Letters between Best Friends

My dearest Stella,

Thanks for your postcard from San Sebastian. It looks magic and I just can't wait to hear more about this guy? Did you take any photos of him? You said that you met him on the beach, were you on your own? Do your parents know about him? Sorry for so many questions, I must seem like the Spanish Inquisition, but I am very intrigued!! A long letter please and soon.

My romantic interlude with John Miller has not turned out so well. He seemed so different when he arrived in Lincoln to stay with me. When I met him in Aberdeen earlier in the year, I found him exciting and handsome. Anyway you know that, as I blabbed it all out when we got back to boarding school after the holidays. I even had a photo to show you, if you remember and you liked the look of him.

Mother and I met him off the train and took him home. He seemed quite overwhelmed by our house. I don't quite know why, as it is nothing special. I know it is quite big being a vicarage but there is nothing really fancy about it. He was very quiet at dinner, though of course he had to answer all of Father's questions. After dinner as it was such a nice evening Mother suggested I take him for a walk around the village. As soon as we were away from the house, he took my hand and said how great it was to see me and how attractive I looked. When we came to the area where there is a sort of woody copse, he suggested we sit down on a bench. I didn't really want to, bit wary of what he was going to do. Yes, he did it. He started kissing me and then put his hand up my jumper. I was in a real quandary as to what to do as when we had been in Scotland I had let him do this, but now it disgusted me. So I let him feel me a bit and then stopped him, telling him that my parents would be getting anxious if we didn't get back soon. He seemed to be ok about it. We walked back quite amicably.

The next 3 days were hellish as I had to keep him entertained . We went into Lincoln and we showed him the castle and the Cathedral and of course we had to take him out to Gautby! He had no idea why we were driving miles out into the remote Lincolnshire countryside and was even more astonished when Father got out of the car, kissed the ground as we passed the signpost denoting the entrance to Gautby. Obviously we explained about it being where Jack and I had grown up as children and how Father idealised the place. If he hadn't realised that Father was a bit eccentric before this, he certainly did now!

Luckily and thank heaven for Jack, in whom I had confided my distaste, because he took him off outside playing soccer and cricket with him so I could get a bit of a respite. Mother was rather cross with me, telling me that I really should be kinder to him and that he seemed like a “nice boy”. If there is anything more guaranteed to put you off someone, it is your mother saying, “He seems like a nice boy, dear”!

Anyway enough about John Miller. I can't wait to hear back from you my dear best friend.

Lots of love from Charlotte.

Dearest Charlotte,

Your letter arrived at exactly the right moment as we had just arrived back from Spain and I was feeling really depressed. I was lying on my bed looking out at a drizzly summer's day in Bletchley. It felt like light years away from the beautiful hotel where we had stayed in San Sebastian with the cloudless blue skies, deep blue sea, golden sandy beaches and the arms of Miguel. To make it worse my mother was making me clean up my bedroom and help her with the cleaning out of the sunroom. You can imagine how much I wanted to do all that. We had only been back a few hours when she started on this cleaning frenzy. All I want to do is lie on my bed and daydream. No such luck.

I am sorry that the John Miller episode was rather a disaster. He did look great in that photo you showed me last term. Perhaps one is in a different mode on holiday but I can't imagine that I would ever feel like that about Miguel. You must have been so relieved when you saw him back off on the train to Scotland. Did he say he would write to you? Did he try anything again? You know what I mean!

I can't wait till we are back at school and can really talk about all this in detail. I do hope we are in that two bed dormitory again. Do you think we will be? I do not want to be with anyone else, other than you. Have you heard from Diana? I think she was going to Belgium to see her grandparents. I thought there might be a letter from her when I got back, but no.

Miguel, Miguel, I wish he was lying here with me now. Does that sound terrible? To answer your questions. Yes, I did meet him on the beach. It was the third evening we were there and Ma and Pa had chummed up with some other people from the hotel, so I had decided I didn't want to stay in and listen to them talking about boring stuff, so told them I was going for a walk. I got the usual warnings about being careful etc! Honestly parents sometimes are so predictable and annoying.

The beach was just across the road from the hotel. I quickly went up and changed into my new swimming costume. I think I told you that I had bought this gorgeous one piece with a halter neck. I just love it. I put my new sarong on plus my hat that I bought when I was staying with you last holidays. I had only been walking on the beach for about five minutes when I heard someone say, “Hola hermosa”. Now my Spanish, as you know is very basic, but even I knew that meant, “Hello beautiful”. I looked around and saw him, he is just so gorgeous Charlotte that I couldn't help saying, “Hola guapo”! (Hello handsome). A bit naughty and flirtatious. Mother would have been shocked. The words just slipped out. Things are different on holidays aren't they?

Luckily he then launched into very good English as my Spanish is certainly not up to much at all. He was just so easy to talk to. He bought me an icecream and we walked for miles along the beach, until I suddenly realised that my parents would be getting worried about me. When we got back to the path leading up to the hotel, he put his arms around me and gave me the best kiss I have ever had! Not that I have had that many! I was desperately hoping that he would want to see me again. My wish came true. He asked if we could meet on the beach again the next evening. I didn't want him to think that I was completely under my parents control so I agreed, same time, same place.

Then Charlotte, I was in a dilemma. What was I going to tell my parents the next evening. Should I tell them that I had met someone? I didn't think they would be very happy about that. Especially my mum. Anyway the next night they had decided to play cards with the same couple from the hotel so it was easy to escape. I was so scared that he wouldn't come. You know what it is like!

However, my fears were unfounded as he was there waiting for me at the gate that leads from the hotel to the beach. It was the most fabulous romantic evening. He took me to a wine bar that is on the beach and we drank under the stars. Well I drank shandy as I thought I had better not drink anything stronger. I had to explain what a Shandy was but they managed to make it. As we walked back along the beach he suddenly said, “Lets sit down and look at the sea”. I became quite nervous as I wasn't sure what was going to happen. We sat down and then he started to kiss me and soon his hands were going all over my body. I knew I should stop him, but I just couldn't. I will tell you the rest when we are back at school (only a few days now) but just to put you out of your misery, we didn't go all the way!

As we came back up the path to the hotel, there was my Dad waiting for me. Gosh, that was a shock. Miguel was marvellous, so polite, introduced himself to my Dad, shook his hand, telling him what a lovely daughter he had. So, my Dad asked him to come back into the hotel to meet Mum. I was dying inside as I had no idea what she would say. This is the miracle, Clare, she was charmed by Miguel and he talked them into letting me go out to dinner with him the next night, which was our last night. I couldn't believe it.

The next day I went shopping and bought this super strapless dress that I can't wait to show you.

He was as good as his word, calling at the hotel first, having a drink with Mum and Dad. Then he took me out the front of the hotel to his car, a gorgeous Citroen. We sped along the esplanade, arriving at a great restaurant looking out on to the beach front. It was another marvellous evening which eventually had to end. As we got near the hotel, I started to feel really sad . I think he could tell this as he parked in a side street, started to kiss me really passionately, taking down the top of my dress, kissing my breasts and everything until I didn't think I could stop him. Honestly, Clare, it was only the thought of getting pregnant that pulled me back from saying yes. Eventually we pulled ourselves apart, not saying much. He took me back into the hotel, chatted to my parents very politely and then I saw him out to the car. He kissed me good bye very tenderly, telling me he had had a marvellous time with me, promising to write.

Do you think he will write? I am so much in love with him, so miserable without him. I just keep replaying and replaying our evenings together. Can't wait to see you to talk about it.

With much love from a love-sick Stella.

Dearest, dearest Stella.

I read your letter so many times. My gosh what a summer holiday you have had. I am so jealous! He sounds divine. A hundred million times better than boring Scottish John Miller. I also can't wait to see you to hear all about it in detail.

I am sure he will write. It sounds like you two got on so well together. Ha Ha!!! Did you give him your school address as well as your home address?

Nothing has happened here to rival your adventures. My mum and I went shopping to get some new mufti dresses but that is about all! In fact, I am really looking forward to getting back to school. Keep your fingers crossed that we get that two bed dormitory as I have a feeling we are going to be talking most of that first night! See you next week!

With lots of love,

Charlotte xx