Half a century later, Shirley wrote of this period: “Misery, foreboding, a life sentence … In this cruel time I wanted to die. Looking back, I wonder that I didn’t. The worst, beyond worst, of all was of course the lack of letters.” Again, there is some extravagance in the recollection. She had in fact received two letters from Alec that first month in Sydney, the first arriving only a week after she did. In the letters Alec is pragmatic and makes light of her trials: “As for the shorthand—it’s your own fault. However, if it gets you a job in the Australian Legation in London, it’s worth it.” Just as Shirley adopted a flip and ironic tone writing to Alan and Chris, so too Alec, while fond, was also laconic and humorous: “Dear Shirley, I got your letter yesterday and was, strangely enough, delighted. I need not tell you but will, as I know how young you are, that since you went away I have had moments of sadness that annoyed me very much. However I expect I shall be able to push this sort of weakness down into the less frequented byways of my soul.” While Shirley’s letters to him have not survived, it appears she had adopted a similar tone. Alec continued: “You make little of what must have been the most frightening few days in your life. Your poor mum must have been in a helluva state, particularly in Charlieville [sic].”