23 West Kensington Mansions

London, W14

May 13, 1917.

Dear Mr. Moody:

I was so pleased to get your letter, and surprised to find you had not quite forgotten us all.

I am sure it must have been a terrible wrench for you to leave your wife and dear little son, and equally hard for them to let you go, but this awful war has indeed caused a tremendous upheavel, and many hard partings. But now we are all hoping that surely peace must come before long. Canada has played a splendid part and must be very proud of the men she has sent to the cause.

Sometimes, the old days at Newmarket seem a very long way off for so much has happened, yet at other times, it does not seem so very long ago since we stayed in your house there.

No, Maud is not married - she said I am to tell you she is waiting to find someone as nice as you were! So, you will guess she has not altered very much. Bert has been out in France for a long time. I wonder if there is any chance of you meeting. His address is: L/Cpl. Bertram Burleigh, M/2191543 M.T. ASC 55th ASP B.E.F. He is also married and has a dear little boy aged two and a half, and you can understand how hard he also found it to part with his loved ones. His wife and the little chap always spend Sunday with us, for they live not far away. Did you know that Bert was doing very well as a film actor until he joined up? I wonder if you remember Dorothy, my younger sister, who was quite a tiny girl when you knew us. She is taller than Maud and me now. We three, with Mother and Father, are living in a flat here now as we find it so easy to get about, either to town, or into the country. I have continued with my writing, but do more under "pen names" than under my own. It is some time since I have done any stories for the Penny Pictorial, for I have been busy with more regular work. Father has been very poorly for a long time, having, amongst other things, neuritis in his eye which is very tiresome, but since the weather has improved has been better. His health has improved and we hope will continue to do so.

We were all very sorry when we heard your brother had been killed. It is so dreadful for young fellows to be cut off so cruelly. I can quite understand that you would feel that you wanted to take part after that. We were very interested in your letter, for we, who are left at home, are always eager for news from the Front. I have heard that more leave is being granted now, and if you do manage to get to England, and London, we hope you will come along and see us - it is very easy to get here from the Terminus.

We all send you the very heartiest wishes for the best of luck, and shall hope to hear from you again.

Yours very sincerely,

Constance Buleigh