Sunset Road
Greenhaven
Rye, New York

April 5th, 1943.

Dearest Claudia,

Poor you. What a shock it must have been to hear that Dunbarton was no more. It is hard enough for me to believe when I saw it burn for more than three hours. I don't know who has written you what, but I think it would be better to hear it several times than not at all. Jim was upstairs in his bathroom above the hallway leading to the kitchen when he apparently saw smoke coming out his closet. I was sitting on the bed in the little room with Hugo, with the door wide open, sewing, when Jim came out of his room saying "What's going on here", ran down the steps, and opened the cellar door. He made such an awful noise that I flew down too and he told me to call the fire department that the house was on fire. I did that, ran to the kitchen to tell Machi, and even then there were layers of smoke in the dining room as I went through. I dashed back upstairs, got Hugo, opened the coat closet to get him a coat, and found the closet so full of smoke I couldn't see a thing. I felt around and grabbed what I could, rushed with them and threw Hugo and the coats outside. (All the fur coats were saved except Den's brown one).

When I got back into the house Machi had opened the closet and had seen flames so yelled to me to try to get some of Den's things out her closet as that was so adjacent. Again I couldn't see for smoke, got the things actually on hangers, threw them out of the window, and moved her books from the wall near the flames. That was quite pointless, but I don't think it ever occurred to me that the fire wouldn't be put out before it got more than the immediate things. It was so smoky in the hall I was afraid to go through that way, so jumped out of the window, picked up the dresses and took them to the front lawn. I found Machi and Jim still going in and out of the front door and I joined in, but as you probably know we got out practically nothing. I was scared for I had a feeling the fire might have been anywhere under the floor which would give if I stepped on it; but it was just as well something scared me for I learned later that it was the fumes from the smoke that put you out. Gosh it was awful. Hugo followed us back in, began screaming that the smoke hurt his throat and it was very confusing and terrible. I feel sure now that if I hadn't kept saying not to open windows and doors for fear of making a draught, we could have got out more, at least been able to stick our hands in and pull out things, but there again all the windows were locked, as were the back doors. I don't approve of locking up so securely. It seemed ages before the fire department came, then only one truck. We couldn't reach the phone, so someone had to walk to the nearest phone to get the other truck, and much later on I saw a panting woman who said she had run in to get the Orange Fire Department. I don't know that anything could have been done. Charles said it was just heart-breaking to see the fire brought somewhat under control and have the water supply give out. The scouts were called out from school, but another sad thing was that most of the volunteers had gone to war.

Everybody came. A young woman from Mrs Blair's tenant's house just down in that gully was the first to arrive, and she told Machi she wanted us all to come right down there and live with her, that she had plenty of room. I believe Machi was more touched by that than anything else. Machi was simply wonderful. She comforted Josephine who was weeping away, when Doris came she said she was so happy it wasn't Rocklands, and suddenly she turned to the group and asked them all in to lunch, laughing and saying she had a lovely lunch in the oven. Of course everyone offered to put her up but she didn't know what to do, and flopped down on the grass and said she thought she would rather stay there forever. All this time the house was one enormous blaze. At first, for over an hour you couldn't see any flames, just smoke pouring from every crack and window. Then a wind would blow that away for a second and the house was standing there quite intact. But when it went, it surely went. Way down in the garden it was too hot to stand. The only time Machi gave the slightest sign of giving way was when uncle Phil arrived, towards the end, and said she must come straight home with him. When we reached the road there was Big Den and Eddy, Big looking like death and much more upset than Machi. Then we all seemed to turn up at Mrs Zinn's for she offered us drinks. There we just sat around and giggled. I had forgotten about poor little Jim and how awful it would be for him too, but he was smiling and saying his diary he had kept for forty years was gone. Since then, I have realized it will make more difference to his life than it will to Machi's, as his little piles of neat things are everything he has, and to Machi people and gardening mean so much more. All the time Machi was saying just think how lucky we are, if it had been at night we would all of us be dead, and anyway what on earth is a fire? Piers almost died last week, what difference does a fire make? She had on her usual corduroy slacks and smock, and slippers, one of which she lost in the excitement, and she laughed away and wondered if anyone had ever been so dressed for a cocktail party. I had on a sweater and skirt and rope shoes which aren't even rationed. Jim got his strong box, and a suit. We don't know how he happened to bring out a suit. True, he had on only a bright-coloured summer affair, but if he was saving a suit, we wondered why he didn't get his best one. I get so annoyed with myself for not grabbing up my jewelry box as I grabbed Hugo, but I never thought about saving anything upstairs. You may have heard that I found my wedding rings the next day, quite intact, and also my Phil locket and the Patten Maltese cross, the worse for wear but redeemable. The pretty jade ear rings Mrs Patten gave me are also in one piece, but the jade has darkened.

We hadn't had any lunch so Mrs Zinn gave us sandwiches, then I went to the Koetters as I thought it would be easier with Hugo, Machi and Jim to Uncle Phil's, and Lee and Denden to Rocklands. Doris had gone to school and picked up Lee, thinking it would be such a shock to get off the school bus and find no home, but actually, of course, the whole school knew about it, and Elaine was weeping away. Charles had phoned Denden. No, Liz phoned her, and Charles met her at the corner to tell her that it was much worse than she could have any idea of. It was gone when she got there, but still blazing. We congratulated her on having on some of her nicest clothes, and her best fur coat, and she greeted everyone and said it was nice to have such a reception. Really, I do think we have a remarkable family. I was feeling very ill at the thought of the pretty things I had just made to wear to New York! It's the funniest feeling to look down at yourself and think that is the only thing you own in the world. You sort of wonder what on earth to do next. I had wanted to go to Mrs Dix's for she is just the sweetest thing, but it was far away and all. I had hardly got to the Koetters when she arrived with a dress and jacket of Liba's, some stockings, handkerchiefs, soap, kleenex, some little boy's pyjamas from her English refugees, and fifty dollars and a message from Mr Dix that he had enough gas for me to go to Charlottesville and get myself an outfit to wear to New York. People were simply lovely, as I am sure Machi has told you. I thought Mrs Strange was going to weep at the fire, of all people, and she later sent Machi a dress from a New York store.

You never saw anything like Charles. He went around the three days I was there looking as though he had lost every friend in the world. And while still watching the house burn he was talking about rebuilding the next day. It was wonderful for Machi to have Jeff come the next morning after driving all night, but he squashed all idea of building during the war. Joan tells me now that he has come down again, with plans of the new, requesting bids already. It will make all the difference in the world for Machi and Jim to have that interest. I haven't heard yet what changed his mind. Nich all this time was in Charlottesville with Piers, and didn't get back until the next day. Machi and Jim moved over to her then. I went with Machi and Jim and Jeff to see the ruins, and poor little Machi was sick about the state of the box bushes and the flower gardens. You never saw such havoc. It looked like virgin soil around the house. Did Machi tell you that when Jeff came to see her first, he had been by to see the ruins and all he said was "There was a mocking bird singing at Dunbarton".

That very night Mrs Zinn sent Machi the most wonderful box of clothes - things she had just bought herself in New York - six pairs of stockings, three slips, three nighties, three pants, (never saw such flossy things. We had to laugh at Machi's becoming so dressy) and at least six dresses, hats and a coat. The dresses and hats weren't new, I think, but they looked it. We went off to Richmond two days later, and really Machi looked quite beautiful in blue! Most of the things were blue. It was her expression too. She looked quite saintly. Charles sent us to Richmond in his car, with two hundred and fifty dollars to get what we needed right away. Den and I didn't get much, as we wanted to think. Doris had taken Lee off the previous day, bought him a suit, three shirts, pyjamas, rubber shoes (for you can't get leather that isn't rationed) underwear, and even a raincoat. I do think people are kind. Denden thought I ought to give back the fifty the Dix's gave me, but when Doris gave her fifty, she thought I could keep it. I haven't yet spent it, as I want it for something special rather than just shoes and glasses. I was more than three weeks without glasses and I did hate it.

I came on up here the Friday after the fire as it wasn't particularly nice staying with the Koetters, and my plans were that I would come on the fifteenth anyway. That was the twelfth. I had phoned Bob the first afternoon, and he invited us all. I told him that I would bring both the children. By the day I came up I had collected varying grades and qualities of clothes which Nich packed for me in three of her suitcases, and she lent me her very best suit and a nice tweed coat, and off we set, not even knowing what was in the suitcases. I stopped with Joan for the night.

I wonder if there ever was a fire that involved so many people. Poor Joan and Joe. What they had managed to get out of India went, or most of it anyway, as they had a furnished flat and had taken just as little as they could. Even summer clothes had been left behind. Then of course you knew what of yours was there. And my wee pile of household effects I had collected together, including the table stuff I got in Manila. I must say my losses were small, because of having lost it all before. Then everything Scotty had in civilian life was there, and of course everything Den had in the world. Nich and Jeff were the only ones who didn't suffer, materially.

I was lucky to find quite a number of things (clothing I had I left up here). A pair of shoes, very valuable in these times, my brocade housecoat, my two short fur coats, two summer dresses, and thank heavens a picture each of Phil, Hugo and Lee. Not one I liked of Phil, though.

Mrs Blair the very day of the fire gave me innumerable things, so I am really fixed for things to wear around, but nothing for snooty, and not unnaturally, not with the things I should have chosen myself. But beggars can't be choosers. My nice bag you bought me! Hard luck to lose so much within a year. If I could make up my mind what to do I think I would be happier on that score. Whether to buy, or make (I really shan't have enough time for sewing during the next few months) or to do without until the war is over. If clothes should be rationed, and they almost certainly will be within the year, I might be really badly off. Hugo looks an absolute beggar. Nothing but rags and tags, but he will have outgrown them soon, and have others anyway, so I shall just let him stay so. Neither Lee nor I have a single thing for hot weather. Shall have to make mine, for I refuse to buy cottons, but what I am debating is whether to buy one really good suit with Mrs Dix and have nothing else for the duration.

Poor little Machi and Jim. I went into their room at Aunt Mat's the day after the fire. Machi was lying on the bed looking pretty tired, and Jim was standing up looking at some things in a chair - clothes sent to them - and I realized that chair full of stuff was the only things they owned in the world. There were some shirts from Bill Bellfield and Jim tried them on, saying sleeves were always too long for him. They showed me two enormous dressing gowns they had slept in, Chinese style covered with dragons. They were laughing at them, and we laughed even more when I told them the very first thing I had given to me was a pair of pyjamas of Carl's, also covered with dragons. In Mrs Dix's pile of things were pyjamas with dragons, and from Mrs Blair I got a three piece pyjama suit, literally sprayed with dragons. Now I know one thing people don't like.

Esther was here when I came and was very gay and cheerful. I was sorry when she left. As you may have gathered from other letters, I went to take care of Garrett while Joan went to see the ruins. I have written Machi about my stay there and asked her to send the letter on. I don't feel very up on news from home. Have had no letters beyond these enclosed with this, but seeing Joan I didn't get much out of her. Nich seems to have gone to see John to demand a divorce if he doesn't stand up to his father. Apparently John sends Nich letters from his father, criticizing Nich, which sounds as if he were siding with old Jack. I didn't realize it had gone so far, but it seems she saw a lawyer before she went to Florida to make sure the would get the children. I can hardly believe John would let it come to that. As far as Nich is concerned, I've never seen her more thrilled over John than since he has joined the navy. Things must have come to a pretty pass, as even Mr Bachelor wrote John saying he would have to do something. I thought it had come to a head because of Machi and Jim staying at Santolina, but Joan says Jack wrote John his wife was no mother because she had left Piers ill in the hospital and come home. Actually the doctor ordered her home to get some sleep.

It is indeed a trial having to keep Lee out of school. He has impetigo, has had for months. They did nothing about it in Gordonsville, but when they found out about it here, they refused to let him go to school. He is bored stiff and worries me the whole time, and does nothing but sit around and think up things he wants to buy. I have just been cleaning up and he has exhausted me with conversation.

Think I will stop and send this on as the enclosures are getting pretty old. I enclose part of the Shanghai paper, but think it might interest you to see it entirely, so from now on I will save a bunch and send them off. Shall endeavor to correct this, but being an unfamiliar machine, it is worse than usual.

Love always,

Marijane