◆ SpookStack

Maginot Line. and the war ily started. ad -\merican citizens had already en advised to return home but ~. with. the fighting nearing thi could n 4s, re be no rther. delay. And then clean asked Melinda to marry ne was in an agony of in- ision. She liked him ‘too welt an outright refusal and yet * could not bring herself to ept him. she desperately wanted time. ld she not go back home and ne it over? No, he replied. “American citizens could vain any longer in the war ‘e and if she went to the We to Teturn to Europe least, until the war was over. ‘No’~then y. “Wes? And as things were then, in ow the blackest moments of *‘ war, who dare possibly pre- < when that would be, or what fulure held ? in ber {ttle hotel bedroom Nt door to the Cafe Flore, with vic rapidly rising all around “s Met: inda wrestled with her ‘biem, alone and with no one Bulde’her, Finaliv she made .,mind; she could not carry Bim, st \{ler another attempt to make change- her mind, he A mass of contradictions accepied her decision and said he would drive her to Bordeaux and put her on a boat for America, But events moved too swiftly fon them. The speed of the German advance accelerated; the evacuation of Paris began; and Melinda changed her mind. On June 10, 1940, with gunfire sounding faintly in the djstance, Marling and Donald Duart Maclean were married in the Maurie of the Palais Bourbon already deserte¢ Chamber of betore, in-a letter ine “9, although in typical Melinda fashi dated June 11, she a rather extraordinary manner to her mother, extraordinary, that is to say, for @ young girl just about to marry the man she loved. It said: “ Darling Mother,—Please don't feel hurt that I haven't let you know before about my decision to marry Donald. But I honestly didn’t know whether to or not. “We decided very suddenly because it seemed to be the only chance as the Embassy is liable tg have to leave Paris for some God-forsaken little place in the country and one is no longer allowed to travel without an im- possible reason. “Also I had decided I couldn't stand it any longer I was so homesick. “I am sorry 1 haven’t_given you more details about Donald and I know you must be very worried and also probably dia- appointed at my marrying an Englishman. But that” doesn't necessarily mean I will have to settle down in England for the rest of my life. We will probably be sent all over the world. “Darling, I am terribly in } with Donald and am sure there will never be anyone else. He is the only man I have ever seen 1 would have liked to marry. We “have known each other nine months now, so you see we are tombe, dindly rushing in! The tint The utter letter, written armies had overrun Euro; were fast approaching facts of which it makes no men: tion at all—show Melinda's pre- occupation with her own affairs "to the complete exclusion of the outside world. whieh, I think, she always retained An unrea world letter ‘was obviously con- ued some days later, by wb time the infuriating French tape had been — successfully reduced to mere strings and the marriage was imminent. Melinda speaks of @ dinner at the home of a friend of Donald's who bad a cal “And when they leave Paris Donald and I are going with him, 1 will probably go straight to Bordeaux to try to boat. T am so thrilled believe I will soon be 1am only bringing over two suit- cases or so as it will be imposes sible to travel with more. The they will be sent-to-him a has to leave France.” unreality of this after Re German and a ‘characteristic Plans go wrong | The letter continued : * “To go back to Donald, sweetie. He is six foot four, blond with beautiful blue eyes, altogether a beautiful ‘man. He hag all the qualities for a husband (at feast, | think? He is the foul of honour. responsible. u sense of humour. intelligent: imauination, cultured. » -broad-minded fand sweet), ele + “Of gourse, he “has faults. but somenow they don't clash with mine-except that he is stubborn and strong-willed 1 needed th: } as 1 wa: drifting along getting ‘nowhere. ~ “My sreaient desire is to have a baby while I am home as‘I am dying to have one and I couldn't, bear to have it without you. Wouldn’s it be wonderful. Mummy ti” It is clear trom ‘this that Melinda had planned to’ marry Donald and then, with his ine fluence and as the wife of a Brluish oficial. obtain a passage waleoux or America from our some southern French port.