THE WAR BRIDE CLUB (36 page)

      “Just tell us what he’s like,” insisted Alice, rolling her eyes.
 

       June couldn’t keep her feelings to herself.
 

      “Eddie’s incredible,” she finally gushed. “Like the man of my dreams. He’s so kind, his family are almost as good as my own, and he built us a house. A real home, with his own hands.”

      Madeline leaned back, her hands out to support her weight.
Good on her
. Thank goodness one of them was living the life she’d expected as a married woman.
 

      “You’re head over heels in love, aren’t you?” It was Betty prodding again.
 

      “In love would be an understatement.”

      June was bright red, the flush extending all the way down her neck.

      “Is anything about your life here
not
perfect?” Alice sounded like she was joking, but it made Madeline feel awkward for June.
 

      “I wouldn’t say it’s perfect, but I’m happy with my husband, if that’s what you’re asking. Life here is even better than I’d ever imagined it to be.”

      “More tea?” asked Betty, jumping to her feet. “Anyone hungry?”

      Madeline shook her head, then wished that she said yes. Betty was trying to change the subject and she hadn’t realized until too late. It wasn’t fair to interrogate June like this, not when they’d all had trauma. They couldn’t make her feel uncomfortable just because she’d had everything turn out well for her.
 

      “Oh my.”

      Madeline turned. What the fuss was about? Alice looked like she’d seen a ghost.
 

      Oh
. An attractive ghost.
 

      “I’m guessing that’s your brother-in-law?”

      Madeline heard June’s words but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the figure walking toward them. He had dark hair falling ever so slightly over his forehead. He was tall, strong, confident as he moved toward them – the kind of man any single woman would want to fall for.
 

      “No wonder you’re in love with him,” June whispered.
 

      “What!” squealed Alice.
 

      “June!” Betty hissed. “Quiet!”

      Madeline forced herself to turn away. The others were less demure – more like the American ladies they had once claimed to be so different from.
 

      “Hello ladies.”
 

      Even his voice was divine, smooth and commanding all at once.
 

      “Luke, I’d like you to meet my friends.” Betty’s composure had returned. “This is Alice Jones, June West and Madeline Parker. Oh, and little Charlotte here, too.”

      He nodded, arms crossed as he stood before them. His eyes swept over William, asleep, but Madeline saw something there.
Love
. There was no other word for it. He was like a father looking out for his son.
 

      “Well, it’s lovely to meet you all,” Luke said.
 

      They all smiled up at him. Like love-sick puppies, thought Madeline, turning to liquid as she watched him.
 

      “Madeline?”

      She looked up at her name being called, then realized Luke was speaking to her.
 

      “Madeline, Betty has told me you might be in need of somewhere to stay.”

      She gulped. What did she say to him? What would he think of her? Did he want to know why?
 

      “Please feel free to stay here with Betty for as long as you need. I’m sure she’ll enjoy your company. Our home is your home.”

      She could see even more why Betty liked the man. To invite her to stay with no questions asked? He obviously trusted his sister-in-law.
 

      “Thank you Luke, thank you so much.”

      “No need to thank me. Enjoy your afternoon, ladies.”

      He smiled at them all, but Madeline didn’t miss the way his eyes hovered a little too long over Betty. Like there was something more between them than a bachelor and a young widow.
 

      All Madeline wanted was to get home, back to London. But she hoped for her sake that Betty could find happiness here with Luke. That she could stay here and make something of her life. Losing Charlie must have been hard on her, but she had a chance to make a life here, with another man, and she deserved it. She’d lost her family before the war, hadn’t she? Happiness here was the least she could ask for.
 

      “Luke, I’ll come in with you. I think we might need some more sustenance out here.”

      That made Madeline giggle. It was Betty who’d always needed sustenance on the ship. She’d always claimed that it was eating for two that made her so ravenous, but maybe she just liked her food.
 

      Madeline watched them walk off. Close, but not touching. They had their heads bent in toward one another, like they didn’t even know they were doing it.
 

      “They’d make a gorgeous couple,” June said with a sigh.

      “Is she seriously in love with him?” Alice asked.
 

      Madeline rolled her eyes. “Do you even need to ask? Look at them.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

      “Thanks for being so understanding, Luke.”

      Betty kept her eyes on the path ahead. Now that she’d admitted it to June, it was all she could think about. Seeing him, walking with him, hearing his voice, watching how at ease he was talking with her friends – it all made her more in love with him by the moment.
 

      It was no longer something she could control. Like a beast with its own mind, taking her over and not letting her think of anything else.
 

      “I don’t want to get caught up in any personal problems, Betty, but if she’s having trouble you do what you need to do to help her.”

      Betty sighed.
 

      “It’s pretty bad for her. She wants to get back home.”

      He slowed his stride. Without even looking at him she knew his brows would be knotted. She’d watched his face, studied his expressions, so many times that she knew what every sigh and movement meant.
 

      “Do you mean to say she wants to run away with her child, back to London?”

      Betty chewed at the inside of her mouth. Did that mean he didn’t agree?

      “I’ll tell you all the details once I’ve spoken to her alone, later.” She wasn’t lying. Whatever Madeline told her would have to be repeated to Luke if he was going to assist her in any way. “I promise I’ll keep you informed.”

      He relaxed, she could sense his body loosening.
 

      “I know you will.”

      Betty went to look up at him but her eyes froze. His hand skimmed hers, ever so, a brush of his skin against hers, indenting against the palm of her hand with his fingers.
 

      Betty held her breath. Then slowly let her eyes travel toward his.
 

      He was watching her, waiting for her reaction, and she slowly clasped her hand around his fingers, just for a moment, before she let go.
 

      They kept walking,
 
not saying anything. But Betty’s heart sung like a bird calling out to the world, chirping so frantically she was sure Luke would hear it where it stood.
 

      “Come and see me later, once Madeline’s settled.”

      She liked how his voice had softened as he spoke to her this time.
 

      “I’ll see you soon,” Luke said.

      When he turned away to walk to his office, she could have squealed. But she didn’t. Betty skipped into the kitchen and almost bowled straight into Ivy.
 

      “Betty! What on earth are you doing?”

      She shrugged. “Just looking for more cookies.”

      “What’s put that silly smile on your face?”

      Betty pulled her lips down, trying to keep her mouth straight.
 

      “Nothing. Just having my friends here, that’s all.”

      Ivy looked suspicious but she didn’t question her further.
 

      “I’ve made a cherry pie for you girls. You take the cream and plates out and I’ll be out in a moment with it.”

      It took all Betty’s composure to walk demurely from the kitchen. Her heart was still fluttering, banging in her chest like it was about to explode.
 

      She loved Charlie. She always would. But this was different.
 

      Charlie was gone, and the way she felt about Luke was real. It hadn’t been the head over heels, love at first sight like kind of attraction that it had been with Charlie, but this was every bit as good. She trusted Luke, she admired him, and she respected him.
 

      It might have been a slow-burn attraction, but the way she felt for him now was more love than she could ever have imagined feeling again. Ever.
 

* * *

Madeline was calm. She felt safe. Happy even.
 

      She’d been unhappy and upset for so long that she hardly remembered feeling good, but she knew it hadn’t been that long ago. It was less than a year ago that they were all sailing here, full of anticipation.
 

      She looked around at the three women seated in a half-circle. It was like heaven being here with them. Knowing she could just be herself, not worrying about what she was meant to be doing, how she would be judged, what she could do to get away.
 

      Madeline still didn’t know quite how she was going to get back home, but she would find a way. It seemed possible now, as if her future was filled with possibilities.
 

      “I guess I’d better be on my way home.”

      Madeline looked over at June. She didn’t want to say goodbye to her friends, but the air was becoming cool, the sun disappearing for the day behind a bank of night time cloud.

      Alice stood and gave June a tug to her feet.
 

      “How are you getting home?” Alice asked.

      June laughed. “Would you believe Eddie’s taught me to drive? I’ve got his car out the front if you trust me to get you home safely.”

      Alice shook her head. “You? Driving a car?”

      Madeline tried to ignore the tears in her eyes as her friends chatted. Betty was looking on, too, but she seemed happy. It was different for Madeline.
 

      She had a feeling that this would be the last time she’d ever see June and Alice again. The last time she’d ever be in their company.
 

      If Betty was prepared to help her, she would be home before they ever met up again.
 

      “Madeline?”

      June was standing in front of her.
 

      “Daydreaming,” she confessed. “Sorry, what did I miss?”

      “I was just saying that I’d love you all to come and visit me. We could have lunch? Eddie is dying to meet you and I could show you our home.”

      Madeline smiled. It was all she could do. She wasn’t going to go making promises when she wasn’t going to be here. It was like only Betty understood how deadly serious she was about leaving for London.

      “I’m going to miss you, girls.” She had tears in her eyes again. “I’d love to see your house, June, if I can. We’ll just have to see.”

      Alice stepped forward and threw her arms about her.
 

      “You’re serious, aren’t you?” Alice looked her straight in the eyes, held out at arms length. “You’re really going home.”

      Madeline shut her eyes and took a deep breath. “I hate it here, Alice. I hate it. If I can get home, I’m going.”

      Understanding crossed Alice’s face. “I wish I could help you but we’re only just getting by. Things have been, well, difficult.”

      She was hiding something, that much was obvious, but Madeline wasn’t going to ask her. She didn’t want to pry. They all had their secrets.
 

      “I’ll figure it out, Alice, you just concentrate on your own happiness. All right?”

      Alice stepped back so June could hug her too.
 

      “I know it sounds silly, especially since we haven’t seen in each other in so long, but I’m going to miss you, Madeline. I truly am. It’s like we’ve finally found each other and it’s too late.” Alice sighed. “Maybe we could have helped you sooner if we’d known. Maybe we could all have transitioned easier if we’d actually been getting together.”

      Madeline doubted that they could have helped her, but she felt the same. “How can you miss someone you only knew a couple of weeks, and haven’t seen in months, right?”