[On the envelope is written in bold, block letters: DO NOT BEND]

30 June 1943

Dearest,

You silly man.

Phryne appreciated the excitement towards her future party, but she told me to tell you that she does not appreciate "cheek from either one of those boys" and said something about setup duty? I think you've been regulated to moving furniture for that party, dearest, and I don't think any amount of groveling will have Phryne change her mind about it either.

Matty is certainly keeping his parents on their toes! I'm still his favorite auntie, or at the very least I catch him at his sleepiest since he takes naps while in my arms - Clara and Eric don't mind, they appreciate the break when they can get one.

Rose is easier to entertain than a baby, I just have to say; she can talk back, unlike Matty. So far with photography, she's approaching it very clinically - she's making some sort of book with different sites around Melbourne that are of interest to her, and a little less in capturing candid photos of the people around her, but she still manages to get some good moments. With the number of questions she asks every time I stop over (or when Vera brings her over for a break, which Rose adores because then she can pester Jack and Phryne about their past cases), I'm betting on her following in her father's footsteps; Daniel (lovely man, if I haven't said it before) is both busy and frustrated, I think. He tries to do his job, but I think there's some blanket obstruction from the government about certain things, so his usual coverage of political doings is stunted lately.

I do have wedding photos for you, but also photos that are ONLY FOR YOU, so I dearly hope you opened this letter away from the boys. Happy Belated Birthday, Dearest; I wanted to send these sooner, but Edith assured me the wedding photos were on their way, so I decided to wait and send both at the same time.

(Before you ask, I made sure I wasn't breaking any laws about obscene material… and double-checked with Jack - no, he didn't see these either.)

I count mine and your blessings every day as well, it could have been so much worse, Matthew… I still light a candle for you and the boys every time I go with Dot to church.

Stay safe, my dearest soldier and husband. I'll be your lighthouse guiding the ship safely home, you just have to come home.

Addy's settled in very nicely; she is still a little jumpy around some of the people who come visit, but she's gotten to know Wardlow and the people inside it very well. I usually find her on my window seat if she's been quiet and out of sight - I think she likes to watch the birds and garden; she does come down to see Rose, however, so I think Vera might be getting pestered about a cat of their own soon (I'll take the blame for this one, dearest, though knowing Vera she'd still try to pin it on you.)

I might come across some of those nurses in the future, it'll depend on where we both end up after the war. Would we stay in Melbourne for a bit longer after the war, or move immediately to Ballarat? I suppose it would depend on how Mum is feeling about moving in with Vera (I wouldn't mind her staying with us, dearest, it would surely be quieter than the city and the hospital in Ballarat is good enough should anything happen), and how long the house renovations would take as well… still much to think about, and I think I'm going to try and sort out some of the smaller things while you're still abroad to make it more comfortable for Mum.

You silly, silly man, and devious too, I never thought I'd end up with someone full of such mischief, but I know it'll be lots of entertainment seeing how long it takes people to realize. Of course, the important people will know - your boss, my boss, etc. - but I will have to draw up a notebook to keep a tally in for the future.

You're still my rakishly handsome soldier, dearest, you're just also a gossiping old biddy; I know you and the boys are eager for any type of normalcy and entertainment, so I'm only lightly teasing you for it.

Exams are done (yes, brilliantly, as always, but I still get nervous every term); it's hard to believe that there's only one term left. So much has happened over the course of my degree and to see a tangible finishing line is still… unreal. Soon, dearest, soon I'll be a doctor and I'll make you proud.

(Still suppose it's a distant dream of you coming to the graduation ceremony, doubly now that you're abroad again? It's a nice dream, regardless.)

No boarder just yet to replace Drina, but I think we're all enjoying the relative quiet - we're back down to the usual Phryne antics level of noise and disturbances, which thankfully have happened less than prior to the war. She still investigates, don't fret, but a lot of the investigating happens outside Wardlow, or is very minor domestic problems that plague mostly the rich people of Melbourne. I've not had to vacate the house in some time (which now that I've said this, I'll have to leave unexpectedly) so my term break has been very relaxing.

Stay safe, dearest, and open those photos alone.

Yours, always,

Alice

[Tucked in with the letter, thankfully not bent in the journey, is a stack of photos. Scattered throughout the photos from the wedding and reception in Brisbane are photos of Alice… significantly less clothed. As promised, the photos weren't obscene, but tasteful and most definitely only for Matthew's eyes.]