Stolen from Her Mother: An utterly heartbreaking World War Two page-turner set between Ireland and America by Rachel Wesson

Author:Rachel Wesson [Wesson, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781803140902
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2022-01-20T16:00:00+00:00

The weeks came and went with no word from her family or—ice crawled along her veins—Tony. She knew the risks aircrew took every day but pushed away those fears. Tony had to come back, for the sake of their child and her own heart.

She’d written to Joe but hadn’t heard back from him either. Was her brother even alive? The losses the navy had endured in the North Atlantic had made the newspapers almost every day before she’d landed in this place. He’d survived one sinking, but would he be so lucky next time?

Kate cried herself to sleep every night. She tried to keep her spirits up during the day so as not to bring the other girls down, but it was challenging. Ger, now her firm friend, did her best to make her smile.

“You can’t frown today,” said Ger on Easter Sunday. “It’s the resurrection of Jesus and even the Reverend Mother cracked a smile this morning. We get to rest all day, no chores until tomorrow. So come on, tell us a story or sing us a song. Every girl has to do a party piece. Show the old battleaxes they haven’t won.” Ger patted her bump, so large it seemed to have taken over her body. “I’d do a jig but I think I’d fall flat on my face.”

Despite their worries, the girls managed to forget about their troubles for a little while. It didn’t last though.

Later that night, after everyone was asleep, Kate heard Ger crying. She got out of bed, careful not to make a sound and crept over to the girl’s bed.

“I’m sorry, I kept you awake, didn’t I?” her friend whispered. “I’m just being silly.”

“What’s the matter? Well, aside from living in this palace with the best clothes, finest food and kind guardians?”

Ger laughed and then covered her mouth in case she’d been too loud.

“I wish I had your spirit, Fidelma.”

“Kate, that’s my name. You do; after what happened to you, you still care enough about the others to keep things to yourself. You don’t crow about getting out of here even though most of us will be in for at least three years. You do the worst jobs in the laundry. I’ve seen you protecting the new girls or the younger ones.”

“Someone has to try. What does a thirteen-year-old know about babies? The nuns treat her as if she had a choice.”

“They do the same to you, Ger. You shouldn’t be in here either. The man who attacked you, did they do anything to him?”

Ger shook her head. “They didn’t seem interested.”

“Is that why you were crying?”

“No. I was thinking of my boyfriend. He says he still loves me and wants us to get married when I get out of here.”

“That’s great. Isn’t it?”

Ger shook her head. “I can’t marry him. I love him so how could I ruin his life? Nobody will ever forget what happened to me. You heard the Reverend Mother, once a Magdalene, always a Magdalene. We’re dirt, Kate.

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