‘No, you can’t be silly. You fly a plane and say big words. You only kiss Elenor, not all the girls like Freddy.’
Elenor fought to hold back her laughter.
‘Rose. How would you feel about having Jackson as your daddy?’ she asked.
‘Really? Like a proper daddy?’ Rose said and rocked the toe of her foot back and forth, deep in thought.
‘That’s right little lady, like a proper daddy,’ Jackson said.
With a slow deliberate movement, Rose approached him and clambered onto his knee.
‘I can’t ’cos we haven’t got a mummy,’ she said in a loud whisper.
‘Ah, that’s not entirely true, Rose. I’ll let you into a secret only Dottie and Tom know. Elenor and I got married this morning. We wanted to surprise you. Elenor is Mrs St John. Would you like to become Rose St John? Would you like to live in Canada with us and be a proper family?’
Struggling free from his arms, Rose stood in front of Elenor and looked her up and down. ‘Did you get married in that dress?’ she demanded, and Elenor tried not to smile at her serious face.
‘She sure did, and doesn’t she look very much the bride?’ Jackson said.
Rose gave an exaggerated swipe of her hand across her brow.
‘Phew, at least she didn’t wear her overalls and that turban. Where’s your ring?’
Elenor could no longer hold back the laughter, and let Jackson slip on her hidden rings and held out her arms to Rose.
‘Darling girl, you are my world. Please, can I be your mummy? Can we sail away on a big ship with a new daddy and live in a big new country? All we have to do is sign a paper to make it official. We’d be honoured if you did. It would be the most wonderful thing in our lives, Rose,’ Elenor said and Jackson nodded in agreement. She saw the teardrops glistening on his dark lashes.
‘Yes please,’ Rose’s voice was so soft, and her eyes so full of wonderment, Elenor’s heart swelled with love.
‘You said yes, you’ll be our daughter? Well, I think that is better than getting married to Elenor,’ Jackson said and lifted her high. He kissed her cheeks, and she squealed for him to stop being so soppy.
Once her feet were back on the ground, she went to Elenor and the two embraced until Rose fell asleep in her arms.
From the moment Rose said yes things moved fast for Elenor and Jackson. He arranged for papers to allow Elenor and Rose to enter Canada and telephoned his family with the news.
Elenor asked Dottie and Tom to move into the farmhouse and run Tre Lodhen, and Susie and Ron were given the cottage. Tom was approached by Joe, who was concerned farm goods were being sold by one of the rabbit catchers. It appeared he – and others – received them from Titch in exchange for money. Elenor reported Titch for theft. All protests of Rose being a German were ignored as the rantings of a guilty woman.
Their friends insisted on holding a farewell party and invited what seemed like the whole village. Only a few accepted, confirming that not everyone thought Elenor innocent.
Leaving day arrived and before Elenor knew it, the three of them were on a train heading for the port. Elenor held her nerves together, but as they stood on the dockside, she floundered.
Jackson’s arms reassured her, and his kisses burned a fire in her belly so fierce she ached with love for him.
Rose’s hand felt tiny in hers as they walked the gangway onto the ship. Leaving England was a hard decision, but one Elenor knew would keep Rose safe.
The man who’d taken them on as a couple stood beside them and Elenor’s heart swelled with pride. She wanted to tell the world of a Canadian hero who’d saved an orphan, her hero and the man she had fallen deeply in love with. But Elenor knew she never would. Some things were best left a secret.
Acknowledgements
My thanks to Charlotte Ledger, Editorial Director of HarperImpulse, for having faith in me, and for co-ordinating the best team ever to guide me through to publication.
To my wonderful family and friends, thanks for reminding me how much I can achieve with you at my side.
To my readers, without you I am nothing. Thank you for your support.
Special thanks go to authors: Talli Roland, Terri Nixon, Esther Chilton, Debbie (Jonty) Johnston, and David Evans. Also to Kate Nash of the Kate Nash Literary Agency, and Lucie Wheeler for inviting me along to her book launch in September 2017, and unknowingly setting the wheels in motion for Charlotte and I to fall into fate’s plans and bring this book into the world.
Last, but by no means least, to the Poppy Sellers of Vancouver. Thank you for reminding me about the allies who’d fought alongside Britain during WW2. When I visited the city in 2017, you inspired a fictional Canadian pilot, and he features in this novel.
Glynis Peters lives in the seaside town of Dovercourt. In 2014, she was shortlisted for the Festival of Romance New Talent Award.
When Glynis is not writing, she enjoys making greetings cards, Cross Stitch, fishing and looking after her gorgeous grandchildren.
The Secret Orphan is her first WW2 historical novel.
About HarperImpulse
HarperImpulse is an innovative, award-winning digital imprint. In the five years since launch, we have continually hit digital bestseller lists, hosted the UK’s first online romance festival, published into over ten countries and grown an exciting stable of commercial women’s fiction authors.
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