Yvette to Henri.

Belmont 9 September

My love, the sky is so blue and so sweet, the countryside is so peaceful you would think it is a holiday.  The smell of fruit cooking slowly on the stove rises even to my bedroom. I can hear Zouzou playing in the courtyard with his pals. And I am thinking of you, my well beloved. Throughout these calm hours I think of you with a smile in my heart and I wait for you to come.  What more could I want, Henri, my dearest darling? Yes, there is something else you will want to read or know. It is how’s the baby going? Very well, darling. It invades me very gently; I am quite stamped, pregnant with it and with you. I feel calm assurance in my gestures, in my step. In my belly and my breasts. In my heart, a peaceful joy.  And I have only one regret, which will last a long time; it is your absence. […] I have had a long chat with Helene. Everything is fine, darling. You can stop thinking of the “Helene problem”. She has understood that I love you and she is nothing but kindness. I spoke to her about Poland. She regrets that we will confront a life full of restrictions in Paris. She would prefer, she says, to know us in Warsaw where we would not risk being cold or lacking the necessities. She has turned right over, like a pancake! […] I am sure that we would be as happy in Warsaw as here, or anywhere else in the world. The great thing is that we love each other and that our Zouzou will always feel “at home” with the two of us. I want to tell you right away that he is very pleased with the idea of living with you and of having a baby. I am aware that he will have to overcome his little jealousy of babies but I am absolutely certain that we will know how to make it disappear. […]

** Note in childish writing.  Cher Henri, when are you coming to Colombee, come quickly, I embrace you well, Zouzou

[…] Write to me at Aline’s address. I will see her every day and sleep at her place from Monday.  Mme Raymond c/- Mme Vellay, 9 rue Bazin, Paris 16^th Tel. Aut 60.89

[…] Vital matters: I borrowed three lots of sugar from Helene to make the sugar thinking that you could bring it. The rarest items are sugar, tea, and condensed or powdered milk. The rest can be found and I have found a particularly good source of butter in Normandy. Sugar remains the rarest.  Try to bring the most you can. […]

I embrace you. “Three kisses”, and thousands more. Your Yvette.