LEAH FLEMING
The War Widows
This novel is entirely a work of fiction.
The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
AVON
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Copyright © Leah Fleming 2008
Leah Fleming asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
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Source ISBN: 9781847560131
Ebook Edition © 2009 ISBN: 9780007334971 Version: 2018-06-19
For Jan, Madeleine, Menna, Lyneth, April, Kathryn and all the Lichfield Register friends, past and present.
‘We have eaten bread and salt together, sorrows and joys shared…’
Contents
Chapter 3 - An Unexpected Legacy
Chapter 4 - The Leftover Brides
Chapter 5 - The Day War Broke Out Again
Chapter 6 - Farewell to Freddie
Chapter 7 - The Olive Oil Hunt
Chapter 9 - Balancing Books and Entertaining Angels
Chapter 10 - Invitations to a Feast
Chapter 11 - Susan to the Rescue
Chapter 12 - The Olive Oil Club
Chapter 13 - A Dickens of a Christmas
Chapter 14 - Dancing in the Snow
Chapter 16 - The Joys of a Family
Chapter 17 - Cinderellas in Ballgowns
Chapter 19 - Changing the Guard
Chapter 20 - A Bit of Blackpool Air
Chapter 21 - Here Comes The Bride
Chapter 22 - Dancing in the Park
Chapter 24 - A Brief Encounter Moment
Chapter 25 - Gretna Green Temptations
August 1947
Her big day was here at last, after all those years of daydreaming how it would be. The bride opened one eye and peered over her bedroom. It felt as if she’d been courting sleep all night and not a wink in her direction. But what sort of girl slept like a top on the eve of her wedding anyway? Except hers was the wakefulness of the wary, not the excitement of a nervous bride.
‘Bless the Bride’ was the popular song that went round and round in her head like a needle stuck on a gramophone record.
Her