Here’s a short and slightly disgruntled letter from Dart in answer to the month old letter he received from Dot today. It was the one she wrote on V-E Day, and shared many on the sentiments they both experienced that day.
He wrote a letter last night that will never be mailed. He says there was nothing about it that made it worth sending. The lull in the mail is a big strain for both of them. When no mail leaves the ship, there is also no mail coming aboard, so both of them experience the same lull. “Oh well, Dot. Never fear. Someday it will end and mail will become regular again and then, I hope, there’ll be no need of the mailman’s aid in our lovemaking.”
Nothing left to say except that he loves her.
Well, Dot finally got the letter in which Dart spelled out so beautifully why they are a perfect match, and in a surprise move, asked if they might announce their engagement on his next leave. Says Dot, “I shant attempt to discuss further my feelings toward me and yours toward you. Thank you for the nice things you said and for your faith in me. I shall say nothing more that might discombobulate this perfect match. But if you ever regret meeting me, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
She goes on to say that the last page of his masterpiece letter totally surprised her. “I haven’t dared hope you’d want to become engaged for a long time. Of course, I’ve had my dreams on the subject.”
“Unfortunately, Mother is spending the day in Pittsfield, so I won’t have the chance to discuss it with her until tomorrow. I know she will approve, but there are many things I’d like to talk over with her before I give the final ‘yes.'”
She talks about wanting him to be sure. She believes too many people take engagements far too lightly, like buying a dress, bringing it home, and then finding one they like better and returning the first one. She plans to be engaged just once and follow it up in due course with a single marriage.
She very much wants to have that little house with him, and the family to put in it. She’ll write more tomorrow.
Her Aunt Num just stuck her head into Dot’s room and said to send her love to Dart. Although they’ve never met, Num has heard all the reviews of Dart from the rest of the family and knows he’s a fine man. Dot tells him that with the love and respect he already has from her entire clan, they should do quite well.
