Her Lady's Melody by Renee Dahlia

Author:Renee Dahlia
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: sapphic romance, lesfic, WWI
Publisher: Renee Dahlia
Published: 2021-05-05T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

Luciana stayed at the back of the boat, beside Oma, watching Amsterdam fade into the distance. A slow goodbye to mainland Europe where she’d spent so much time working. Goodbye to Maggie who didn’t even have her own grave. Tears streamed down her face and she let them. She’d never have a place to lay flowers for Maggie; not that Maggie would want them. Sentimental dross, she would’ve said.

“Don’t cry, my darling girl.” Oma rubbed her on the arm.

“I spent so many years there, and I’ve changed so much.” She stood with her back towards England, a deliberate metaphor because she wasn’t ready to face the next steps yet. Her future remained a blank slate, and she couldn’t picture what she might do with the rest of her days. As it stood, she wasn’t capable of being a surgeon, and the sheer waste of all her experience was like a blockade, preventing her from seeing what else she might do.

“I understand. My whole life was in Amsterdam, and I might not see it again.” Oma’s face was wet with tears too. Together they sat down, holding hands, and watched until the land disappeared on the horizon and they could only see the water.

The trip from Amsterdam took all day, with the train ride from Amsterdam to the Hook of Holland, then the ferry across the Channel to Harwich, before a train to London. Pavel had been seasick, and Luciana had given him some ginger to help calm his nausea. They’d stayed last night at her friend Priya’s family home in London, and Mama and Papa had arrived in time for lunch. The miracles of the telegraph meant her parents had known exactly when Oma would arrive in London. Luciana’s brother Rafe had come with them, which was a lovely surprise. He’d stayed at Priya’s house rather than come back to the station to farewell Oma, Mama, and Papa as they left for Chesterfield on the afternoon train. Luciana promised to join them in a week or so. The train from London to Chesterfield would take them close to the Stanmore estate. The little village of Old Lewiston sat at the bottom of the valley, only a short five-mile car ride from Chesterfield station.

Luciana stood on the platform and waved goodbye to Oma, Mama, and Papa, until the train disappeared, then she pressed her hands against her stomach. It would be some time before she got to see the house where she grew up. She had decided to stay in London with Therese and Pavel, so they could visit the bank and sort out the mystery with Therese’s letter. She needed the distraction. Being back on English soil only reminded her of her own problems and by focusing on Therese’s issues, she could keep delaying facing the truth. Hopefully it wouldn’t take too long to unpick the puzzle of Therese’s letter and why Ivan was so keen to snatch Pavel. As much as it would suit her personally for the mystery to be drawn out, she didn’t want to wish that on Therese and Pavel.

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