A Season in Fitzrovia by K. A. Lalani

Author:K. A. Lalani
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Fiction
Publisher: The Book Guild
Published: 2023-10-04T00:00:00+00:00

18

Deauville France

Lieutenant Hayden Ballard smiled at the young French nurse who had tended to him daily, ever since his relationship with Sybil Horton changed. As the nurse completed her morning duties, Sybil arrived discreetly and stood at the back of the room, as she usually timed her arrival for when the nurse had finished.

He looked far out to the sea, which was violently choppy in winter.

Despite all that he had suffered here during the war, he had come to develop an attachment to France and the life that he was cultivating here, although he suspected his family would have been shocked – even horrified – at the idea that sometimes he felt more European now than North American in his outlook; although there were times when he felt homesick and wished that he was already back home in Canada. His letters from family were full of questions and pleas for him to come home, thus far, however, he had kept them at arm’s length, waiting partially for the time when Sybil felt she could fully commit her future to him as he had to her. He had been candid from the start. His long-term future lay in Canada, and she had to be certain that she saw hers there for them to build a life together. He had hoped her visit home to England before Christmas might have helped her reach a firm decision, but it had appeared to him to have created more doubt in her mind. Although he had tried, Hayden didn’t understand what still anchored Sybil so firmly to England, as he knew she had no blood ties there now, only memories of her brother and the fiancé she had lost in the war; Miles of whom she had spoken so adoringly. A man that he had hoped she would think of less often now that she had come to have such affection for him.

Then there were his physical injuries. His legacy of war. The nurse told him they were healing, that physically at least he was almost fit again, despite only having partial vision in one eye. She couldn’t allow for the mental anguish that he still suffered from though, because she wasn’t qualified, any more than the physician who used to visit.

So it wasn’t just Sybil keeping him here. He was reluctant to return home until he was fighting fit in his mind. When he could stand up from the chair in front of the mirror and stand without the aid of the nurse or have to use his stick. When he could walk up the gangplank to board the liner, with only Sybil on his arm for support.

Then he would make plans to return home. So if those factors brought her the time she needed so be it. They both knew, however, that some day she would have a decision to make.

‘Sybil?’

‘I’m here.’

She moved to stand behind him as the nurse prepared for her exit.

Hayden offered his hand which Sybil took. ‘I set out at the same time, so the nurse was running late…’

‘I think she was, but no matter.

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