Soldier's Valentine by Lizzie Lane Read Free Book Online Page B

chance.
    Suddenly the terrible strain of carrying the secret overwhelmed her. The truth was that at this moment her heart was so full of love for him, she burst into tears.
    ‘Don’t you like it? I would have got a card with them yellow flowers that you grow outside on it, but they didn’t have any. Do you like it?’
    ‘I do! I do!’
    ‘Are you ill? Is the baby coming early?’
    She shook her head. ‘No. It’s just that … I don’t deserve it. That’s just it. I don’t deserve it.’
    She sank down onto a chair, burying her face in her hands.
    ‘I don’t deserve you. It’s not fair. You know nothing about me. Nothing about Edward.’
    Henry stiffened. ‘Edward?’ Who’s Edward?’
    She peered at him through the gaps in her fingers, aware the moment had come to unburden the heavy load she carried. There was no going back.
    She told it as it was – her engagement to Edward, him getting killed and her being forced to give her baby away.
    She was only vaguely aware of the sudden rigidity of Henry’s body.
    ‘You say his name was Edward and we were in the same regiment?’
    His tone was chill and cut her to the bone. But there was no going back.
    ‘Yes. Edward Ross. Lieutenant Edward Ross. He was in the same regiment as you. He died, just like your friend Lewis died.’ She spoke carefully and honestly, feeling lighter as she unburdened her greatest guilt.
    Suddenly, Henry headed for the door.
    ‘What is it? Where are you going?’
    ‘To work of course. I have to get to work.’
    ‘Henry. He was one of yours. Edward. He was one of your compatriots.’
    He stopped by the door, looked at her sidelong and nodded. ‘Yes. He was.’
    ‘It won’t make any difference to us, will it, Henry? I love you and I’m still your wife.’
    ‘Of course you are, Mary Anne. Of course you are.’
    The sound of the door slamming shut reverberated around the house.
    Mary Anne sank into a chair regretting what she had done. She fingered the beautiful card. She knew her husband well enough to realise it must have taken a great deal of courage for a man like him to buy such a thing. He was a man’s man, not given over to doing anything overly romantic or silly. He had all day to get over what she’d told him, and if he loved her enough he would. She was sure of it. The card alone told her that.
    Only the fact that young Harry began crying brought her back from dark thoughts. Before going to him, she put the card up on the mantelpiece.
    Her son had been teething for a few days, but the bright red rash he’d broken out in worried her. She needed for him to see a doctor. There was no point in going to see Doctor Belman in Old Market without checking she could afford to pay for his services. Luckily, her parents had left her with a few pounds for emergencies.
    She kept the money in a tea caddy in the larder. The tin was blue and white with pictures of handsome Indians waiting on favoured white people in fine clothes sitting around bamboo tables.
    Mary Anne took out the money and began counting it. There didn’t seem to be as much money as there had been. She frowned. She hadn’t spent that much of late except for material with which to make her growing son some new clothes.
    Another thought came to her; Henry had found her secret store of cash and borrowed some. She decided to ask him later, then thought better of it. Having burdened him with such heavy news about Edward and the baby, perhaps it was best leaving it for another time.
    Young Harry began crying more lustily and was red in the face. After bundling him up in a blanket, she dashed out, heading for the taxi stand where she hoped to find her husband.
    ‘Ain’t seen ’im,’ said one driver.
    The others looked sheepish as though they knew but weren’t telling.
    ‘If you could tell him I’ve taken Harry to the doctor’s. Tell him he has a fever.’
    Doctor Belman examined Harry carefully. ‘Get some teething powders from the chemist, give him half of one three