children are going off somewhere be it the war or even to the university." she glanced at her two daughters so much not alike in personality or looks yet both just as beautiful and just as passionate souls talking to their friends near her. She looked at Lily who was, after all, going to go back to Redmond in a week's time to finish her Law degree and even though she was very proud of her and her ambitions it hurt her heart to let her go so far away from home.

"I'm so lucky that both of my children are still in the safety of their home." Di shook her head, thinking "I do pray for all of your children, my darlings, and I know that they will all be fine." she smiled at her sisters for all of them were exactly that to her, even if not by blood.

"I pray for them too, my dear friends." Emma Blythe added and smiled at all of her own sisters, who were Di's sisters too.

They all linked their hands together, thinking the same thoughts in their minds. Before anyone could say another word, Will sprang swiftly to the window and shouted out in almost a shriek which could be either or all in one ecstatic, excited or nervous "The postman is coming! The postman is coming!".

Everyone gasped as one and suddenly Anne Blythe rose from her chair next to Rosemary Meredith and opened the door to her house, her face white and blank "Hello, Jimmy." she greeted the postman who knew her and her family for twenty odd years.

He smiled radiantly at her, his brown straight hair falling onto his forehead and put out a few envelopes from his bag into Anne's stretched out, expectant hand "There you go, Mrs Blythe. I knew that all of your folks are going to be here today so I brought the telegrams for the Fords and Merediths here as well." he assured her with a nod and went away.

Anne quickly closed the door and hurried to the living room sorting out the envelopes "There's one for you, Rilla." she handed a telegram to her youngest daughter who grasped it as if her life depended on it and before she knew it, her husband and her daughter were by her side looking over her shoulder as she cried out in joy and delight mixed together.

"Oh!" she cried out "Selwyn came out of Dieppe without a scratch! He did it, my baby boy!" and she simply melted in her own tears while Ken put her into an embrace, tears coming down his own cheeks.

Hester felt how her lips were forming into a tremendous smile and how her own cheeks were much more wet than they have been in weeks and she also hugged her parents tightly, feeling as if her mind could finally take a break from worrying, at least for a little while. "I knew he would!" she whispered as if to herself while she and her parents stood by themselves eventually.

"John only has a few bruises!" Nan and Jo cried out together and they too were embraced by their husband and father known as Jerry.

"There's one for you, Hester." Anne put a small envelope into Hester's own hands and she trembled once more, her eyes fixed on the piece of paper in her white hands "Go on, sweetheart, open it." she encouraged her granddaughter with a tender smile which could only be achieved by Anne Blythe.

Hester obediently opened it and only briefly heard that her grandma also had one more envelope reserved for Mr and Mrs Ford as well. Hester put a hand on her chest and breathed a sigh of relief, her cheeks turning very red all of a sudden "Oh, my Seb is alright! He came through with only a scratch on his leg!" she said and felt like crying with joy all over again.

Phillip, who was standing by Hester with Lily, Marion and Vance, tightened a bit but smiled radiantly at Hester who was a picture of relief and joy. The whole room was chatting together until another sound, produced by both Rilla and Ken surprised them all and the room fell silent again.

Rilla had a hand on her mouth, tears rivering down her cheeks and so Ken knew that it was up to him to announce the news, his own voice trembling and his cheeks turning pink all over again "Our Gilly is found!" he cried out merrily as Rilla was already kissing his cheeks and then Hester's own "He is at the hospital in Netherlands and is going to be just fine!" he kissed Rilla straight on the lips and the whole room started to cheer and clap as if they've all just seen another performance of Hester's instead.

Hester was in utter shock by then and at first she was looking at her parents blankly before shouting out in great happiness: "Thank God!". She then started to kiss everyone in the room around her. When she finally got to kiss everyone from her Group, flushed Phillip included, she clung to Lily and Marion and smiled at them brightly "See?" she said merrily "Walt will be found soon too!"

Lily, her cheeks wet but smiling nevertheless replied "Yes, he will be, Hes, he will be! You're right!" as she kissed Hester's cheeks and squeezed Marion's hand tigthly.

"He will." Marion echoed quietly, her own eyes shining with hope and faith.

All the girls, Ada included, embraced one another and Hester stuck her head out and her hand met Phillip's. She pulled him into their tight and jolly embrace as he laughed out happily with her.

It was a day and an evening none of the people in the living room of Ingleside would ever forget, it was quite impossible to forget it for it was filled with every bit of emotion ever created by God Himself. Hester would write about that day her diary that night, her head full of happiness and thoughts of nothing but euphoria and hope. She would then close her diary and stay up till one in the morning to start composing another piece for her favourite cello, a blissful piece at that.

Although they all knew that the war was still on, that Walt was still considered "wounded and missing" and that other people in that very moment were suffering, were being killed, wounded, their hearts shattered into pieces by a completely different kind of telegram from the one Hester got on that day, Hester's family rejoiced in the fact that their day was everything but dreadfulness. That was what some wise people call a moment of happiness and it truly was just that.

That is the reason why Hester fell asleep that night with the brightest smile she has had in a very, very long time.