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Time to sign up for the June Write...Edit...Publish challenge - ROMANCE. Please join us!
Time to sign up for the June Write...Edit...Publish challenge - ROMANCE. Please join us!
Write your stories, poems
or get your artwork or photos ready!
You can link up immediately or with
your direct link after you post on your blog.
Word limit of 1,000 words for
stories, poems or photo essays.
Publish on your blog
between June 24 - 26th. Leave a message at WEP when you post.
PRIZE of $10 Amazon Gift Card for most creative entry.
PRIZE of $10 Amazon Gift Card for most creative entry.
Please comment on other
entries.
Any queries please contact our host:
den.covey@gmail.com for further info. Here is my entry:
BILLET-DOUX
LOVE LETTERS
(A 1950’s true love
story)
The Oxford Dictionary defines ‘billet-doux’ as – a love letter. Its origin is from the late 17th
Century French and literally means ‘a sweet note.’
Cynthia married James
in 1945; they had a five year old daughter and six month old son when she left
the marriage and the children in 1951. The reasons for the breakup of the
marriage are not clear in family history.
James and Cynthia were
divorced in 1959 and Cynthia married Denis in 1971.
James, Cynthia and
Denis have now all passed away with Denis being the last one to go at the
beginning of this year (2014).
Denis’ love for
Cynthia shines through at the beginning of their relationship, 1951/1952.
The notes are written on scraps
of paper, the backs of business cards, torn flaps of envelopes, some are
written in pencil, some in pen, the stick drawings obviously meant something to
Cynthia and Denis.
Darling
Was unable to get rid
of Jim. He is telling me his life story.
Will see you 9.30.
All my love
Darling
Xxx
Darling
See me in drive after
food
All my love
Dear
YOH
Xxx
P.S.
Am still waiting for
first post.
Will try & make it
by 11.15 or 11.30.
Chin up my Darling
Love
Xxxx
All my love darling
Chin up
Xxxxxxxxx
In
the box is written:
I STILL DOES XXX
Come on
Darling, lets
Have a
Smile.
Sat 6.15
All my love Darling
Am just dreaming of
The day when you and I
Can be together for
the
Rest of our lives.
Look after yourself
Dear.
God Bless You
Your Loving
Den
Xxxx
Dear Cyn Cyn Cow
flop
I still does,
more than ever
God bless you
My darling
All
my Love always
Your own
Den
Xxxx
THANK YOU.
Bienne Aimé
Xx
Oh, those eyes
Oh, those lips
Oh those
_______________
There goes my right
leg again
___________ _____________
Xxx
I suppose I have lost
my halo again.
I AM VERY GOOD AT
FITTING SHOES LADY – TRY ME SOMETIME
___________
All my love Den
Xxxxxxxxxx
All my love
Darling.
Xxxx
Have you had any
“EXPERIENCE” in
repairing
A HALO Darling?
Y.I.N.A.R.M.H
Here is £4 darling, to
be going on with, I shall bring some more with me
On Sunday, let me know
if you are short.
Have a good time Pet
&
Look after yourself.
Give my love to Jan.
Got to fly for the
post now.
All my love Darling.
Cheerio
Den
XXX
Dear Cyn Cyn
_____________
I shall have some more
cash with me on Monday
so if you run short again get a sub from Pat.
Xxxx CWT’s of love.
Den
This may be the first
Christmas card:
Cyn, my darling
Here’s
Wishing you Good luck, good fortune, good prospects too,
May
this NEW YEAR ring in for you.
Good
health, good friends,
Good
work, good play
And
all the best from day to day.
And with this wish my
darling you
have
my heart and all my love always
From
Your own loving
Den xxxxxx
A
longer letter to Cynthia written on a Tuesday morning.
Tuesday am
Hello my darling
Please forgive me for
having been so long in writing to you dear – you know the reasons – work
trouble & never having much spare time, life seems one long made rush at
present trying to get the Wolseley finished & taking all the old dears Xmas
shopping and my head, it just keeps on whirling. What a life. Roll on the
holidays and the South.
Oh my darling, how I am
longing to see you and be with you, to take you in my arms and kiss those
loverly lips & to see those 2 little devils in your eyes again. I just love you and love you and love you
& love you with all my heart. You
know something darling? I think you will need that amount.
Cyn, I know you are
missing the children, it’s a hell of a time for you to go through, but do try
to keep your chin up, look ahead and plan for the day when you & I &
the kiddies are all to-gether again.
Have as happier Christmas
as you can darling, hope you will like the parcels & don't go making a little
piggy of yourself with the chocs.
Well I must go now
darling, Cheerio, will be with you very soon.
All my love dearest.
God Bless You.
Den.
Xxxxx
P.S.
No cracks about the
photographs or else – xx
A
longer letter to Cynthia written on a Saturday:
Saturday
My darling Cyn
Well, here is your medical
card and the photographs, also the leaflet on assistance grants. I am sorry I have been so long in sending
them to you Cyn, but as I said on the phone, I have been feeling so very rotten
and tired, & when I have been up and about & feeling reasonably OK,
they have kept me so very busy, what with the decorating and pulling in the
driving as well, that I just have not had a minute to myself.
It has seemed a dreary
week without you darling, but being able to hear your voice on the phone each
night has helped it a long a bit – broken the miles down and made me feel a lot
happier.
Darling, I love you so
very much & am just wishing I could be with you, to give you a little
comfort and care during this very trying time.
But Cyn dear, don't feel lonely & depressed, you never leave my
thoughts & remember I will always stand by you and & give you whatever help
you want.
Look after yourself Cyn,
& get well & strong quickly – keep your chin up & come back as soon
as possible.
I will write a nice long
letter to you in a day or two, that is if I can get 5 mins to myself & in
Chapter 1 I will try to tell you in more detail just how much I does.
God Bless you Darling
& keep you safe
All my Love
Den
xxxxx
Dear Sally,
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing collection of love letters! These are just the kind of notes that get tossed away by relative. What a miracle that they have survived.
I'm in a hurry right now. I just wanted to write quickly. I'll be back to write more.
Anna
Sally, these are so touching. Makes me wonder if she wrote back to him? I hope they were together for the rest of theif lives... Thank you for sharing this "story" with us.
ReplyDeleteAh, Sally, a true love story. How gorgeous and so well presented to your readers. Another time, but true love shines through. I've really enjoyed reading them, and your interpretation made it easier.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting to the ROMANCE prompt, Sally. I took it from facebook that you were traveling, so wasn't sure if you'd turn up to the party. So glad you did.
Denise
How touching! These are a treasure and amazing that they have survived for so many years. Twenty years from the first letter to marriage, that's some beautiful commitment! Nothing like a true love story that one knows has ended in a real life HEA. Thanks so much for sharing them, loved your post.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes,
Nilanjana.
My heart is breaking for him; so much in love and still believing she will soon come back home. This was such an interesting take on the theme Sally.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a tender story, but a bittersweet one. In any triangle, there is always sadness for someone. These long romances seemed more common in the past.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading this, which is very personal and touching. It is sad, too. It shows that romance comes in many forms. Some do end in HEA, but they are rare. Always like your take on the challenge.
Interesting letters. Made me long to see the letters from her.
ReplyDeleteCame by for another reading, Sally, as it is prize month. D
ReplyDelete