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“That’s not the intention,” Fleming said, his tone apologetic. “It’s just that it should result in a genuine feel. Charity can pitch in.”

The Duchess looked at her. “And you will! Please?”

Charity smiled. “Of course.”

The Duchess sat silently, in deep thought, then looked at Charity.

“I’m seeing her at this getaway with her mother and sister,” she said, “her heart aching with the thought of having seen Major Martin off at the train station.”

“And,” Charity added, “though she longs for the time they spent together, at the same time she gets mad at herself for such a silly schoolgirl-like thought.”

“Good,” the Duchess said.

“All right, then,” Montagu said. “Let’s date it April eighteenth.”

The Duchess began to write:

Charity read what the Duchess was writing, then offered: “Maybe she mentions something that he had written to her in a letter—”

“Something about her,” the Duchess interrupted, looking at Charity. “Something vain that she feels she must deny.”

The Duchess looked at the ceiling a moment, then wrote on:

* * *

The Manor House

Ogbourne St. George

Marlborough, Wiltshire

Telephone:

Ogbourne St. George 242

Sunday, 18th

I do think, dearest, that seeing people like you off at railway stations is one of the poorer forms of sport. A train going out can leave a howling great gap in one’s life & one has to try madly—& quite in vain—to fill it with all the things one used to enjoy a whole five weeks ago.

That lovely golden day we spent together—oh! I know it has been said before, but if only time could sometimes stand still just for a minute for us!

But that line of thought is too pointless. Pull your socks up, Pam, & don’t be a silly little fool.

Your letter made me feel slightly better—but I shall get horribly conceited if you go on saying things like that about me—they’re utterly unlike me, as I’m afraid you’ll soon find out.

Here I am for the weekend in this divine place with Mummy & Jane being too sweet & understanding the whole time, bored beyond words & panting for Monday so that I can get back to the old grindstone again. What an idiotic waste!

Bill darling, do let me know as soon as you get fixed & can make some more plans, & please don’t let them send you off into the blue the horrible way they do nowadays—

Now that we’ve found each other out of the whole world, I don’t think I could bear it—

All my love,

PAM

* * *

When the Duchess finished that, Charity said, “Very nice, Liz.”