THE WAR BRIDE CLUB (37 page)

      Betty elbowed her in the side. “That sound like anyone’s marriage?”

      They all laughed.
 

      “Point taken,” said June. “So it means I’m not just being all sentimental then?”

      Madeline shook her head. So did the other two.
 

      “If you don’t mind I might just take Charlotte up to the house.” Madeline scooped her baby up from the carry-bassinet and stroked her cheek. “I’m not great with goodbyes.”

      June touched her shoulder and walked past. Alice just smiled at her and Betty pointed up toward her home.
 

      “Just call out to Ivy, she’ll show you to your room. Help you settle in.”

      “Bye,” she said, squeezing her breath in to stop herself from sobbing as they walked away.
 

      “We’ll never forget you, Madeline,” June called out.

      Madeline turned and headed to the house, Charlotte clutched to her chest. Tears fell down her cheeks, her breath came out in ragged sobs, but she made herself walk.
 

      I’ll miss you too, she thought.
 

      They were the best and most real friends she’d ever had. If it wasn’t for them, maybe she would have just given up.
 

      But the weight of her baby in her arms told her different. Betty might be the one to help her escape, but she was doing this for herself and for her child.
 

      It was time to go home.
 

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

BETTY knocked softly on the door.
 

      “It’s open.”

      She pushed it open and walked in. After all the time she’d been here, living in this house, it was the first time Betty had ever stepped foot in Luke’s office. An over-size antique desk looked out over the grounds, and two of the four walls were lined with shelves, books literally heaving to escape.
 

      “I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

      Luke continued scribbling, his hand moving fast as he made notes, before he put the pen down, pressed his palms to the desk and stood.
 

      “You’re not disturbing me.” He moved out and took a couple of steps toward her before leaning on the edge of the desk. “It’s nice to be distracted.”

      She didn’t know what to say. It hadn’t been awkward between them like this for weeks, and now she was unsure of herself, nervous of what to do and how to behave.
 

      “I just, ah, wanted to let you know that Madeline’s settled into one of the guest rooms. She’ll be staying until we can figure out exactly what to do with her.”

      Luke didn’t seem to mind. “What is it she wants to do?”

      “Go back to London, for sure,” Betty blurted. “She wants to take Charlotte and go back to her parents.”

      “I see.” Luke leaned back into the desk. “And what does her husband have to say about this?”

      She had to tell him the truth. She’d never been any good at lying and now didn’t seem like the best time to start.
 

      “Her husband and his family have been awful to her. It’s a long story but they didn’t even let her know her own father was dying. She needs to get away. It’s very abusive by all accounts.”

      She expected Luke to rebuff her. To tell her that Madeline’s duty was to her husband, that she couldn’t abandon him and take off with his child. But he didn’t.
 

      “What do you think?” he asked.
 

      What?

      “What do you think she should do? Do you think we should help her? Assist her in returning to London?”

      Betty was confused.
 

      “You would actually help her get back to her family?”

      Luke shook his head. “I asked what you thought.”

      Her eyes followed him as he walked to a side cabinet and reached for two small glasses. He poured a small nip of liquid into one and a larger amount into the other.
 

      He walked back toward her, eyes meeting hers, not giving her the chance to look away.
 

      Luke offered her the smaller glass. She wanted to say no, but the way he held it out to her, the promise in his smile, stopped her from saying anything.
 

      “If it were you, what would you do?” His voice was soft now, like he was asking her something deeply personal.
 

      She took the glass, the aroma of the alcohol filling her nostrils.
 

      “If you’d heard what he’d done to her, Luke, you wouldn’t think ill of her.” Betty watched as he drained at least a third of his glass. “If it were me, I’d want to go, too.”

      He raised his glass and inclined for her to do the same. She tipped it to her mouth, letting a drop touch her tongue. Even the tiny amount burned her throat as she swallowed it. Was it whisky? Bourbon? She didn’t know, but it wasn’t helping her. Just the smell was enough to make her light-headed.
 

      “And how do you feel now?” He moved closer to her, his body too near for comfort. “Do you want to leave?”

      
No
. She never wanted to leave him. But she couldn’t’ say it, so she just let her head shake from side to side.
 

      “Are you sure?” Luke asked.
 

      He reached out to her, tilting her chin up toward him, forcing her to look at him.
 

      “Yes,” she breathed out the word. “I’m sure.”

      Betty wanted him to kiss her, was so sure he was about to, but as soon as he’d touched her he stopped, his hand falling away.
 

      “Tell Madeline we’ll offer her all the financial assistance she needs.” Luke tipped back his glass and swallowed the remainder of his drink. “Make whatever arrangements you need to, get her on a ship back to London. Phone Jean at home, tell her to make the arrangements first thing in the morning.”

      Betty couldn’t believe it – the fact that something had almost happened between them, or that he was prepared to help a friend of hers, one whom he’d never met before in his life until today.
 

      “Thank you, Luke. Thank you so much.”

      He stopped, watched her, like there was something left to say that he hadn’t said already. Something he wanted to tell her.
 

      “Goodnight, Betty.”

      He took another step, leaned forward, and kissed her cheek. His lips hovered, slow, lingering over her skin, but it went no further. Heat burned her cheeks but she stayed still.
Wishing he would kiss her, that they could just admit to what they felt for one another.
 

      But Luke pulled away.
 

      “Goodnight,” she whispered.

      They watched one another, until he smiled, almost sadly, before walking back around to be seated at his desk. Betty walked quickly, needing to get out of his office.
 

      “Betty?”

      She stopped and looked back at him.
 

      “I’m glad you had a nice day with your friends.”
 

      She waited.
 

      “Have them here as often as you like. I want this to feel like your home too.”

      Betty gave him a tight smile in reply.
 

      It did feel like home to her. She just wished he understood how she felt about him, wished she was brave enough to tell him.

      
But she wasn’t. And she probably never would be.
 

* * *

Strangely enough, Betty was more worried about tapping on Madeline’s door than she had been Luke’s. She didn’t want to say goodbye to her friend, not when they’d only just found each other, but she was going to help her.
 

      Betty had spent so long feeling upset
 
about her life without Charlie. She knew what it was like to lose hope. But Luke had been there for her, even when they hadn’t connected. He was her ally. Her protector. And now he was going out of his way to help her friend, too.
 

      Something inside told her he was doing it for her, because he knew what it would mean to her. But she also knew that it took a certain type of man to agree to what they were doing anyway. To essentially aid a woman in escaping her husband. She was grateful, whatever his reasons for doing so were.
 

      “Madeline? Are you awake?”

      It wasn’t late, but they’d all had a big day.
 

      “Come in,” Madeline called back.
 

      She opened the door to find Madeline sitting on the bed, nursing her little girl.
 

      “It’s so special, don’t you think?” Madeline smiled at her. “Just spending time with them alone when they’re feeding.”

      She looked happy, content there. Earlier today she’d gone from wild-eyed to sad, and then frightened. Now she looked at peace.
 

      “I love her so much, Betty. Is that how you feel with William? Like you couldn’t love him any harder if you tried?”

      Betty sat on the edge of the bed. “Like you couldn’t ever have imagined loving anything or anyone like you do your baby?”

      Madeline looked relieved that someone understood how she was feeling.
 

      “I knew I wanted to go, to escape from here, but as soon as I knew I was carrying a child, it just made me even more determined.”

      Betty knew exactly how that felt, just in a different way.
 

      “Without William, I wouldn’t have survived losing Charlie.” She admitted. “I would have had to move on, but part of me would have died, been broken, forever.”

      “And Luke?” Madeline lowered her voice. “Something’s already happened with him, hasn’t it?”

      Betty didn’t know what to say. “I don’t know what’s happened, if anything has, but I think it will.” She paused, wanted to speak the truth. “I hope it will.”

      “If you love him, don’t hold back, Betty. Promise me that, will you?” Madeline’s eyes swung from her baby suckling to Betty, her expression serious. “If it will make you and William happy, if it’s the right thing to do, don’t make yourself feel bad about it. Just be thankful that you’ve been given a second chance at love. At happiness.”

      It had taken months of soul searching, of trying to make herself believe that she wasn’t forgetting Charlie by moving on, but she agreed with Madeline. Luke wasn’t just anybody. He was Charlie’s brother. He was William’s uncle. She was still being true to Charlie, he’d want her to be happy, and Luke understood how much she’d loved his brother. She’d never lied to him about that.
 

      But it was time to talk about Madeline. About what they could do to help her.
 

      “I have good news for you, Mads. Tonight is about your second chance, not mine.”

      “You’re not just trying to change the subject, are you?”

      Madeline was trying to joke, but Betty could see the hope in her eyes.
 

      “I’ve just finished speaking to Luke’s secretary. She’s been able to find out about a ship leaving for England in five days time.”

      Madeline was holding her breath. Betty spoke quickly.
 

      “If you want to go, we’ll send you with a driver to the train station tomorrow, then you can take the short trip to just near the port and stay at a lodge there while Jean makes the arrangements for you. She thinks it will be best if you travel there as soon as possible, because we aren’t sure who you’ll need to see or what the visa requirements are. That will give you enough time to organize yourself and
 
finalize the necessary paperwork before the ship sails.”

      She watched as Madeline’s face fell. Of course. She’d omitted to tell her about Luke’s aid.
 

      “I’ve spoken with Luke and he will cover your fare back to England, and your accommodation, so you don’t need to worry about anything.”

      Madeline started to cry. Her body shook, hands quivering, as she took her sleeping baby from her breast and placed her in the crib.
 

      Betty gave her a moment before stepping forward to hold her. She stayed silent, still, her arms wrapped around her friend. Madeline’s body was tiny, so thin, but there was a strength there that could not be extinguished.
 

      “I know you feel bad about Luke helping you, but he’s doing it for me, Madeline. I think he’s trying to show me that he cares, that he trusts me.”

      Madeline just held her tighter.
 

      “Don’t feel like you owe us anything, except friendship. I know you would do the same for me if you had to. If you could.”