The Mersey Angels by Sheila Riley

Author:Sheila Riley [Riley, Sheila]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Boldwood Books

Anna woke the following morning and could hardly believe that she and Ned were engaged to be married. Then, stretching luxuriously in her bed, she outstretched her hand before her, and giggled the gentle laugh of a girl in love.

‘Thank you for saving him, Lord.’ Anna hugged her left hand to her and offered a little prayer to the cerulean sky beyond the open window. Then, it being her day off, she dressed quickly, keen to show Aunt Ruby and Archie the gold ring that Ned had given her the night before. Excited at the prospect of spending the whole day with her beloved Ned, Anna did not want to waste a second of it.

Her light, quick tread on the sweeping stairs came to a sudden halt when she saw Aunt Ruby waiting in the foyer. Looking up to where Anna now stood, she spoke with more than a hint of sadness. ‘He has gone, my dear, Ned has gone.’

‘No!’ Anna did not trust herself to say another word. She recalled their last kiss, the way he held her for so long, saying nothing… Just holding her. Then he let her go as she hurried away to the ambulance which had arrived at that moment. She thought… she expected to… A dry sob escaped her lips. How could he! ‘He is injured!’ Anna cried, too distraught to hide her tears.

Aunt Ruby came to the bottom of the sweeping staircase and took Anna’s hand. ‘He is a serving officer. The Royal Navy will take care of him now.’

‘He did not give me any indication that…’ Anna could not finish her sentence. Last night he gave her a ring and asked her to marry him. He made her the happiest girl in the world. She went to bed, her head full of hopes and dreams of their future together. Why would he go off in the middle of the night without telling her?

‘Obviously, he is a man who cannot say goodbye.’ Ruby was unable to divulge the conversation she heard between Archie and Ned before he left. They did not know she was listening in the hallway of the lodge, when Ned told Archie he had been given special leave to see his family.

‘That can only mean one thing. You are on Special Operations?’ said Archie, then more quickly he said, ‘I’m sorry. I know you are not allowed to answer questions. Forget I asked.’

‘I only wish I could tell Anna, but I did what I came back to do, and I asked her to be my wife, but keep it under your hat. I’m sure she will want to tell you herself.’

‘I’m sure he had good reason to leave so suddenly,’ Ruby said as Anna looked at the woman who had given her and Ned the security which they both needed and who, she knew, would forgive Ned anything.

‘You would say that!’ Anna’s tone was terse. ‘He can do no wrong in your eyes and I thought so too, until he sloped off without so much as a goodbye.

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