by Sheila Riley
Anna knew Doctor Bea was not an easy woman to ignore, but between her and Aunt Ruby it was hard to know which one was the most formidable. But she was in no mood for those pair of dreadnoughts who were battling for supremacy. Anna wanted to be there when Sam arrived at Ashland Hall and nothing was going to stop her.
All the people in the village turned out to welcome English and Canadian soldiers, to show their appreciation and respect for the sacrifice they had made. The troops arrived in ambulances and were greeted with loud cheers from children at the local school who waved Union Jack flags. The Boys’ Brigade banged their drums and blew their bugles. The Deputy-Mayor, in a short but passionate speech, said how glad they were to see the heroic champions.
He thanked them most sincerely for their services and wished them a speedy recovery, only for a wag in a wheelchair to call out: ‘I hope it’s not too speedy, I quite fancy a little holiday by the seaside.’ The quip caused no end of happy cheers. All in all, everyone agreed it was a lovely welcome.
‘She looks a bit flushed, Bea.’ Ruby said, worried. ‘Do you think it’s all been too much for her?’
‘What can you expect? Coming home from the battlefields after seeing things that no young lady should and having to do things that girls her age would never imagine before the war.’
‘I think Anna may need to sit down,’ May said when she saw the next fleet of ambulances arrive and the crowd dispersed to let them though.
Anna whipped her head round to see what everybody was looking at and her eyebrows shot to her hairline, craning her neck to get a better view when suddenly she slapped her hand to her mouth to stop herself from crying out.
It was impossible to say who saw whom first. But lightning couldn’t move faster when Anna caught sight of Ned. And her shriek of delight and disbelief was momentarily mistaken as one of pain when Anna headed towards the ambulance Ned had just got out of.
‘He is home!’ Anna cried. ‘He is alive!’ Anna did not care that she shouted her news, vaguely aware everybody was looking at them both. In seconds she was in his arms and Ned rained so many kisses, she was breathless.
‘You’re alive.’ They repeated the words over and over to each other. Ned folded her in his arms, and he was crying, and he was laughing, and he was talking nonstop. She looked up into his handsome face, afraid to blink in case he disappeared. This was all so much to take in.
Sam and Millie brought stretchers from the ambulance, and handed them over to orderlies, and Millie who was softly spoken was caught up in the euphoria to let everybody know she would take care of her husband-to-be.
And Anna who could not have been happier, called to Sam. ‘Sam, this is Ned, my husband. He’s come back to me.’
Sam rushed over and shook his hand. ‘Ned, it is so wonderful to see you home. We’ve all been so worried.’ Turning towards Millie he continued: ‘And this is Millie, my fiancée. We’ll be getting married soon and you and Anna you must come over to Canada for the wedding.’ Sam looked so happy he might burst, and Anna knew she had not lost him this time, because from now on she would know exactly where he was, and although the miles may separate them, they would never be truly apart again.
‘We won’t be going anywhere for a long time.’ Ned laughed, holding Anna at arm’s-length, and taking in the miraculous, impending birth of his first-born child. Then he was quiet for a moment, holding on to her as they watched the throng disperse, afraid to let her go. ‘Let’s not go back yet,’ said Ned, hardly able to take his eyes off his beautiful wife. ‘Let’s go for a little walk, we need time together, with no interruptions or distractions.’
Anna followed him gladly. She was never going to let him out of her sight ever again.
As they walked along the shore, the water lapping at the sand, she took his hand and placed it on the gentle mound of her stomach. ‘Can you feel him kicking. He knows his daddy’s home.’
‘How did this happen?’ Ned laughed, thrilled beyond reason and Anna’s cares were nothing but a distant memory now. She had everything she ever wanted right here.
‘Well, if you don’t know, my love, I don’t know who does.’ They clung to each other.
‘I may need some practice.’ Ned laughed into her hair, pouring loving words, which echoed in her heart. They were laughing and crying and best of all they were free, with a new life ahead of them. Ned felt a huge kick. ‘He’s saying hello,’ he laughed, knowing their worst fears were a distant memory. ‘I can’t believe it.’ Ned nuzzled her hair. ‘I am the luckiest man in the whole world.’
When Ned drew her into his arms. She clung desperately to him.
‘I’ve ached for this moment,’ Ned whispered in her hair.
‘Me too, my love, but we have to go now.’
As they reached the house, they heard a commotion coming from inside. A huge cheer went up and Archie hurried out.
‘The welcoming committee?’ Anna asked, breathless now as another pain gripped her.
’Ruby and May have put on a lovely homecoming spread, but I can’t see anybody eating,’ Archie said, barely taking his eyes from Anna who gasped, her eyes wide as she hugged her abdomen.
‘I think this little one wants to join in the celebrations,’ Anna gasped and was helped into a wheelchair by Ned who hurried her up the pathway towards Ashland Hall.
‘Can we have some help, here, please.’
Ned and Archie were prowling the kitchen, while VADs boiled plenty of water, and scolded the two men for getting in the way. The air buzzed with excitement and even the patients, fresh from Flanders Fields, waited for news from Doctor Bea. Ruby and May had stayed upstairs, behind closed doors. And it seemed like a lifetime before Ruby came out of the room, which had once been Anna’s bedroom, her sleeves rolled up to the elbow and her face beaming.
‘Forget the armistice!’ she called over the bannister. ‘Anna has brought a perfect, seven-pound six-ounce baby into this now-peaceful world.’
Ned took the stairs two at a time. Nothing was going to stop him seeing his son.
‘She wanted to greet her daddy,’ Anna gave a tired but happy smile when she saw the look of pride and wonder on Ned’s face as he took his newborn baby daughter from her hands and gave Anna a loving lingering kiss.
‘Let’s leave them to it,’ Doctor Bea whispered, and Ruby reluctantly agreed. There was plenty of time now. Ned and Anna didn’t even hear them leave the room. Their joy was complete as they gazed into the adorable navy-blue eyes of their daughter.
‘We are free, my darling.’ Ned kissed Anna and her eyes glistened with happy tears watching her Ned tenderly cradle his precious daughter. ‘And we have a new life to cherish.’
‘What shall we call her?’ Anna’s eyes were already half-closed.
‘Let’s call her, Hope,’ Ned whispered, watching Anna’s beautiful eyes slowly close.
‘Perfect,’ Anna murmured through smiling lips, ‘and her middle name is Daisy.’
Acknowledgments
Thank you so much to the wonderful Boldwood team of editors: Caroline, Jade, and Sue who pull it all together.
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About the Author
Sheila Riley wrote four #1 bestselling novels under the pseudonym Annie Groves and is now writing a saga trilogy under her own name. She has set it around the River Mersey and its docklands near to where she spent her early years. She still lives in Liverpool.
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First published in Great Britain in 2021 by Boldwood Books Ltd.
Copyright © Sheila Riley, 2021
Cover Design by The Brewster Project
Cover Photography: Shutterstock, Alamy and Colin Thomas
The moral right of Sheila Riley to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This book is a work of fiction and, except in the case of historical fact, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Every effort has been made to obtain the necessary permissions with reference to copyright material, both illustrative and quoted. We apologise for any omissions in this respect and will be pleased to make the appropriate acknowledgements in any future edition.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Paperback ISBN 978-1-80048-583-9
Large Print ISBN 978-1-80048-582-2
Hardback ISBN 978-1-80280-206-1
Ebook ISBN 978-1-80048-584-6
Kindle ISBN 978-1-80048-585-3
Audio CD ISBN 978-1-80048-577-8
MP3 CD ISBN 978-1-80048-578-5
Digital audio download ISBN 978-1-80048-581-5
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