A Hope Remembered, page 30
An excerpt from
Hope Rising
follows.
Prologue
France, May 1918
Evelyn Gray breathed in the briny smell of the sea as she fingered the five shells in her gloved palm. One for each year without her father. From beneath her velour hat, she peered up at the gray sky overhead. The cool temperature and the possibility of rain made her grateful for the warmth of her Army Nurse Corps outdoor uniform, with its dark blue jacket, shirtwaist, and skirt.
“Nurse Gray, come on.” One of the other three nurses down the beach waved for her to join them in their walk along the shoreline toward the white cliffs in the distance.
Sighing, Evelyn turned in their direction. She wasn’t in any hurry to rejoin their conversation. The other girls on leave with her were full of talk about home and families and sweethearts, while she had only her aging grandparents waiting for her back in Michigan. As for a beau? Her lips turned up into a bitter smile. She’d been too busy with nurse’s training to worry about any of that.
She lifted the first shell—a smooth, white one—and tossed it into the sea. “I still miss you, Papa,” she said as the seashell slipped beneath the surface of the water.
Five years today, since you left us. She could easily picture how he’d trudged up the porch steps that afternoon after tending to a patient—he’d never established a doctor’s office in town, preferring instead to make house calls or take visits in their home. He hadn’t looked well, but Evelyn’s medical knowledge at seventeen wasn’t what it was today at twenty-two. She still wasn’t sure if he himself recognized the signs of the coming heart attack.
Tossing the second shell into the water, she swallowed hard against the flood of memories. She’d gone upstairs to make sure he was lying down and found him on the floor next to the bed, already gone.
She rid her hand of the third, fourth, and fifth shells in quick succession, then brushed the granules of sand from her gloves. The wind and the ache in her heart brought salty moisture to her eyes, but she straightened her shoulders against both. No one else needed to know what day it was or how much the loneliness tore at her.
“Afternoon.”
Evelyn whirled around to find an American soldier watching her from a few feet away. He wasn’t overly tall, less than six feet, but his handsome face, broad shoulders, and dark eyes were an impressive combination and made Evelyn’s pulse skip from more than being startled.
“I didn’t mean to disturb you.” He smiled, looking anything but apologetic. “Beautiful view.”
The way he said it, she knew he wasn’t talking about the ocean. Evelyn didn’t blush, though. She was used to lingering looks and flirtations from the wounded soldiers at the hospital where she worked. Some, like this young man, were quite handsome; others were sweet; and a few pressed her to keep in touch once they left the hospital. But Evelyn put a firm stop to any such nonsense. She wouldn’t break the rule forbidding fraternization between nurses and enlisted soldiers.
Being a nurse was demanding enough; doing so while pregnant or with a venereal disease would make it twice as difficult. Not to mention she would be discharged if it were discovered she was with child. No, nursing was too important to her, and to her grandparents, to throw her job away for some soldier. Nowhere else but in a busy hospital ward, performing her duties, did she still feel close to her father.
Time to catch up with the other nurses.
Evelyn turned in the direction of the cliffs and started after the girls. They’d managed to cover quite a bit of distance while she lingered behind. To her dismay, the soldier fell into step beside her.
“I’m Private First Class Ralph Kelley.” He held out his hand for her to shake. “And you are?”
“Not supposed to talk to you,” Evelyn said in her firmest nurse’s tone. “You know the rules, soldier.” She tried to maintain a brisk pace across the beach, but the stones and sand underfoot made it difficult.
He chuckled as he lowered his hand to his side. “You on leave?” he asked, doggedly ignoring her rejection. “With those other nurses?”
She refused to answer, but his next question caught her off guard.
“Do you collect pebbles? I saw you picking some up earlier.”
How long had he been watching her? Heat rose into her cheeks at his intrusion upon her private mourning. “I need to go.” She attempted to outdistance him again, but his feet kept tempo with hers.
“Have lunch with me.”
The request, spoken in an almost pleading tone, halted Evelyn’s retreat in a way his earlier attempts at charm hadn’t. She circled to face him. Perhaps a gentle rebuff would serve her better than her usual abrupt one.
Before she could say anything, he spoke again. “I can’t say I don’t make it a habit of talking with nurses.” He gave her a sheepish smile as he removed his cap and fingered the olive drab wool. “But you looked like you could use a friend back there. Like there was something weighing on your mind.”
The perceptive observation took her by surprise, and she fell back a step. Could there be more to this soldier than his ladies’ man demeanor? Her earlier feeling of isolation welled up inside her, nearly choking her with its hold. “It’s the anniversary of my father’s death—five years today.” The admission tumbled out, despite the voice of reason screaming in her mind to keep walking away. “I’ve been thinking a lot about him lately.”
“Do your friends know?” He nodded in the direction the other girls had gone.
Evelyn folded her arms against the battering breeze and shook her head. “I didn’t want to spoil their time away from the hospital.”
“That’s rather generous.” He cocked his head to study her. “Will you at least tell me your name?”
She could feel her defenses crumbling beneath the sincerity in his black eyes. “It’s…um…Evelyn. Evelyn Gray.”
“Evelyn.”
Hearing his deep voice intone her name brought butterflies to her stomach, and the smile he offered afterward made her heartbeat thrum faster. When was the last time she’d felt this way? Probably not since she and Dale had kissed after high school graduation. Dale Emerson had been her first beau, until he moved to Sioux City, Iowa, and Evelyn had put all her time and energy into becoming a nurse. Last she’d heard, Dale had graduated from medical school and was serving as a surgeon at the front lines.
“I discovered a place yesterday that serves excellent fish,” he said, his tone coaxing. “If you like fish…”
Despite her best efforts to stop it, a smile lifted the corners of her lips. “I think I’d like anything that wasn’t cooked at the hospital. Our food there isn’t much better than Army fare, I’m afraid.”
Private Kelley laughed; it was a pleasant sound. “I owe it to you then, to at least provide you a decent meal while you’re on leave.” His expression sobered as he added, “Especially today.”
Evelyn glanced over her shoulder at the three nurses far down the beach. She ought to refuse. But logic was growing less and less persuasive inside her mind. For the first time in months, she felt valued and important. This soldier’s genuine notice and concern soothed the loneliness she wore as constant as her nurse’s uniform.
She pushed at the sand beneath her shoes, her lips pursed in indecision. Could any real harm come from simply sharing a meal in a public place? At least she’d be spared having to listen to the other girls prattle on about their big families and parents who were still alive. She would only be trading one conversation for another.
Inhaling a deep breath, she let her words slide out on the exhale. “Let me tell them I’ll meet up with them later.”
He grinned and replaced his hat on his head. “I’ll wait right here for you.”
Evelyn moved with new purpose toward the retreating group. She called to the girls from a distance to avoid any questions. The three of them turned as one. “Go on ahead without me. I’ll meet up with you before supper.”
They glanced at one another, then one of them shrugged and waved her hand in acknowledgment. A sense of freedom rolled through her as Evelyn retraced her steps to where Private First Class Ralph Kelley stood waiting.
“All set?” He extended his hand to her.
Evelyn stared at it for a long moment, then placed her fingers in his palm. With a smile, he tucked her hand over his arm and led her away from the beach.
ACCLAIM FOR HOPE AT DAWN
“Readers seeking enlightening historical detail or a comforting story in which faith and rectitude overcome bigotry will be entertained.”
—Publishers Weekly
“I very much enjoyed the book because of the subject matter and because of the way it was written.”
—Romance.NightOwlReviews.com
“The author magnificently captures the Zeitgeist, the spirit of the time, how people really thought and behaved in that era, and how prejudice affects every life it touches . . . Hope at Dawn was a wonderful discovery . . . I highly recommend it.”
—FreshFiction.com
Fall in Love with Forever Romance
A HOPE REMEMBERED
by Stacy Henrie
The final book in Stacy Henrie’s sweeping Of Love and War trilogy brings to life the drama of WWI England with emotion and romance. As the Great War comes to a close, American Nora Lewis finds herself starting over on an English estate. But it’s the battle-scarred British pilot Colin Ashby she meets there who might just be able to convince her to believe in love again.
SCANDALOUSLY YOURS
by Cara Elliott
Secret passions are wont to lead a lady into trouble…Meet the rebellious Sloane sisters in the first book of the Hellions of High Street series from bestselling author Cara Elliott.
DEVIL’S MOON
by Amanda Scott
In a flawless blend of history and romance, USA Today bestselling author Amanda Scott transports readers again to the Scottish Borders with the second book in her Border Nights series.
THE SCANDALOUS SECRET OF ABIGAIL MacGREGOR
by Paula Quinn
Abigail MacGregor has a secret: her mother is the true heir to the English crown. But if the wrong people find out, it will mean war for her beloved Scotland. There’s only one way to keep the peace—journey to London, escorted by her enemy, the wickedly handsome Captain Daniel Marlow. Fans of Karen Hawkins and Monica McCarty will love this book!
A KISS TO BUILD A DREAM ON
by Kim Amos
Spoiled and headstrong, Willa Masterson left her hometown—and her first love, Burk Olmstead—in the rearview twelve years ago. But the woman who returns is determined to rebuild: first her family house, then her relationships with everyone in town…starting with a certain tall, dark, and sexy contractor. Fans of Kristan Higgins, Jill Shalvis, and Lori Wilde will flip for Kim Amos’s Forever debut!
IT’S ALWAYS BEEN YOU
by Jessica Scott
Captain Ben Teague is mad as hell when his trusted mentor is brought up on charges that can’t possibly be true. And the lawyer leading the charge, Major Olivia Hale, drives him crazy. But something is simmering beneath her icy reserve—and Ben can’t resist turning up the heat! Fans of Robyn Carr and JoAnn Ross will love this poignant and emotional military romance.
TOTAL SURRENDER
by Rebecca Zanetti
Piper Oliver knows she can’t trust tall, dark, and sexy black-ops soldier Jory Dean. All she has to do, though, is save his life and he’ll be gone for good. But something isn’t adding up…and she won’t rest until she uncovers the truth—even if it’s buried in his dangerous kiss. Fans of Maya Banks and Lora Leigh will love this last book in Rebecca Zanetti’s Sin Brothers series!
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Contents
Cover
Title Page
Welcome
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Author’s Note
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Epilogue
An Excerpt from HOPE RISING
Acclaim for HOPE AT DAWN
Fall in Love with Forever Romance
Newsletters
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2015 by Stacy Henrie
Excerpt from Hope Rising copyright © 2014 by Stacy Henrie
Cover design by Diane Luger
Cover image by Yolande De Kort/Trevillion Images
Cover copyright © 2015 by Hachette Book Group, Inc.
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at permissions@hbgusa.com. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
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ISBN 978-1-4555-9883-0
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Stacy Henrie, A Hope Remembered
