Soldiers' Wives Read Online Free PDF Page B

house move alone, had almost been the last straw.
    â€˜Not to worry,’ he’d said cheerfully. ‘It’ll be much easier without me underfoot, getting in the way.’
    And because Maddy had never moved house before, she’d believed him. And when she’d realised just how ghastly the process was, there was no chance of dumping Nate with her parents for a few days while she dealt with the worst of it as they’d already swanned off on their annual cruise.
    â€˜If only you’d warned us,’ said her mother on an expensive satphone call from somewhere in the Pacific, ‘we could have fitted our dates around you.’
    Maddy thought bleakly that she’d only had three weeks’ notice herself, so that had never been an option. She tried to gee herself up with thoughts of the pioneering women who’d schlepped out to India or trekked along the Oregon Trail, but they hadn’t had to cope with army cleanliness inspections of the houses they had left behind. The realisation had just deluged her in more feelings of self-pity.
    But Seb would be home tonight, he’d lighten the load. Except, she thought, as she looked at her watch and saw that it was nearly nine, where the hell was he? She was sure he’d said they would get back to the barracks mid-afternoon and here it was, well into Friday evening and still no sign.
    Maddy longed for supper and bed, but she had no doubt he expected to come home to a tidy house and a happy smiling wife. And, more than likely, some food, but she didn’t want to cook twice – once for herself and then again for him. Or maybe she ought to go ahead and eat and not wait any longer? God, she was too tired even to make a decision about that. She leaned back in the armchair and let her eyes close. Just five minutes…
    â€˜Hello, sleepy head.’
    Maddy jumped, and her eyes snapped open as she was catapulted instantly into wakefulness. She hadn’t heard the front door open. Feelings of utter happiness swept through her, just at the sight of him, banishing her earlier ones of resentment.
    â€˜Seb!’ She jumped up from the chair and threw her arms around his chest. Even though she was tall – five feet eight – she only reached his shoulder. ‘Seb, darling, welcome home. I didn’t mean to be asleep.’
    â€˜Asleep? You were snoring your head off,’ he said with a grin. ‘I’m surprised the neighbours haven’t complained.’
    Maddy snuggled into his embrace, ignoring the grungy smell of his combats. ‘The neighbours are too nice to do that. Well, the ones I’ve met are.’
    â€˜That’s good to hear.’ Seb let her go and swung his huge Bergen off his back and dumped it on the floor – adding to the chaos. ‘How’s Nate?’
    â€˜Colicky.’
    â€˜Still?’
    What did he expect – that she’d found a magic cure for that on top of doing everything else? Her resentment, egged on by physical exhaustion, seeped back. ‘You’ve only been gone a fortnight, Seb,’ she grumbled, not adding that it had felt like a bloody sight more, what with one thing and another.
    â€˜Yeah, but I thought it was called three-month colic.’
    â€˜I’m not a bloody miracle worker.’ Maddy said this a bit more tersely than she intended.
    â€˜I’m sorry, sweetie, I didn’t mean…’
    â€˜No, and I didn’t mean what I said. Just a bit short in the sleep department still.’ She smiled. She adored Seb; she adored every bit of him from his floppy blond hair to his size thirteen feet; she adored his dark brown eyes and his gorgeous, kissable mouth and his wonderful, sculpted pecs. And she adored him despite his absences and commitment to his job, and his bloody rowing, which ate into weekends and spare time. ‘You’re late.’
    â€˜I know. There was so much to do when we got back. You know how it is.’
    Maddy