Owl from Adelina García Greengrass to Alma Greengrass, dated 10 September 1942...
Written in Spanish; warded, but not so strongly that the letter would be held overlong by censors:
My darling little girl, my Almita,
It is finished. You may tell people whatever you like; it is surely all in the papers by now, anyway. We have nothing; we have our clothes and some books and a few pieces of jewellery-whatever the War Bureau did not find useful, that is what we have left. I wish I had not forbidden you to take your good jewellery to school with you, because then you would have it still; they left your pearls, but there is little else.
They will already have told you that your father died in Borgoña, fighting for what he believed. And you probably already know where your brother is-that he has been sent to St Mungo’s for care. You probably know better than I do why he was sent there. I would like to think that it is because of his delusion that he will become a girl, but since that, in this country, can get you made queen of all wizardry, I doubt that this is so. I was allowed to see him briefly this morning, and interviewed yesterday afternoon by a Magistra Serrano, who was very kind and who speaks our language.
Your Tía Carmela was apparently involved in some bad business; immediately after our interview with Magistra Serrano, your Tío Esteban and I were asked to come back to the War Bureau offices where we were questioned extensively about your Tía Carmela’s household, but we did not know any of the answers to most of their questions. Neither did your cousin Marco, who was also present. [This section of the letter has been removed by the War Bureau.] At any rate I have convinced them that we know nothing, because in fact we do know nothing.
The Rochfords had offered us hospitality should things come to this pass, but we can hardly ask to be sent into enemy territory and I was always opposed to your early betrothal. I can hardly afford to spend any time at all on considering your betrothal now, as if we are to have any kind of life, I must work on getting my own self suitably married, and I am not sanguine about it, because I know well what sort of man would have me now, and would be willing to overlook the taint of your father’s crimes and your brother’s illness to take us in and provide you a dowry. You may have to work for your living, and for that I am most sincerely sorry.
Your Tío Esteban has nothing the Malfoys have not given him, and as I do not wish to be associated with them, nor do I wish your brother-who has already managed to give them offence, somehow-to be near that creature, I suppose we will have to submit ourselves to your Aunt Fenella’s authority and charity. I know this will suit you well, since you and Felicity have always been friends, but I must caution you to keep close to your faith, because Nell and Felicity are so pagan. I am in no way convinced that the things my family and your father have done were in any way the right thing to do, that God and the Saints and Mother Mary approved of them-in fact I cannot believe this of your Tío Ignacio or our cousin Fernando-but I have always been an obedient woman, and have taught you to be likewise. How sad that this is the very thing for which we have been judged!
Be brave, my darling, it will not be long before I see you again.
A fierce hug to you,
Mama