The Broken Vow: Utterly gripping and emotional historical fiction (The Fitznortons Book 2) by Luisa A. Jones

Author:Luisa A. Jones [Jones, Luisa A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Storm Publishing
Published: 2024-01-22T00:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-FIVE

Charlotte

It was unusual for hospital trains to travel as far as Pontybrenin. Generally they would disgorge their load of wounded men at the bigger towns. There they could be taken to hospital, if there were sufficient beds for them, or cared for in large marquees which had been set up to accommodate the steady influx of men from the front. As Pontybrenin had only a small cottage hospital, and was further from the main centres like Newport or Cardiff, there had been little need up to now for local volunteers to meet the newly-arrived men from the station. The local St John Ambulance Brigade had offered to provide transport for the officers, but Charlotte had turned them down. The officers were walking wounded; Cadwalader and Nurse Boyle could fit three in the rear passenger compartment of the Wolseley, and Doctor Sheridan could bring two more in his car, with the assistance of a volunteer from the Voluntary Aid Detachment.

For the third time in five minutes, Charlotte checked her wristwatch. Her ears strained for the sound of approaching cars. The days had flown by recently, with a myriad of tasks to complete, and then that painful hour at the Dower House earlier, which had left her with the haunting image of Rosamund’s hollow eyes and the memory of her irregular, rattling breaths, as well as the gnawing, bitter feeling that Charlotte had let down not only her dying stepmother, but also her baby half-sister.

A distant rumble made her rush to the window, peering into the darkness. Yes, there it was – the unmistakable growl of the Wolseley, and a lighter, clattering noise that must be Doctor Sheridan’s car following behind. The crunch of wheels on gravel, like the sound of the sea on pebbles, told her they had arrived. Which car would Eustace be in? Would he be exhausted after his long, slow journey from France? She ran to the doorway, then paused and dashed to the mirror. Her face glowed with excitement, despite the tired smudges under her eyes after the strain of the past few days. She patted her hair, tucking some stray strands behind her ears, and took some deep, steadying breaths.

By the time she returned to the hall, the other staff and volunteers were assembling to greet their patients. All were wide-eyed and expectant, despite their fatigue. Catching Charlotte’s eye, Venetia nodded and gestured towards the front door.

“It’s only right that you should be the first to greet them, Charlotte. None of us would be here if not for you.” Pulling the heavy oak door open, she stood aside and with a grateful smile Charlotte moved past her into the covered stone porch.

The doctor’s car had drawn up behind the Wolseley, illuminating it in a glare of headlights that made Nurse Boyle shade her eyes with her hand. Its rear doors were already open, and Charlotte’s breath caught in her throat as she moved closer, unable to see past Cadwalader’s broad back as he waited to assist his passengers.

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