Soldiers' Wives by Fiona; Field Read Free Book Online

exaggerated. I don’t think that was ever really on the cards, although a couple of his rowing buddies made it. He was out in Afghanistan when the selection process took place, so he was never really a contender.’
    â€˜If he was in Afghan in 2012…’ She counted up on her fingers. ‘So when he came back…?’ She looked at Nate.
    â€˜Pretty much. We only planned to get married, not start a family, but hey.’ Maddy shrugged and then grinned. ‘It was quite a honeymoon. Tea?’
    â€˜Please – milk, no sugar. Still, you must be delighted.’
    Maddy nodded enthusiastically, but she felt she was trying to convince herself as much as Caro. Of course she adored Nate – she just thought she’d adore him even more if she could get a whole night’s sleep. She shoved teabags into a couple of mugs.
    â€˜I’ve got two boys, two and four,’ said Caro. ‘They’re out with their dad at the park right now. Tell you what, why don’t I take Nathan home with me for a couple of hours, which’ll let you get on in peace? It wouldn’t be any trouble, honest.’ She gave Maddy a winning smile.
    Maddy was utterly torn. Jeez, yes, she could do with a break but, firstly, she barely knew her neighbour and secondly, Nate was hardly easy, so it seemed a crap deal for Caro. And what on earth would Seb say if he came home to find that she’d palmed his first-born off on a virtual stranger? As she stirred the mugs she weighed up the pros and cons.
    â€˜Caro, that’s really, really kind but I can’t.’
    â€˜No worries. The offer is genuine though, and there if you need it.’ She leaned forward and posted Nate back into his bouncy chair and set it in motion before taking her tea.
    â€˜Crikey,’ said Maddy. ‘He isn’t yelling.’
    â€˜So, while peace reigns, why don’t I tell you about the camp?’
    They sipped their tea and Caro gave Maddy a list of facilities, from the nearest surgery to a decent washing-machine repairman. ‘And then there’s a pretty good Wives’ Club.’
    Maddy looked blank.
    Caro shook her head. ‘Surely you had a Wives’ Club at your last posting?’
    â€˜Might have been one, but I wasn’t much of an army wife. I worked almost right up to the moment I had Nate and then we moved. I didn’t join in much.’
    Caro looked at her. ‘So it’s all change for you: new house, new baby, no job?’
    Maddy nodded. ‘In a nutshell.’
    â€˜Do you want to go back to work?’
    â€˜Ideally, but I don’t think there’s much call for biochemists around here. And Mrs Notley won’t approve if I do.’
    Caro shook her head. ‘Sod her. She’s the least of your worries if you want to have a career. Frankly, the biggest hurdle is moving every couple of years. By the time you’ve found a job, you’ll probably only hang on to it for about a year or so and then you’ll be off again. It makes your CV look a bit odd – a bit busy, shall we say. Anyway,’ she continued, brightly, ‘in the meantime you have no excuse not to come to the Wives’ Club. Next week it’s a talk on making Christmas cakes and you’ll score a Brownie point with Mrs N just by showing your face.’
    Maddy tried to look enthusiastic – Christmas cakes? Already? – and would she get drummed off the patch if she just bought one? And did she want one of Mrs Effing Notley’s Brownie points? But then Seb might want her to collect a few. God, this army game was a nightmare, thought Maddy. She thought she’d just
married
a soldier, not joined up herself.
    â€˜Right,’ said Caro. ‘What else do you need to know?’
    â€˜Has Mrs Notley got a Christian name?’
    Caro snorted and rolled her eyes. ‘Ann, but no one uses that. If you get really well in with her – dinner party invitations and that sort