The G.I. Bride

by Eileen Ramsay

  ‘You need to tell her, Eunice. Have you told A.J. about Norm yet?’

  Eunice’s eyes filled with tears. ‘No. He’ll hate me. I haven’t seen him since before we spoke anyway. He sent me the most beautiful letter.’ She thrust a piece of paper at April.

  ‘Are you sure you want me to read this?’

  Eunice nodded, then walked away slightly.

  Dear Eunice,

  Words can’t describe how honoured I feel at the precious gift you have given me. Not just those moments we shared on the moors – moments that have burned into my heart – but also the gift of your love. Just the thought of it warms me like the North Carolina sun. When you told me you loved me, I felt I was the luckiest guy to walk this earth. I felt taller than Homer, and a hundred times as wide. Before I came here, I didn’t realise what it was to be respected and loved by anyone but my family. Yet you say you do. I keep pinching myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.

  My beautiful girl, with hair like fire and a face dusted with angel’s kisses, how I wish we had the time for me to kiss every one. But as we don’t, I want you to know that I love you, my fire-girl. I love every little bit of you. You’ve hit me like a train at full speed, and my head is spinning. What I said that day about us getting married – I meant it. I would live anywhere with you. Life will be hard, maybe, but we can do anything if we face it together. And I can think of nothing I want more than facing my future with you by my side.

  So, what I’m doing in my clumsy way is asking you again to marry me. We might not be able to live together for a while, and I don’t know what the future holds, or even how this war will end. But whether I have just a short time, or whether I will live to be an old man, I know I want to spend every moment I have left with you.

  So, what do you say? Will you have this soldier, who knows nothing much, other than that he loves you, and will do forever?

  Yours always,

  A.J.

  April looked up from the letter at Eunice, who was still gazing out over the ocean. She felt the tears that she had been holding back since she woke start to fall. Such beautiful, heartfelt words. How could she not risk everything for a man who felt like this? And yet . . . so many obstacles, so much disappointment and heartache lay between her and this man’s love.

  She walked over to her friend and put an arm around her shoulders. ‘I’ve always liked A.J. He’s so sweet-natured and charming. But I never realised what a sensitive, romantic soul he has. Oh, Eunice, what are you going to do?’

  Eunice wiped her eyes. ‘I’m going to break his heart. And mine.’ Her face crumpled, but she held the tears back. ‘If we marry, not only will he lose his family, but I will lose mine. My mother won’t speak to me again. She’s already made some remarks about seeing me talking to A.J. She suspects, I’m sure.’

  ‘But he’s right, surely? If you face this together, then it won’t be as bad as if you’re alone. Can you imagine a whole life without A.J.?’

  ‘How can you say something so cruel, April?’

  ‘But that’s what you’re suggesting! You are throwing away a man who loves you for your mother? Does it really have to be a choice? You haven’t even spoken to her, so how do you know?’

  ‘But what about Norm?’

  April didn’t say anything. She didn’t know Norm, so her sympathies lay entirely with A.J., but, she reflected, if Eunice was feeling even half the guilt she did about Theo, then she did understand.

  ‘I just think you need to take the risk. Surely it’s worth it?’

  ‘And if it’s not? I have nothing. No family, no husband, just me and . . .’ Eunice shut her eyes. ‘I’m late.’

  April looked at her watch. ‘No, we still have a few minutes, we don’t have to hurry.’

  ‘For God’s sake, April, you’re a nurse, surely you can’t be that stupid!’

  Understanding dawned. ‘Oh, Eunice.’ She had no idea what she could say that would make this better. ‘How late?’

  ‘Nearly three weeks, but I’m never late. Ever.’

  ‘Well, then, that settles it. You have to marry A.J., and from the sounds of it, that’s not such a bad thing. He’ll probably be delighted.’

  ‘Will he? Suddenly he’s saddled with a baby and he can’t go home? Or even take his child to meet his family? And it’s all my fault.’

  ‘Not entirely your fault, is it, Eunice? Sounds like he was pretty happy about the whole thing.’ April knew her attempt at levity would fall on deaf ears, and she was right.

  ‘You think this is funny?’

  ‘No, of course not. All I’m saying is you can’t blame yourself entirely. And you can’t deal with this problem alone. You need to tell A.J., and then you need to marry him.’

  ‘I can’t.’

  ‘What do you mean, you can’t?’

  ‘I just can’t.’

  ‘Well, one thing’s for sure, you can’t marry Norm now, can you?’

  Eunice didn’t say anything, just turned and got back on her bike and cycled away.

  Hurrying to catch up, the two rode in silence, free-wheeling down the hill, until they reached the pretty little medieval church set right in the heart of the village. They left their bikes against the wall and walked through the lychgate. The organ was already playing, and as they entered, April could see that they were just in time. A woman sitting in the middle of the church turned her head. She was wearing a smart grey suit and a black hat. She waved at the two of them. April recognised the rather severe figure of Mrs Granger. She was tall, like Eunice, but unlike Eunice, every bone seemed to stick out. Her face was narrow and her lips were thin, set under a long, narrow nose. She had bright blue eyes, and though she smiled at them both warmly, April could tell that Mrs Granger was probably fierce when she was cross. She shuddered. Sometimes, she thought, it was probably easier to live without any family expectations weighing you down. She thought again of Theo and his mother, and began to understand, at last, how he must have felt when he decided to go with the girl his mother preferred. It was funny, really, she reflected, how her and Eunice’s lives seemed to be mirroring each other’s. Both with feelings of guilt over old loves, both suffering because of a mother’s expectations. The difference being she was an outsider like A.J. No ties to bind her, no one to watch her. No one to care who she married or where she lived.

  She stopped. Self-pitying thoughts like these were of no use to anyone. She had Mrs Teague, Eunice, the hospital, and now, maybe, she had Crawford. She should be counting her blessings. She gave Eunice’s hand a reassuring squeeze as they walked down the aisle towards her mother.

  As the congregation sang the first hymn, ‘Onward Christian Soldiers’, there was a thump as the church door opened and shut. She turned around and was surprised to see Homer, A.J. and several other G.I.s entering. She looked at Eunice, who was keeping her face resolutely forward. Mrs Granger, however, was looking behind her, her lips pursed with disapproval.

  She knew A.J. would be here today, April thought to herself. Is that why Eunice wanted her to come? So April would distract her mother while Eunice spoke to A.J.? She nudged Eunice and gave her a hard stare. Eunice glanced at her briefly then turned back, her face blank.

  Suddenly, the church was filled with the most beautiful deep, rich voices. It was as if the ancient walls were vibrating with the sound and the rest of the congregation’s voices rose in response, trying – and failing – to compete. At the front, standing by the altar, the vicar was smiling broadly.

  April continued to sing with the rest of them, but inside she felt a terrible foreboding. How on earth was this day going to end? She hoped Crawford got here soon; perhaps he could head off the confrontation she felt was coming.

  Chapter 21

  After the service, April was desperate to get outside and see if Crawford had arrived, but Mrs Granger was whispering fiercely into Eunice’s ear. April decided to leave them to it and walked swiftly up the aisle.

  A.J. was standing outside with his friends.
‘April.’ He smiled broadly at her.

  ‘Hello, A.J. I didn’t expect to see you here today.’

  ‘Well, I like to come. We have a service at the base, but this little church is so pretty, we ain’t got anything like it at home. Plus, it’s far enough from Truro to mean we can come without worrying about bumping into anyone.’

  April knew he was referring to white American soldiers.

  ‘It is gorgeous, isn’t it?’ She paused. ‘Did you know Eunice was going to be here?

  A.J. shifted his feet and looked uncomfortable. ‘Not exactly. But I know this is her church, so I hoped.’

  April sighed. ‘Well, I hope you haven’t had a wasted journey because she’s with her mother, and I’m not sure she approves of you.’

  ‘I gotta take that chance. I’m leaving for exercise soon and don’t know how long we’ll be gone. I might not see her for a while.’

  ‘I’ll see if I can distract Mrs Granger. Hopefully Crawford will be here soon because he’d be best at doing that job.’

  A.J.’s face lit up. ‘He’s earning? Well, now that is good news. I haven’t seen him for a while.’

  There was the sound of a car’s engine in the street. Given how quiet the village was, and the fact that no one was allowed to drive for pleasure any more, the chances were this was Crawford. Only the Americans seemed to have enough petrol to drive anywhere.

  Sure enough, she soon saw him walking through the lychgate, his tall, broad figure looking devastatingly smart in his green uniform, the brass buttons gleaming on the jacket and his white shirt and tie providing a contrast with his tanned face. His side cap was perched on his head at a jaunty angle. How he managed to make it look so stylish she would never know, but Crawford seemed to carry everything off with panache. April felt her stomach swoop as she watched him, transfixed for a moment, before she gathered herself and rushed over to him.

  ‘Crawford! I am so glad to see you.’

  ‘Hey! Now that’s a very nice welcome. I’ve missed you too.’ He picked her up and twirled her around.

  ‘Stop it,’ April chided, hitting him on the shoulder. People had gathered at the church door and she could see them looking at her. Eunice was watching with a strange expression on her face. ‘A.J.’s here,’ she said.

  Crawford smiled. ‘A.J.? Where?’ He walked away, but she caught his arm. ‘I don’t have time to explain, but we are going to need to speak to that tall lady in the grey suit, so A.J. can speak to Eunice. Do you think you can work your magic?’

  Understanding dawned in his beautiful eyes. ‘So that’s why he keeps coming here.’ He sighed and looked troubled. ‘This could be a difficult situation, April. But I’ll help any way I can.’

  ‘Good. Now come on.’

  She pulled him towards Eunice and Mrs Granger. ‘Mrs Granger, may I introduce my friend, Major Dunbar. He, along with A.J. over there, helped rescue that little boy at the hospital.’

  Mrs Granger flicked her gaze over to A.J. dismissively, then turned her attention to Crawford. Inevitably, as soon as Crawford smiled at her, the icy veneer melted.

  ‘How delightful to meet you,’ she said. ‘Tell me, what unit are you with and where are you based? I didn’t know my daughter knew such high-ranking officers.’

  While April kept half an ear on Crawford charming Mrs Granger, she watched Eunice melt quickly away and disappear around the side of the church. Not long after she’d left, A.J. followed. She prayed no one else had noticed.

  All too soon, Mrs Granger said, ‘Now, major, I must be off. I’m having lunch with my friend and I just need to say goodbye to my daughter.’ She looked around expectantly. Then she looked over to where Homer and the other soldiers were talking to the vicar. April saw the moment Mrs Granger realised A.J. wasn’t there, as her previous warm expression suddenly disappeared and the ice returned.

  April slipped away quickly, following the route she’d seen Eunice take. Sure enough, she saw them standing in the corner, half hidden from view. A.J.’s arms were around her, and Eunice’s face was buried in his chest.

  April hurried over. ‘Eunice, your mother is looking for you.’

  ‘Yes, of course.’ She gave A.J. a meaningful look. ‘Goodbye, A.J. Stay safe, won’t you?’

  He looked devastated, but even so, he gently brushed the hair from her face. ‘I’ll write to you.’

  She shook her head. ‘No, please don’t.’ Then she rushed away.

  April didn’t know what to say, so she took A.J.’s arm and gently led him around to the other side of the building, to give Mrs Granger time to leave.

  Her plan worked, and when they returned to the front of the church, Eunice was standing beside Crawford in silence. April looked for Homer and the others, but they’d clearly left already. She wondered how they’d got here.

  ‘Well, it looks like it’s just us four. And I promised April I would take her and Eunice out to lunch. And, A.J., seeing as you’re still here and the others have cycled off, why don’t you join us? I see a hotel across the street – we could go there.’

  A.J. shifted. ‘I’d like nothing better, but . . .’ He looked at Eunice, who did not look back at him. ‘I’m not sure that’s a good idea right now,’ he said quietly.

  Eunice collected herself. ‘No, A.J., please come. You haven’t seen your friend for a while, and I’d like to get to know him too.’

  ‘It’s not just that, Eunice . . . I might not be welcome. Especially not with you, Crawford.’

  ‘Not welcome? But I thought you said this was far enough out of the way not to have restrictions?’ April was fuming at the injustice of this. Why couldn’t A.J. feel free to go wherever he pleased, just like everyone else?

  ‘You just never know who might be watching, and I don’t want to get Crawford in trouble.’

  ‘I’m a big boy, you don’t need to watch out for me. Now come on, let’s go.’

  Chapter 22

  They left the church and crossed the road. Eunice looked around warily to make sure her mother really had left. When it seemed she was nowhere in sight, she scurried across the road and disappeared into the hotel.

  A.J. stared after her sadly. Crawford clapped him on the back. ‘Come on, it’ll be fine.’

  When the three of them entered, Eunice was standing rigidly by the bar. As a woman on her own, she was the object of some fascination. The hotel bar was quiet as it was a little out of Truro and off the beaten path. The St Agnes Hotel was not a common haunt for the American soldiers.

  The barman stared at A.J. and Crawford as they walked towards him. ‘Listen, fellows, I don’t want no trouble here. I’ve heard what happens when white and coloured soldiers come together, and I think it’s best you go elsewhere.’

  Crawford smiled winningly at him. ‘There’ll be no trouble from us, sir. Me and my friend just want to buy a nice lunch for our girls. We’re all friends here.’

  The barman looked between them and raised his eyebrows. Finally, he nodded and indicated they should sit.

  ‘Just rabbit stew or fish on the menu today, so if you want something fancy you’ll have to go elsewhere. Ain’t got the meat to do a proper roast today.’

  ‘Sounds perfect. Ladies?’

  They sat at a round table near the back of the dining room of the hotel. Eunice and A.J. were quiet, so April decided that she’d have to wade in.

  ‘So, A.J., is this what you Americans call a double date?’

  A.J. smiled briefly. ‘It’s only a date if the couples are dating each other. Looks like you and Crawford are, but me and Eunice, well, it seems we’re not dating. Not any more. I’m not sure we ever were.’

  Eunice looked across at him. ‘A.J., kindly keep our personal business to yourself.’

  ‘Don’t worry, Eunice, nothing will go any further,’ April reassured her friend.

  ‘Look, I’m sorry,’ Eunice said, pushing her chair back from the table, ‘I’m afraid I don’t have much appetite. I’m not feeling too well, and think I’ll just go
back to the nurses’ home. You’ll be OK getting back without me, April?’

  ‘I’ll come with you if you’re not feeling well, Eunice.’

  ‘No.’ She held her hand up. ‘I’d rather go by myself.’ And she left swiftly.

  A.J. got up. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll see her safely home.’ He rose and followed her out.

  ‘Well . . .’ Crawford looked a little bemused. ‘I can’t say I’m sorry it’s just the two of us, but this has been a mighty strange meeting.’

  April stared after them in concern. ‘Would you mind if we went back to Mrs Teague’s, Crawford? I know it’s not what you were expecting, but I’ve lost my appetite too, and I think Mrs Teague’s lunch might be a little tastier than anything we can get here.’

  ‘Of course we can. Come on, I reckon I can fit that bike in the jeep, and we’ll be on our way.’

  *

  They drove back to Truro in silence. April was thankful that Crawford didn’t ask about A.J. and Eunice, though she guessed he was curious.

  When they got back, Mrs Teague’s lunch was in full flow. Mr and Mrs Beetie and Mr Morcambe were seated at the table, the remains of a toad-in-the-hole in front of them.

  Mrs Teague jumped up when she saw them. ‘Why, April and Major Dunbar. How marvellous. You’re in luck, I have a little food left over. Have you eaten?’

  ‘I’m not that hungry, but I bet Crawford is. I’m afraid we didn’t get lunch after all.’

  ‘Sit down then, major, and I’ll get you some. Oh, how exciting. A major!’ She rushed from the room, while Mrs Beetie stared at Crawford in fascination.

  ‘Is this your young man, April? He doesn’t look injured to me.’

  ‘I hope I am April’s young man. Although I’m not sure why you thought I was injured.’

  April looked at her curiously. ‘Whatever gave you that idea?’

  ‘Oh, but Doris said your young man had been badly injured, April.’

  April blushed. She was talking about Theo.