Return to the Island: An utterly gripping historical romance by Hewitt Kate

Author:Hewitt, Kate
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781800192287
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2021-01-14T16:00:00+00:00

Ellen barely had time to think of Elvira’s surprising and beguiling invitation; the next morning, the Framptons left in a flurry of grateful goodbyes, with Elvira pressing her hand and urging her to send a telegram as soon as she’d made up her mind about visiting her in the city.

“It would be such fun,” she insisted. “And such an honor, truly.”

An honor? Ellen almost wanted to laugh. Elvira Frampton acted as if she were someone special, a famous artist, when she knew she was nothing of the kind. And yet it felt so very nice to be so flattered, to imagine a life apart, meeting important people and doing exciting things. As much as she loved island life, the daily round of chores, the pressing cares, had wearied her, and the thought of going somewhere else—being wined and dined and the rest of it—held a shameful appeal.

She couldn’t go, of course. Ellen had known that as soon as Elvira had made the invitation. She couldn’t possibly leave Rose and the others, not with Caro still nursing Iris Wilson and her poor children, and the holiday business barely up and running, and Peter’s situation so uncertain.

It was impossible. And yet it didn’t stop her from daydreaming, just a little, about what a trip to New York would be like. She hadn’t spent any time there, not properly. She’d sailed in to the city’s harbor as a wide-eyed twelve-year-old, but that felt like a lifetime ago. Two lifetimes, when she thought of her time at the Glasgow School of Art, and then nursing in France during the war.

Of course, she’d also done a bit of shopping there before sailing for Scotland eight years ago now, but it had been a fleeting trip, nothing more, two nights in a hotel and a trip to the Ladies’ Mile. She still recalled the bustling energy of the enormous city, and how it had invigorated her. To stay in someone’s home, tour all the wonderful sights, meet interesting and influential people, for an entire month…

“No, Ellen,” she muttered as she swiped a strand of hair from her eyes and scrubbed a scorched pan in the sink with even more vigor. “Don’t even think of it.”

“Think of what?” Rose asked cheerfully as she came into the kitchen with a basket of washing to hang on the line.

“Nothing,” Ellen said quickly. “Let me hang that for you, Aunt Rose.”

“I can do it, Ellen—”

“But I want to.” Ellen left the pan to soak and then took the basket from her aunt. “It’s a beautiful day and I’d like to get some air. You sit down and rest for a minute. Have a cup of tea.” She put the basket of washing down to fill the kettle and hauled it onto the stove.

“Well, I suppose a cup of tea would be nice.”

“Good.” Ellen couldn’t keep from noticing how tired and careworn her aunt looked. She was only a little over fifty, but the lines on her face and gray in her hair made her look older and frailer.

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