You can love more than once

Part 5

The next month past quickly, as a family we had been invited to the last of the summer balls. There were a few fewer young males due to an increase of them signing up for the army. Also, everyone seemed to have their minds occupied on the current events. Joseph and I spend a lot of time together as he would be returning to school in September, Charles wrote when he could tell me all about his training and that he was unsure of when he would be home but said he would let me know as soon as he found out.

By the end of August, the war had reached Africa and Japan had been dragged in as well. Early September and Joseph was off back to school, the house was quiet again with them both gone. News came through that HMS Pathfinder was sunk by a U-boat just off the coast of Scotland and The Battle of the Marne had begun as well, this was meant to stop the advance of the Germans towards Paris.

As Autumn approached and we headed into the end of October, beginning of November there were rumours of the Germans trying to advance towards Calais and Dunkirk, this initiated the Battle of Ypres.

In our exchange of letters towards the end of November Charles stated he would be home for Christmas. Victoria and I were overjoyed but we also understood this would be short lived as in a few months into the New Year he would be posted to God knows where, once he turned 19 years old. Joseph returned home two days before Christmas and then Charles was to arrive home Christmas Eve. On 23rd December it started to snow, Joseph and I had been sledging and enjoying snowball fights, then before we were required to go in and change for dinner, we made snow angels and lay there for a while looking at the sky whilst the snow fell around and on us.

"When Charles is home tomorrow let's go for a horse ride" I suggested. He pulled me up and nodded in agreement, but he looked sad. We raced back to house from the garden, and I thought no more about the forlorn look in his eyes.

The next morning John came in through the front door with two of the farm labourers with an enormous Christmas tree, but we were not to dress the tree until Charles was home, which happened at teatime. He strolled through the front door and Victoria, and I ran to him. He gathered us up in his arms and kissed us on our heads. Joseph shook his hand and seemed quiet but pleased to see his elder brother. We both gabbled our plan for a horse ride before dinner and he raced upstairs to change. We rode to our favourite spot, and we all had a snowball fight, but after a short while Joseph was not in the right mood and rode back early. So, Charles and I made snow angels, he held my hand whilst we made them, and it looked romantic as our angels had the outline of holding hands.

Once back home we changed ready for dinner and Charles spoke about his training, were he thought he may be posted, we then went into the grand hall and decorated the Christmas tree together. Once we were finished, we admired our work and the tree looked wonderful, we sat and had a hot toddy before bed. Charles escorted me to my room, as I opened my door, he twirled me around and I saw he was holding mistletoe above our heads, I kissed him on the cheek, he returned with a kiss on the lips. I blushed and whispered.

"Happy Christmas." He whistled to himself down the hall, I giggled then glanced in the dark corridor to witness Joseph turn suddenly and sulk off to his room.

The rest of the holiday's past by happily, the snow finally melted before New Year, and we hosted a large party with lots of dancing and food. Catherine and her family had been invited, her sisters, Charlotte and Jane were excited to see me as I was them. We spent most of New Year's Eve picking out dresses and wondering how to wear our hair. Catherine on the other hand barely spoke a sentence to me.

At the ball Charles monopolised me for the dances as we both knew this was to be one of the last times, we would see each other before he was shipped off. Joseph had hardly spent any time with Catherine, they danced once or twice, she was flirting with all the young men, especially Charles but he as always laughed this off and danced once with her. Joseph in the meantime had disappeared, so I went to find him so I could have a dance, I knew he would be in the library, so I made my way there. I found him in his chair reading a book.