The boy--the other sub-lieutenant--who was with
Desmond when he was wounded, was in the list yesterday.
Forest's boy is badly wounded. The old gardener has lost
another son. Perley's boy is "missing," and so is the poor
Pennington boy. They are heroic--the Penningtons--but whenever
I see them I want to cry.... Oh, I can't write this any more.
I have been writing letters of sympathy all day.
'Dearest, you would be astonished if you could see me at this
moment. I am to-day a full blown group leader. Do you know what
that means? I have had a long round among some of our farms
to-day--bargaining with the farmers for the land-girls in my
group, and looking after their billets. Yesterday I spent half
the day in "docking" with six or eight village women to give
them a "send off." I don't believe you know what docking means.
It is pretty hard work, and at night I have a nightmare--of
roots that never come to an end, and won't pull out!
'You were quite right--it _is_ my work.
Pages:
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451