“Oh, yes, let’s not forget little Thelma, or Henry, or Petal, or whoever it is you are hiding in there.” He stroked her rounded tummy. “Do you think we’ll make good parents for this little one?”
“I hope we will.” Hazel couldn’t help remembering her father. “I had the best dad. I hope I can be half as good a parent as he was.” She felt a wave of sadness come over her. “I miss him so much.”
“It was terrible what happened, love. I wish I could have been there for you when he died.”
Hazel forced a smile to her face. “Well, you’re here now, and that’s all that matters.”
“I’ll keep you safe, Petal. I’ll keep you happy, or I’ll die trying.”
“There’s no need to go that far, love. I’m happy right now.” Hazel realised how true her words were. She’d never been happier. She and Glenn had done nothing but talk, and walk, and make love since they’d arrived in the Welsh countryside. She felt she knew him better and they had become closer than they had been before.
“I love you, Hazel Bradshaw.” Glenn brought his mouth to hers and kissed her deeply.
Ripples of pleasure rolled through her insides, but she pulled away. “Not here, Glenn. We have a God-blessed marital bed back at the cottage, and it will be waiting for us after we’ve enjoyed our picnic.”
“Spoilsport!” Glenn jumped up and pulled her to her feet. “But you’re right, I suppose. Now we’re married; we don’t need to sneak around to prove our love, do we?”
“I’m glad you can see it my way, husband.”
He made a grab for her waist and pulled her into his arms. “But it doesn’t mean we can’t still fool around a little bit.” He stopped her protest with another kiss.
She surrendered to his kiss and moulded her body to his. She realised she wouldn’t need much persuading to go along with what was on her husband’s mind. To make love out in the meadow, under the blue sky would be exciting.
He pulled away and took her hand. “I’m getting hungry. Let’s go enjoy our picnic before I get carried away. I’m sorely tempted to have my way with you right here, but I want to respect your wishes.”
“Well, I’m tempted too, Glenn,” she admitted. “Perhaps our little lake will offer enough privacy to satisfy both your hungers.”
He grinned and pulled her along. “Now you’re talking.”
Hours later, with the sun moving toward the horizon, Hazel sat beside her husband in the warmth of the afternoon. Neither had a stitch on, but Hazel was unconcerned. They’d found a sheltered, grassy hollow near the small lake and made love under the sky. Glenn was lying on his back staring at the great expanse of blue. She was stroking his shoulders and grinning down into his eyes.
“What are you smiling at, Petal?”
“I’m smiling because I’m happy.” She dropped a tender kiss on his lips.
He pulled her down to lie on top of him, holding her close. “I’m glad to hear you say so, love.”
“In fact.” She dropped more feathery kisses on his face. “I would say I am the happiest woman alive when I’m in your arms.”
His dark-green eyes looked almost turquoise with the reflection of the sky in them, and he smiled. “Then I’m the happiest man on earth.”
***
Now read, ‘Hardships for Hazel’, to discover what happens when war breaks out. Can her hard won happiness endure the conflict?
Taste the terror, the love, and the hardships endured by ordinary families in this WW2 romance set in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England.
Hazel found happiness with Glenn. She married her sweetheart and is excited to be expecting their first child, but war is on the horizon. What will the menace of conflict mean for her and her unborn child?
Glenn is a miner and believes he will be safe from the call-up, but when his pals begin to enlist, Hazel fears her happiness won’t last.
Will he leave her to fight for his country?
What about her baby?
How will she manage without him when the bombs begin to fall on Wakefield?
Hardships for Hazel, Chapter 1– New Friends and Old
https://amzn.eu/d/hrMMMdm
The flames flickered in the grate, and Hazel pulled the shawl closer around her shoulders. The news broadcast was continuing, but her mind could no longer focus on the voice. The newscaster’s words had made her blood run cold. “This is the National programme from London,” he began. Then as he went on, Hazel’s attention was caught by the words, “Germany has invaded Poland and has bombed many towns.” She shivered, despite the heat from the fire.
A few days ago the wireless had reported that Russia and Germany had made a pact to say they would never go to war with each other, and though Hazel didn’t understand politics, she’d felt relieved that peace talks were still going on. When she told her husband what she’d heard on the wireless, Glenn had smiled indulgently and told her she hadn’t grasped the situation properly and her poor little head had got it all wrong.
“Don’t mock me, Glenn. Why do you see this peace treaty as a bad thing?”
“Because Russia signed one like that with us not too long ago, love, but now they’ve changed sides.”
“Oh!” Hazel still didn’t understand.
“It seems the Germans are set on going into Poland, and if they do,” Glenn explained, “They’ll want help from the Russians.”
“But I thought the news broadcast was giving us good news.”
Glenn had knelt by her side and put his arms around her. “It’s bad news, love, because Chamberlain has said that he’ll stand with Poland.”
“Does that mean we will go to war?”
“Let’s hope not, eh, Petal?” He’d used his pet name for her and held her close. “Now where’s my tea?” he asked as he drew away, smiling. “I’m hungry!”
Now she shuddered as she recalled how easily they had forgotten the news broadcast that day. Life went on, and they’d discussed the day’s mundane events as they ate the meal.
“Did you go see the doctor today?” Glenn had asked.
Hazel told him she’d seen the midwife at the clinic and all was well with her and the baby. “She was happy to hear I’ll soon be stopping work. She said my legs would improve when I can put them up more often.”
She hadn’t explained how bored she would be or how useless she would feel once she was confined to the small sofa in the parlour.
Her physical discomfort was now secondary to the concern that was filling her mind. Germany had invaded Poland. The newscaster was still talking, but she was too upset to listen. She switched off the wireless and paced the kitchen floor.
Glenn was on the late shift and wouldn’t be home for hours. She couldn’t keep still and needed to talk about what she’d just heard on the wireless. Perhaps she’d got it wrong. She wanted to hear Glenn telling her not to worry, but he wasn’t there. Discussing the news with her neighbours would have been good, but she didn’t know them well enough yet, to pop around for a chat.
Just as she was reaching for her coat, with the idea to walk to her mam’s house, someone knocked on her door.
“Yoo-hoo, Hazel!” Eunice’s voice called as the door opened. “Oh, you’re in. I hoped you would be.”
“Oh, Eunice!” Hazel hurried to greet her best friend and hugged her close. “Am I glad to see you!”
“Whatever is wrong, love?” Eunice peered into Hazel’s distraught face. “What’s happened? Is it Glenn? Has there been an accident at the pit?”
“No, nothing like that.” Hazel shook her head. “Why would you think that?”
“Because most of your neighbours are gossiping in the street. I didn’t stop to hear what they were saying. I was on my way to visit you anyway, but when I saw the looks on their faces, I ran past them all. I was worried about you. What’s up?”
“You won’t have heard the news, will you?” Hazel realised that her friend couldn’t have heard the broadcast if she’d already been on her way to Ossett.
“What’s happened?”
“Germany invaded Poland.”
“Oh, my goodness!” Eunice’s face drained of colour. “Chamberlain won’t like that, will he?”
“Looks like we might be going to war.” Hazel felt her legs shaking. “What will we do?”
Hardships for Hazel, Women of Wakefield, Book Four – available here:- https://amzn.eu/d/hrMMMdm
Dear Reader
I really appreciate that you took the time to read this work of fiction. I hope you enjoyed it.
I would be grateful if you could leave a review of the book on Amazon, Goodreads or your favourite review site.
Good reviews are the best way you can spread the word about my work. Your valued opinion really makes a difference. They not only boost my morale, but they also help to boost my sales and enable me to devote more time to write more books.
Bad reviews always knock my confidence, but they give me the incentive to work harder and improve where I can.
I hope you will continue to read and enjoy my work as much as I enjoy creating the stories for you.
With very best wishes from the author,
Pearl A. Gardner
Get your FREE eBook here
Exclusive to new subscribers.
Be the first to hear about my new releases,
offers and occasional
FREE GIFTS.
About the Author
Pearl writes for the love of words and often compares herself to an actress performing to an empty theatre. Reader reviews are the sound of the distant audience and each one is greatly appreciated.
Flitting between genres ensures Pearl's stories are always fresh and exciting. She has a wide ranging and eclectic author list from chick lit, historical romance, to science fiction and the paranormal.
Pearl has enjoyed success, in the past, with short story fiction, winning some national competitions. Her articles and stories have been published in popular magazines, both fiction and non-fiction, but in recent years she has concentrated on full-length works.
More Published Work
Further Book Series set in and around WW2
WW2 Women of Courage – Series set in the Second World War, showing how women broke stereotypes to make a difference. – Each book can be read as a stand-alone novel, but can be better enjoyed in sequence.
Your Name is Jane, WW2 Women of Courage, Book One
http://amzn.eu/28Fj2xs
A World War Two Moving Mystery Drama - After a devastating air-raid, a young woman finds herself trapped in the ruins of a building. She has no idea where she is or how she got there. The only fact she is certain of is adding to her confusion. Her thoughts are in German, but her rescuers are speaking English.
When asked what her name is, she is disturbed to realise she doesn't know the answer.
As parts of her memory slowly return, she begins to understand her life has not been easy but is afraid to tell anyone about the incriminating and confusing fragments she can recall.
Not knowing who to trust, she sets out to uncover the mystery of who she is, and why she is in Sheffield when her home country is at war with England.
Hannah’s Conflict, WW2 Women of Courage, Book Two
http://amzn.eu/cTYkX5C
A World War Two Moving Drama - After escaping Europe before the outbreak of WW2, Hannah’s passionate response to the oppression of her fellow Jews leads her back to Germany.
Working with a group of partisans, she helps to rescue Jewish prisoners from their places of hiding, from labour camps and from certain death.
Living with danger, and in constant fear of discovery, she learns her lover is not what he seems. With no-one to confide in, she lives with the oppressive menace of his secrets and lies. If the truth gets out, it could threaten the safety of the whole operation.
Ingrid’s Mission, WW2 Women of Courage, Book Three
http://amzn.eu/7Rw6UXQ
A World War Two Holocaust Drama – Ingrid lived the sheltered life of an elite Nazi socialite until her father was executed by the Gestapo.
She learned her lover was responsible for betraying her father and vowed never to let another man take her heart.
Feeling guilty about the Nazi beliefs she had lived by, she determines to make amends for her previous acceptance of Hitler’s doctrines. Her self-imposed mission is to save as many oppressed people as she can.
Working with a group of partisans, she learns the skills she needs to fight the Nazi regime, but in the midst of her new and dangerous life, can one liberated Jew steal her heart?
Freedom for Cassie, WW2 Women of Courage, Book Four
http://amzn.eu/e2XBlUs
A Holocaust Survival Story - 1973 - The hidden terrors of Cassie’s past have prevented her from embracing life as fully as she might have. The Polish immigrant leads a quiet life as a nurse but when her friend’s daughter asks to interview her for a Remembrance Day feature in the local newspaper; the long forgotten memories begin to surface and help to set her free.
1943 - After an outrageous abuse by a German soldier, Cassie escaped from the Lodz ghetto in Poland. A group of partisans found the sixteen-year-old and her younger sister and helped them to cross Europe in an audacious plan to reach safety.
Travelling thousands of miles through enemy territory, Cassie endured some terrifying ordeals and survived on starvation rations. She lived in constant fear of patrols and ambushes, but her world changed when a young Austrian Jew befriended her.
Under the extreme conditions of trying to escape the holocaust, friendship soon turned to love, and Gunter became the focal point of her chaotic life.
Was Cassie resilient enough to travel the infamous freedom trails to reach the safety she craved? Would Gunter give up his partisan life to join her?
Women of Wakefield - A book series set in the Second World War, telling the stories of how women lived and loved in those testing times. – Each book can be read as a stand alone novel, but can be better enjoyed in sequence.
Evelyn’s Fight, Women of Wakefield, Book One
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01H745L9G
A World War Two moving saga - World War Two interrupts Evelyn’s life when her husband decides to enlist.
After a tragedy in the street, her mother, Nora, confesses secrets that rock the foundations of Evelyn’s world.
When a telegram informs her that Dennis suffered wounds in action, she has no idea what to expect.
His injury changes everything. More secrets are revealed and Evelyn finds she’s been living in a web of lies for years. Determined to fight to keep her family together, she faces an uphill struggle.
Will she win the fight? Can life ever be the same again?
Peace for Gladys, Women of Wakefield, Book Two
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N05FP97
World War Two story of secrets and inner turmoil - Gladys hides a secret past that could ruin her marriage, but fortunately for her, John is still away, fighting. With the war in its fifth year, she believes the gossips may have forgotten her past mistakes, but still worries what might happen if her husband should ever learn what she’d done.
When she comes into an inheritance, she uncovers more family secrets that are just as troubling as her own. Should she tell what she knows, or let the past stay hidden?
Will she be forced to live her life looking over her shoulder, or will she ever know peace?
Happiness for Hazel, Women of Wakefield, Book Three
http://amzn.eu/eBN3MJW
World War Two story of secrets and passion - As the clouds of war gather, young Hazel is falling in love. She is charmed by a sensitive young man from a mining family, and passion sweeps her common sense away. Fearing her parents might not approve of his background, she keeps her affair secret.
Her sweetheart hides a darker side that Hazel finds exciting, but when he becomes possessive, she discovers he might not be the man she thought he was. Are the rumours about him true? Is he really responsible for hurting her friend?
Can she trust him with her heart?
Hardships for Hazel, Women of Wakefield, Book Four
https://amzn.eu/d/hrMMMdm
World War Two saga of adversity, romance, and loss - Taste the terror, the love, and the hardships endured by ordinary families in this WW2 romance set in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England.
Hazel found happiness with Glenn. She married her sweetheart and is excited to be expecting their first child, but war is on the horizon. What will the menace of conflict mean for her and her unborn child?
Glenn is a miner and believes he will be safe from the call-up, but when his pals begin to enlist, Hazel fears her happiness won’t last.
Will he leave her to fight for his country?
What about her baby?
How will she manage without him when the bombs begin to fall on Wakefield?
Eunice Finds Love, Women of Wakefield, Book Five
http://amzn.eu/d/9JiT3yH
World War Two saga of oppression, longing and love - In this mesmerising romance, the outbreak of war gives Eunice the chance to break free. The Women’s Land Army offers her an exciting opportunity to delay her plans to marry and spread her wings.
She embarks on a thrilling adventure, but something is missing from her life. Her friends are living for the moment and taking every opportunity to have fun, to dance, to fool around, and fall in love. “We could be dead tomorrow,” are the words they say to excuse their behaviour. Eventually, Eunice is persuaded to join them, and she meets a handsome airman.
Feeling guilty for betraying her sweetheart, Kenny, she embarks on a passionate affair and hopes to find the kind of love she’d always dreamed of.
How will she break things off with Kenny?
Happiness for Hazel Page 27