The Secret Room by Sara Swann

Author:Sara Swann [Swann, Sara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: inspirational historical romance
Publisher: vinspirepublishing
Published: 2023-08-17T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

Sunday, December 18, 1938

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

“Not only does the Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin, turn sixty years old today, but there is an article here about Lady Astor.” Larry adjusted the newspaper in the driver’s seat of their streetcar as he mused to Ruth. The church parking lot was still empty, seeing as how they were so early, but today was no ordinary Sunday. Rumor had it that some Kindertransport children had begun arriving, and the Swann’s were anxious to see if anyone from their church had been matched with a child, or even a sibling group.

“What does Lady Astor have to say,” Ruthie asked as she smoothed the front of her church dress. She wore his favorite today, the one she made herself with the little blue flowers that reminded him of cornflowers, and the little trimmings of dainty lace on every edge.

“Well, she said she approves of camps for children, but she does not approve of what she calls dictators, who are lunatics at large.” He looked thoughtful. “I can only assume she means the birthday boy and Hitler himself.”

“I assume so,” Ruth agreed.

Her long hair was tied back in double plaits this morning, and tied at the end with shiny blue ribbons that only came out on the most special of occasions. Never having been blessed with children themselves, Larry knew how excited Ruth was to take in a child she could love, even if it was a temporary child who belonged to someone else.

“Camps,” Ruth mused. “Wasn’t there an article about some camps for grown men back at the beginning of this kerfuffle? How men were rounded up overnight, like animals, and sent to camps?”

“Yes,” Larry mumbled. “Yes, there was.”

“Would it be the same camps?” Ruth asked aloud. “Or have they begun rounding up children, too, as they had the men?”

Larry was silent.

“Or are they holding camps for Kindertransport children?”

“You should write the newspaper articles, Ruthie,” Larry said, complimenting his wife. “You certainly want to know all the answers, and I know many other readers do, too. If you were writing the articles, I know you would see for sure that they got them.”

Ruthie smiled. Larry noticed she was wearing rouge and a coat of lip varnish, too. “What else does it say, Larry?”

“Seems the Nazi’s have their eye on Lithuania, Memel to be exact, and are using it as leverage against the Polish state. There is a map printed here, titled, ‘Where German Ambition Casts Long Shadows’.” He held the newspaper out and pointed to the map. It showed how much the Nazi party control had grown from Germany northward, southward, westward, and even eastward.

Ruth reached over and patted Larry’s hand. “Perhaps today we will learn if we are able to help the good people of Europe who are caught in the middle of this government mess in a more tangible way.” Once again, her blue eyes sparkled.

Several more families had arrived, including the pastor, and were already going inside. He could not help but

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