A Refuge at Highland Hall (2 page)

April 1915

W
aves of khaki-clad British soldiers flowed across the south lawn of the London Zoological Gardens, slowly making their way toward the chairs and benches surrounding the bandstand. Some men leaned on canes or hobbled on crutches. Others wore bandages or sported slings, testifying to the wounds they had received fighting for King and country.

Penelope Ramsey scanned their faces, searching for Theo Anderson, but her fleeting hope quickly faded. She suppressed a groan and turned away.

She must stop being ridiculous. Theo wasn't here. He was in France. And at this very moment, he was probably performing surgery to save the life of some poor wounded soldier fresh from the battlefield.

She shook her head. These wandering thoughts would never do. She was nineteen now, and it was time to put away childish, romantic daydreams—especially those involving Theo.

Last week he'd written to tell her he was engaged to a Frenchwoman who volunteered at the hospital where he was stationed in Rouen, France.

After she read his letter, she fled to her room and cried until her eyes were red and swollen and her pillow was a soggy mess. How could he fall in love with someone else? She'd always imagined their friendship would grow and move toward romance. Though he'd never made that promise, she'd held on to that hope ever since she first danced with him at her sister Kate's debutante ball almost three years ago.

Was there still a chance she would find true and lasting love, or was she a fool to cling to that cherished dream?

Penny lifted her gaze to the sea of soldiers once more. So many men were caught up in the fight. Thousands from her generation had already been lost. Heaven only knew how long this terrible war would last and how many more would perish.

“Penny, can you take this?” Kate Foster, Penny's sister, held out the large wooden tray filled with sandwiches.

“Of course.” Penny tucked away her questions and accepted the tray from Kate. Her sister's face was too pale. “Why don't you sit down for a few minutes and rest?”

“It's almost four o'clock. The men will be expecting their tea.” Kate's hand slid to her stomach, and she released a weary sigh. Morning sickness had plagued her for weeks. The poor dear could hardly eat anything more than toast and broth. No wonder she looked exhausted.

“Don't worry. We'll be ready on time.” Penny glanced toward the volunteers gathered with them in the large tea tent. At least twenty women and girls scurried around the serving tables, setting out sandwiches, scones, and other baked goods for the men to enjoy. “There's plenty of help. You've done more than your share.”

“All right.” Kate lowered herself into the nearest chair and gently laid her hand over her rounded middle. She was only a little more than three months pregnant, but she looked much further along, causing them all to be curious and a bit concerned.

“Miss Penny is right.” Lydia Chambers, Kate's lady's maid, bustled past with two pitchers of lemonade. “There's no need to wear yourself out. We'll take care of things.”

“I hope we made enough food.” Kate looked toward the serving tables and back at Penny.

“I'm sure we'll have plenty and Jon will be pleased.”

Kate smiled at the mention of her husband. “Yes, I believe he will be.”

Today's outing for convalescing soldiers had been Jon's idea. As a member of the staff in the military unit at St. George's Hospital, he tended to the men's battle wounds, but they needed more than medical attention to boost their morale.

Penny and Kate, along with several other volunteers, had pulled together today's program and entertainment, collected donations to pay for the food, and then assembled a team of volunteers to serve.

They hoped to give the men a few hours to relax and enjoy themselves before they returned to the battlefield or traveled home to a very different life.

It was a good cause, and Penny was glad to take part, even if being with so many soldiers did remind her of Theo and make her heart ache a bit more.

She carried the tray across the tent and placed it with the others. Glancing down the serving table, she checked to see what else might be needed, but everything seemed ready for tea.

A strand of hair fluttered across her cheek. She brushed it away with a frustrated huff, then tucked it behind her ear. Her auburn curls were forever coming loose, no matter how many pins she and Lydia used to try to tame them.

She stepped out from under the tent and lifted her gaze to the clear blue sky. It was unusually warm for late April. A light breeze ruffled the scalloped edge of the tent's white canopy. The Union Jack flapped from the flagpole nearby, and red, white, and blue bunting swayed on the bandstand railing. Daffodils bobbed in the flower bed on the far side of the tent, their silver-sword leaves flickering in the breeze.

Across the lawn, the band struck up a lively march. The soldiers responded with applause and a few loud whistles.

Penny's spirits lifted as she listened to the music. They might be at war, facing a terrible enemy, but a huge wave of patriotism had swept through the kingdom, pulling everyone together. Men of all ranks and occupations had signed up to join the fight. And women bravely stepped forward to carry on the men's duties and keep their homes and businesses running.

Penny felt that patriotic stirring as well. She had considered training to become a nurse or Red Cross worker, but with Jon working long hours at St. George's Hospital and Kate pregnant and trying to oversee things at home, coming to London to help her sister seemed the most practical idea.

So she'd packed her trunks, said good-bye to everyone at Highland Hall, and boarded the train for London, ready for a new adventure. Kate had been terribly relieved when Penny arrived, especially when she promised to stay and help as long as she was needed, even after the baby was born. As for it being an adventure…that was yet to be seen.

Music filled the air, and Penny hummed along as she strolled back and joined Kate.

“Well, there's my favorite girl.” Kate's husband, Dr. Jonathan Foster, stepped into the tent and leaned down to kiss his wife's cheek. “How's everything coming along?”

Kate smiled up at him. “Very well, thanks to Penny and Lydia. But I'm afraid I haven't been much help.”

“Nonsense. Just having you here brightens my day.” Jon's eyes glowed as he laid his hand on his wife's shoulder.

A soldier with dark-brown hair stepped into the shady tent with Jon. He looked to be in his early twenties and wore a neatly pressed uniform. The sling around his neck cradled his left arm to his chest, but the injury didn't seem to slow him down too much. He glanced at Penny and sent her a smile.

Her cheeks warmed, and she focused on Jon again.

He motioned toward the soldier. “I'd like you to meet my friend, Lieutenant Alexander Goodwin. We met in India when we were boys. Alex, this is my wife, Katherine Foster.”

Kate held out her hand. “Were your parents also missionaries in Kanakapura, Lieutenant Goodwin?”

Alex took her hand and bowed slightly. “No. My father was a chief engineer in charge of constructing the railway between Bangalore and Madgaon.” Pride in his father's accomplishments warmed his voice. “He oversaw the building of seven lines through some very rough territory.”

Kate nodded. “That sounds quite impressive. He must be a very skilled and diligent man.”

“He was, and I hope to honor his memory by being as dedicated to my own pursuits.”

Jon motioned toward Penny. “And this is my wife's sister, Miss Penelope Ramsey.”

Penny extended her hand to Alex. He took it and bowed again. “Miss Ramsey. It's a pleasure to meet you.” He looked at her with a confident smile and dark, glowing eyes that held a hint of amusement.

A delightful shiver traveled up her arm. “Thank you. I'm happy to make your acquaintance.”
Good heavens.
Did she sound a bit breathless?

She slipped her hand away, trying to shake off her response. The charming officer was simply being courteous.

“It's wonderful to meet one of Jon's friends from India. You must call me Kate, and I'm sure my sister would be glad for you to call her Penny.”

Alex glanced at Penny and lifted one eyebrow.

Penny nodded. “Of course.”

“Very well.” Alex grinned. “We shall consider ourselves friends on the best of terms, and you may call me Alex.”

Jon chuckled. “You can imagine how happy I was to find Alex at St. George's. Not that I was glad he needed medical attention, but I was happy to see him after all these years.”

Penny glanced at Alex's sling. “Were you injured on the battlefield in France?”

“No. I'm taking pilot training with the Royal Naval Air Service. And I had a bit of an accident in one of the airplanes.”

“Oh, dear, what happened?”

Kate flashed a warning glance at Penny.

Alex tipped his head and pressed his lips together. “I'm afraid the ground came up a bit too fast on my last landing practice.”

Penny pulled in a sharp breath. “You crashed your airplane?”

His face turned ruddy. “Yes…that would be correct.”

“I'm sorry.” Penny swallowed, wishing she hadn't put him in a position of having to admit he was at fault for the mishap.

“Not as sorry as my flight instructor or the men who had to put the airplane back together.” His mellow voice and a twitch at the corner of his mouth let her know he wasn't offended.

Relief coursed through her. “I hope your injury is not too serious.”

“Just a broken collarbone and dislocated shoulder—nothing that will keep me down for long.” He lifted his dark eyebrows and turned to Jon. “Right, Doctor?”

“You should be able to return to training in four or five weeks, as long as you follow my orders and get some rest until then.”

Alex saluted Jon with his good arm, his teasing smile back in place. “Yes, sir.”

Penny studied Alex, her admiration growing. She'd never met a pilot before. “Flying sounds terribly exciting. How are airplanes used in the war effort?”

“We fly in cooperation with the Navy, providing defense for Britain and the area around the coast to prevent sea and air attack. Mainly observation and reconnaissance missions—spotting U-boats and enemy aircraft, that sort of thing. We also hope to keep the Zeppelins from doing any more harm.”

A chill traveled down Penny's back. In the last few months, those monstrous German airships had dropped bombs on the eastern coast, killing innocent men, women, and children while they slept in their beds. Now blackouts were the rule across the land, and searchlights scanned the sky each night, but there seemed little they could do to protect themselves from the bombing raids. The Zeppelins hadn't reached London yet, but they were coming closer with each attack, putting everyone on edge.

Kate glanced at her watch, then looked up at Jon. “It's almost four. Would you and Alex like to help yourselves to some refreshments before the men come through? I imagine things will be very busy as soon as the concert ends and they announce it's time for tea.”

“That sounds like an excellent idea.” Jon turned to Alex. “Shall we?”

“I hoped coming with you would put me at an advantage.” Alex grinned and winked at Penny.

Her cheeks grew warm, and she returned his smile. Alex's sense of humor was a good balance to his confident personality.

Jon turned to Kate. “Will you ladies join us?”

“I suppose it would be all right. Our work is done.” Kate rose and slipped her arm through Jon's, and they set off together. Penny stood, and she and Alex followed them across the tent.

Penny scanned the serving tables with a pleased smile, then placed a lemon square and a small berry tart on her plate.

Alex chose two sandwiches and added a tart to his plate. He leaned toward her with a smile. “I haven't seen treats like these in quite a while.”