THE WAR BRIDE CLUB by Soraya Lane Read Free Book Online Page B

her face.  
          “Oh go on, let’s play for chocolate!” Betty was practically salivating.
          Alice spoke again. “Losers have to tell a secret.”
          “Guess you girls need to spill, since I won and all.”
          Now it was June sitting back, one hand shielding her face from the sun.  
          “I don’t know…” Madeline wasn’t convinced.  
          “I’ll go first,” offered Betty.  
          They all placed their cards on the table.  
          “It’s naughty though.”
          Alice squealed with excitement at Betty’s words.  
          “Calm down or you’ll get us sent back below,” Madeline hissed.  
          “We’re having a boy,” she said, her eyes dancing.  
          “Not such a great secret,” said Alice, unimpressed. “Not by the size of that belly.”
          “Oh yes it is,” giggled Betty. “Want to know how I know?”
          That kept Alice quiet.  
          “The night I fell pregnant was on our honeymoon. They say you make a boy by, you know, being on top.” She paused, cheeks flushed crimson. “All I know is that I was on top of my husband most of the evening, so there was no chance for a little girl to be made!”
          Madeline blushed, June laughed and Alice stomped her feet with glee like a child after her first bite of a sweet. Betty looked embarrassed, but her eyes were shining.  
          “Alice, your turn,” she said. “If you think you can beat that.”
          “That old wives tale? Of course I can.” Alice wriggled around before giving them all a wicked grin. “Prepare to gasp, ladies.”
          Madeline held her breath.
          “It can’t be any more naughty than Betty’s story.”
          Betty giggled, her cheeks still flushed. “We’re all married women. There’s no harm in a little chitter chatter.”
          Alice batted her eyelids dramatically and leaned forward.  
          “Before the war, I was propositioned by a married man.” They gasped collectively. Alice dropped her voice an octave. “He had a Rolls Royce, a moustache and a tailor-made suit.”
          “Did you… take him up on his offer?” June’s voice came out as a gasp.  
          Alice shook her head. “I was so young, and he was so, so handsome.” She paused and looked down at her hands. “So I went for dinner with him. He even kissed me.” She giggled. “His moustache tickled my lips.”
          They all sat silent.        
          “He offered me a life as his mistress, with lots of money, and an apartment of my own. But every time I looked at him I thought about his wife,and his wedding ring seemed to glint at me under the light every time I looked up.”
          “So what did you do?”
          Alice grinned. “I was a little tipsy from the wine, but I excused myself to go to the rest room, and then I slipped out the back door and found my way home.”
          Madeline gave Alice a push, but from the serious expression on her face, the story was true.  
          “You just left him there?” Madeline knew she would never have the nerve to do that, but then she’d probably never have had the nerve to meet him in the first place.  
          Alice shrugged. “He was a very rich man, and very rich men are hard to say no to.”
          Eagar to shift the attention, Alice swivelled to watch Madeline. The other two did the same.  
          She felt uncomfortable. It was her turn and she didn’t know what to say. Or she did, but she didn’t want to say it aloud.  
          “Come on, Mads!”
          “My secret?” she said, gulping a lump of… what? Fear? “I don’t have anything much to call a secret, but, well, I guess there’s something I’m keeping to myself at the moment, if that counts?”
          She looked up as silence surrounded