Against the Tide Imperial: The Struggle for Ceylon (The Usurper's War: An Alternative World War II Book 3)

by James Young

  “Only the communications desk, sir,” the ensign replied. “And the captain.”

  “Immediately repeat this message to all Commonwealth vessels, captains’ eyes only,” Vice Admiral Cunningham said. “Tell them to inform their crews of its contents within the half hour after they have had time to digest it. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, sir,” the ensign replied, then repeated the particulars of what Vice Admiral Cunningham had ordered. Cunningham waved the officer away, then visibly gathered himself before turning to the assembled group.

  What in the hell has happened? Eric wondered, feeling butterflies in his stomach.

  “Gentlemen,” the admiral began, “I have grave news. An assassination attempt was made on Her Majesty this morning in New York City. Early reports are that the assassins were Americans. They missed her, but that Prime Minister Churchill and Admiral Pound are both at a local hospital in grave condition.”

  Eric was suddenly breathless, a shock like a block of ice in his stomach. He took a couple steps backwards as there were several murmurs and curses in the wardroom.

  Who would try to kill the Queen? Why would they attempt to kill the Queen in New York of all places?

  “Lieutenant Cobb, are you all right?” Martin asked, placing his hand on Eric’s shoulder.

  “I will be,” Eric said, his voice cracking. He turned to the wardroom.

  “I am so sorry,” he said, tears welling in his eyes. “I am so sorry for my countrymen.”

  Martin put his hand on Eric’s shoulder.

  “It’s all right lad,” the man replied, swallowing. “There are more than enough of you out here with us right now.”

  Haynes Residence

  1200 Local (1500 Eastern)

  Tacoma, Washington

  29 July

  “Adam Haynes, will you turn that radio off and grab me some potato salad, please?” Norah Hedglin asked from the kitchen door. The redhead stood in a blue polkadot dress with her hair up in a bun, dark blue earrings that matched her eyes completing the ensemble.

  When a smart, beautiful woman asks you to turn off the radio, she’s really saying that it’s not doing any good to sit here and grow progressively more angry at something you can’t control, Adam thought, turning the appliance off. He reached into the refrigerator and pulled out the large bowl of potato, then grabbed a wooden spoon to serve it with. The sound of the rain lashing against the large bay window that opened to his backyard made him smile ruefully.

  So much for one last picnic. Or the rainy season allegedly taking a break in July.

  There was a peal of thunder, and the rain intensified.

  But at least it’s not Florida, or we’d all be sweating to death inside this place. As it was, the mild Northwest summer was even cooler than they’d expected, which made the inside of the house quite pleasant.

  Norah walked up behind Adam as he sat the potato salad on the table, wrapping her arms him from behind. She ran her hand down the front of his pants, causing him to jump in shock.

  “See, took your mind off things for about a half second,” she said, exhaling as she brought her arms back up and hugged him.

  “You’re a little bit of a minx, you know that?” Adam said, turning around to embrace her.

  “Only with you,” Norah replied, looking him in the eyes. “You make me feel safe enough to be one.”

  Adam was about to respond when the doorbell rang.

  “That would probably be the Cobbs,” he said. “I imagine both of them, if previous experiences hold.” Reluctantly, Adam let her go and headed for the door.

  “You’re always so jealous of them,” Norah observed. “They’re twins. It’s not surprising they often seem to be of like mind and action.”

  Yeah, that doesn’t change the fact it’s downright creepy sometimes. But it’s a big part of the reason I’ve let them stay in the same flight rather than make them each take one. One didn’t break up a winning team just on a whim.

  Opening the door, he was surprised to find only David and a woman he assumed to be Sadie Cobb. As Norah had requested, all of the Marines had come in civilian clothes, with David opting for a dark red button-up shirt that matched his wife’s burgundy cocktail dress.

  Well, Sam wasn’t lying when he always ribbed David about marrying a beautiful woman, Adam observed as introductions were made. He took the covered dish from Sadie’s hands as Norah came forward to greet the newlyweds.

  “I have heard so much about you,” Norah said, taking Sadie’s hands. The brown-haired, slender woman looked mildly concerned for a moment, glancing between Norah and her husband.

  “All of it good,” Adam said, smiling at David’s momentary discomfiture.

  “Oh thank goodness,” Sadie said with a laugh. “I was afraid Sam had been going on and on about how mean I was.”

  “Having known Sam for only two months, I cannot say that he definitely deserved whatever you did to him,” Norah said. “I will say I’m very predisposed to believe Sam deserved it.”

  “Speaking of Sam, where is he?” David asked, looking around. “He sent a telegram saying he was going to be here by…”

  As if summoned, a black taxi drove up to the end of their driveway, a familiar hulking form in the rear passenger side. Hopping out before the vehicle had even stopped moving, Sam Cobb drew the flaps of his raincoat tighter. Reaching inside the garment, Sam produced a long black umbrella, then opened it and walked around to the driver’s side rear door.

  Okay, who is she? Adam wondered, seeing a tall, Asian woman standing beside Sam. He handed off his umbrella to the woman, then moved around to the passenger’s side door. It was opened, and another umbrella passed out to Sam. The large man opened the umbrella as the passenger turned and gave the driver money. It was obvious the taxi driver was pleased, as he nodded vigorously at something the passenger said before waving at Sam.

  All right, I should have known Sam would bring two women.

  “Holy shit, that’s Beverly Bowden,” David said. Everyone but Sadie looked at him.

  “Who?” Norah asked, then realized there was no time for David to answer. She pushed the screen door open and waved at the approaching trio.

  “Come in, come in!” she said, her Missouri twang deepening.

  Why Miss Hedglin, I’d never realize you were in full “Who the fuck are these people?”-mode, Adam marveled, also smiling as Sam held the door open for the two women behind him. The short brunette in the lead was barely through the door before David threw his arms around her, ignoring the rain beaded on her black coat.

  “Beverly!”

  “Hello David,” the woman replied, her voice deep with emotion as she hugged David back. Letting him go, she turned to Sadie. The younger woman threw her arms around the brunette as well, her eyes wet.

  “Sadie, you’ll soak your dress,” Beverly said.

  “I don’t care,” Sadie replied. “It’s so good to see you again.”

  I feel like I’m missing something here, Adam thought.

  “Hello, my name is Myla,” the Asian woman said, her accent causing Adam to smile. “Myla Ferguson.” She reached inside of her oversized bag and brought out two large bottles of wine.

  “Norah Hedglin, and you are certainly welcome here with those!” Norah said with a smile, taking both bottles from her and handing them to Adam. Adam looked down at them and nearly dropped both.

  “I see that you are familiar with wine, Mr...?” Myla said with a smile as she shrugged out of her coat to reveal a dark blue, knee-length dress.

  “Haynes,” Adam said. “Adam Haynes. It may surprise you, but I allegedly own this place.”

  “Well, at least until he finally bows to the inevitable and asks Norah to marry him,” Sam said in the middle of embracing his sister-in-law.

  Adam’s face warmed as Norah’s colored almost to match her hair.

  “You know, Sam, you talk a great deal about marriage for someone who has never been close to the altar,” David observed.
>
  “Common refrain with fighter pilots,” Beverly stated. Adam saw a shadow of pain and sadness cross the woman’s face.

  Wait a second. Wasn’t Bowden their former squadron commander’s name?

  “Do you have a washroom?” Beverly asked lightly. Norah, having picked up on the same expression reading as Adam had, quickly stepped past him.

  “I’ll show you,” she said, leading Beverly away. There was an awkward silence afterward that was finally broken by Myla.

  “Yes, those are Chateau Lafite,” she said to Adam. “My husband secured them when we were leaving Hong Kong, and my son has nearly broken them at least a dozen times. From what Sam has said about you the last two days, this seemed like appropriate company to drink it with.”

  It was Sam’s turn to blush as everyone turned to look at him.

  “You know, it’s nothing I wouldn’t say to any of you,” he said thickly. “But thanks, Myla.”

  “You bought my son a slingshot, Sam,” Myla replied. “Now my child who you have known for less than forty-eight hours won’t stop talking about wanting to be a fighter pilot and has already killed two squirrels. Which is a big deal when you’re eight.”

  Sadie turned and looked at Sam in horror.

  “Samuel Michael Cobb!” she exclaimed.

  “Look, it’s not like they don’t kill tree rats in Kansas,” Sam said, spreading his hands plaintively.

  Sadie glared at her brother-in-law.

  “Not for fun, and not at eight,” she said.

  Adam saw David giving his wife a sideways glance, worry a little plain on his face. With the sixth sense most spouses have, Sadie whirled to look at her husband.

  “I can hear you thinking back there, David,” she said, her tone reproachful. “Our son does not get a slingshot before he’s ten.”

  Adam looked sideways at Myla, who was also looking at him. The Englishwoman smiled slightly with a twinkle in her eye.

  Okay, so I’m not the only one who heard it, he thought. After a brief moment of consideration, he gave in to his impish side.

  “Coca-cola for you, Sadie?” he asked. Sadie turned to look at him, shock on her face.

  “How did you kn…” she started, then stopped as she realized what she had just done.

  “Major Haynes, I have just met you, but you are a terrible man,” Myla said, then turned to Sadie to speak with great conviction. “He did not know until just now.”

  David looked at his wife, then at Adam, then at his wife.

  Oh shit, apparently David did not know either, Adam realized, feeling stark raving horror at what was unfolding in front of him. Sorry about that, lad!

  “Did not know what?” Norah asked, walking into the room. She saw the look of surprise on David’s face, Sadie blushing, and Myla glowering at Adam.

  “I was going to tell you tonight,” Sadie said quietly, starting to smile.

  “Your boyfriend, in an act of utter perfidy, has just let a rabbit out of the bag,” Myla observed almost simultaneously, her smile pure poison as she looked at Adam. “A dead one, as a matter of fact.”

  There was a moment of silence as Norah processed what Myla had said and the rest of the group waited for her reaction.

  “Adam! What have you done?” Norah asked, realization causing her voice to rise.

  “I did not…” Adam began.

  “Oh you bloody did!” Myla cut him off, laughing. Norah glared at Adam.

  To the table, to the table right now, he thought, turning away.

  “I’m not sure it’s a boy,” Sadie said quickly behind him. As he sat the bottles down, Adam saw David break into a stupefied grin. Beverly chose that moment to come back out, her make up redone.

  “It sounds like you guys are having a party out here without me,” she observed, then saw the matching smiles on David and Sam’s face.

  “One of them smiling like that is bad enough,” Beverly continued. “But both of them? I clearly need to get right with the Lord.”

  “I’m pregnant,” Sadie said haltingly.

  Beverly’s face lit up.

  “Congratulations!” she said, embracing Sadie once again. “I would ask how far along are you, but that’s kinda obvious.”

  Sadie laughed, then rubbed her stomach.

  “Yes, crossing on a boat was not fun,” she observed.

  “I can imagine,” Myla said, turning slightly pale herself.

  “Well, too bad you’re not down in Olympia,” Beverly said. “I could fuss over you in the ward.”

  Norah turned from where she was busying herself in the kitchen.

  “You’re a nurse?” she asked Beverly.

  “Yes, I am,” Beverly replied. “You as well?”

  “Yes, obstetrics,” Norah said. “I also did surgery for a year.”

  Beverly gave Norah a speculative look.

  “I’m older than I look,” Norah said with a smile, then gestured over at Adam. “Should have seen his face when I told him my true age.”

  “We just thought Major Haynes was robbing the cradle when you started going out,” Sam said.

  “It’s not like I’m that old,” Norah replied archly. “Thank you very much.”

  “I love you Americans,” Myla said, her amusement with the social chaos in front of her.

  “As a people, we do try to keep it unpredictable,” Adam replied. Norah still gave him a cross look, and he slightly shrugged his shoulders in return, face pained.

  I am in so much trouble, he winced inwardly. I think if I wasn’t about to leave for several months I’d be sleeping alone tonight.

  “I’m going to be an uncle,” Sam said, still smiling. Sadie, remembering how the conversation initially began, turned to look at him.

  “Yes, and you will not give our son a slingshot,” she said, then continued seeing Sam grin. “Or our daughter.”

  The next three hours passed pleasantly, filled with wine and good food.

  I’m glad I asked Beverly to come up here, Sam as he stood in the kitchen making a sandwich to take with him for dinner. The widow Bowden was engaged in an animated conversation with Norah over some peculiar nursing requirement Washington had. David and Adam were locked in an intense game of backgammon, the fifth in a series after they’d each won a pair. Sadie leaned against her husband’s shoulder, smiling at some joke David had just made that Sam did not catch.

  “It’s like the world is totally normal outside,” Myla observed from beside him, her voice low. “That there’s not a war on, that half the people in this room are about to go off to fight in it, and not all of them will come back.”

  Sam turned to look at Myla, unconsciously drawing away from her bald truth.

  “Sorry, I’m just feeling a bit maudlin,” Myla said, then held up her wine glass. “I mean, I’m drinking the wine my husband swore we’d open when he returned.”

  “I’m sorry,” Sam said, feeling the urge to sweep Myla into his arms due to the forlornness in her voice. She held up a hand.

  “Save that for the woman you can comfort, Sam,” she said with a smile. “It is greatly appreciated, but I am afraid if a man touched me right now I’d swoon into his arms. Beverly would be justified in poisoning my entire garden if I did that.”

  Wow, she’s a blunt one, Sam realized, watching as Myla blushed then looked steadfastly at the wine glass in her hand.

  “Okay, so I will not be drinking any more wine this afternoon,” she said, setting her glass down.

  “I’m sure your husband is just having difficulty getting word to you,” Sam said earnestly. “Now I wish we hadn’t opened that second bottle.”

  “Ian has been missing for four months in the northwest corner of India,” Myla replied flatly. Sam’s eyes widened as she continued.

  “His aircraft was overtaken by a storm and is likely scattered over the side of a mountain somewhere. I do not have the heart to tell Henry, so I have not told anyone else until just now.”

  Sam gripped the counter in front of him, feeling the b
lood run from his expression.

  “Wipe that look off your face, you’ll make the other curious,” Myla whispered in, smiling as if Sam had said something quietly amusing. Sam immediately followed her orders, turning back to his sandwich and forcing a grin of his own

  “I was actually about to tell Beverly the day you came down,” Myla said. “That was part of my shock in finding out that she is a widow.”

  Sam finished putting the second slice of bread on top of his sandwich as he listened.

  “So, I came along in part because I needed to see if there was a light at the end of the tunnel,” Myla continued. “Well, you have both convinced me that one can heal.”

  “But we’re…” Sam said hurriedly.

  “Oh no, I’m not saying you guys are a whirlwind of perfumed letters and heated glances that’s waiting to happen,” Myla said. “But you have been good for her these last couple of days.”

  “I hope I haven’t given her the wrong impression,” Sam said quietly. “I don’t want to her to think I’m interested in a relationship.”

  “She’s no more ready for a relationship than she is ready to fly to the moon,” Myla observed. “Indeed, part of her will probably feel guilty about having fun, but she needs to go on living.”

  Myla laughed at that last part.

  “I know I feel a bit like the kettle talking about the pot here,” she said. “But part of me is still holding out hope Ian will walk through that door, pick up his son, and then ask me how the last year has been.”

  “That could still happen,” Sam said hopefully. Myla smiled at him kindly.

  “Thank you for saying that,” she said. “If it does, I promise to write you a letter saying you were right. But I, for one, have lost almost all of my hope.”

  “Sam, could you bring out the turntable from the cabinet behind you?” Norah asked. “I think we could all do with some music.”

  “That sounds like a great idea,” Myla said. “Allegedly Sam here is quite the dancer.”

  “Whoever told you that apparently has iron bars for their feet,” Sadie said.

  “Thanks Sadie,” Sam replied. “I may have imbibed a bit at your wedding before dancing with the bride.”