Common Virtue

June 20th 1941

By the end of her first week, Mrs. Evans had decided that Courtney was homesick. That wasn't the case, of course. She didn't exactly miss home, but she definitely was sick. Sick of Duncan and his antics! He would disappear in the mornings then reappear for breakfast, make her feel miserable and alone all day at school, and then she would come back to the farm and he would torment her all evening until bedtime.

Mrs. Evans seemed completely oblivious to what her youngest son got up to, and more focused on making Courtney feel at home (and scolding her eldest son who was still trying to join the army while underage). And now she had Courtney sat at the dinner table before bed time, adament that she wasn't allowed to go to bed until she had written her mother a letter.

Dear Mother

But Courtney couldn't get much further than that. She didn't know what to tell her. Mrs. Evans was going to read the letter first, no doubt, so she couldn't exactly write the truth. Courtney was better than that. But she and her mother, though not very close, had always been honest with each other.

Duncan sat across the table, scribbling away on a torn piece of paper not unlike Courtney's. He hadn't stopped writing since sitting down, and Courtney doubted it was his homework.

Leaning upwards, Courtney tried to read what he'd got, but Duncan saw and covered it with his hands. He didn't say anything, but stared her down until she gave up. Turning back to her own paper, Courtney was stuck for words.

Dear Mother

She wanted to write about her new home and her new school and her new friends, but her home smelled, her school was horrible, and she didn't have any friends. Courtney spent all her time feeling out of place. She was a city girl, and the others could sense that. The other evacuee had fit right in, though. He'd made plenty of friends- he'd even made friends with Duncan! Courtney, on the other hand, found it impossible to fit in. The girls in her class weren't the friendliest bunch, unlike the boys. But the boys didn't want anything to do with her because she's a girl.

Dear Mother,

Wales is a lot different from England. There's a lot more sheep here.

That wasn't a lie. She could get away with that.

I started school earlier this week and so far my studies are going well. I am still top of my class and the teacher has mentioned putting me in an advanced class as I am already ahead of my fellow pupils.

Not a complete lie. Going to a private school had put Courtney ahead of the national curriculum, on top of her natural abilities. The things they were covering in class she breezed through as she head learnt it all earlier in the year.

Living on a farm I have learnt a lot about all the different kinds of animals.

Not a lie.

I especially like working with the horses.

They were the still the only animals Courtney would anywhere near. She was getting better, though, as on her fifth day she managed to help Dale scatter chicken pellets in the coop.

I miss you and Father, and hope you tell him I'm well. I hope he gets home safely and gets home soon, and I hope I follow close behind. I can't wait to see the two of you again.

Love, Courtney.

"Done," Courtney announced proudly, handing her letter to Mrs. Evans to read and envelope.

Duncan looked up from his letter for a moment before scribbling a couple of final words. "Done!" He grinned, handing his own letter to his mother before smugly turning to Courtney. She glared at him and turned away.

"Can I go to bed now?" She tried to ask politely, but Courtney was sure it came out a bit too nasty. Mrs. Evans still smiled and nodded her head.

Courtney jumped down from her spot at the table and headed for the staircase. Duncan ran ahead of her, racing her up the stairs. It took Courtney a moment, telling herself it was childish, before her feet started moving faster. She caught up to Duncan easily, but he still beat her to their bedroom.

He climbed out onto the roof and she followed.

"My roof," he claimed protectively, to which Courtney rolled her eyes. Duncan had gotten into the habit of claiming it as his every single night. He just had to sit out there before bed. Every. Single. Night. So Courtney had taken to trying to beat him there and claiming it as hers. She was yet to win that race, though.

They sat in silence as usual, just watching the stars. Courtney did have to admit it was pretty out here. She could barely see the stars at home when she looked out her bedroom window. When she went home, she knew this was something she would miss. The stars were so beautiful in the sky, and the breeze was fresh, not tainted by the all the automobile smells that came from living in an upper-class neighbourhood.

"I-Is..." Duncan turned to look at the stuttering Courtney, raising his eyebrow slightly. "I-is your father in the army?" She asked, not able to meet his eyes. They hadn't talked much between them, usually only arguing.

"Yeah. Is yours?"

"Yeah," Courtney nodded. "He left just before I did."

"My dad left months ago." Duncan sounded choked up. "He writes sometimes, but not a lot. I try to write to him, but he doesn't always reply."

Courtney tilted her head towards Duncan, watching him watch the stars with unfocused eyes. It was obvious that he was close with his father- closer than Courtney was with hers, at least, though they weren't close at all.

"My father doesn't know I'm here. Well, I guess he knows I've been evacuated, but he doesn't know where I am." Courtney scrunched up her face. It didn't seem fair that Duncan missed his dad and she didn't miss hers. She missed her home and her library and her school and her friends. She didn't miss her parents. It wasn't fair.

A/N: Eeep...

So yes, I did miss two weeks and yes today is Saturday, but I have only finished writing this right this moment and I am sorta sorry, but at the same time I'm not because I've had a hard time these last two weeks but I won't bore you with that.

I will try for weekly updates again. Every Friday!

Thanks for reading, please review (:

Love, ChloeRhiannonX