T.S.

Letter from Ada: July 1915

Dear Diana,

I miss you more and more everyday. My dear friend on the frontline. I hoped that you would change your mind whilst on that truck and jump off all harem scarem. You didn't, obviously. // Jayden has stopped crying at night but still sleeps in your room. I think she might write a letter if I ask her. She was mad that you hadn't told her that you were going into town for the VAD examinations. She says she would've liked to go too. She goes to see Zilpha most days but really I think she means Paul. She's not having sex though because she just had her monthly. Paul was asked to sign up by the officers in town, she says, but he punched them square in the face and ran away with some communists. I think I might go to town and do the same. I wish my Freddie and John and Arthur and Tommy had done the same. You'll tell me if you see them up there won't you? // Of course, Polly is terribly worried about you too; she even says a separate prayer for you. She prays for your mum too and goes to her grave to clean up. I'd go but between tailoring and betting shop and factory work and now communist meetings I haven't found the time. Jayden goes sometimes as does Charlie but she cries a lot and we have to take her away before she has a bad turn. // Kitty Jurossi asked for you the other day. I had to tell her you were away in France. She was a bit worried. She's best mates with Jessie Eden now. You were right, y'know? They're great. Polly doesn't like them much when they're together, says they're loud. Pol has been having headaches that sometimes last the whole day. She says it's menopause but I think it's because she stays up half the night with only a candle to see. All that squinting, terrible. // I've sent letters to you before but they always got sent back with a huge red stamp that just said IN TRAINING in huge red letters. So I'll tuck them all in here for you to read. Might cost me a few shilling for the fucking stamps but it's fine. I've sent a few to John and my Freddie and Tom. But only Tom has responded. And it's barely a letter; all it says is "Boys can't write. Too many tunnels. Stop sending." It's more a telegram than anything else. It makes me pull a face so horrid it scares off Finn and all. It's just the same stupid letter everytime. Probably some stupid capitalist mug sending it back for them. // Martha's expecting again. She says it's a girl but half the girls at the factory say it's a boy. She had to stop working at the factory and switch to the tailors. Little Lilianna is looked after by Finn. He's so grown up and he's just 8. Apparently, some pricks at school keep chasing after him. I suspect it's the son of that Charlie Smothers, Y'know the fat pig that would chase you after school too? I'm going to walk Finn tomorrow and see who it is for myself. Pol said not too but I can't just let him go off on his own. If Michael and Anna were still about he'd have his battalion behind him. Just as well he's got little Isiah but he gets chased too so the only thing they can do is run home quickly from these stupid bullies. Had John been here we would've made the little boys piss themselves but whatever. Anyways, I hope to actually hear from you instead of getting this back with another stamp.

Yours and forever, your friend,

ADA SHELBY

PS-

Jayden here. You're a fucking bitch. X