THE WAR BRIDE CLUB Read Online Free PDF

be manhandled off to America.”
          Betty reached out to June with one hand, the other rubbing in large circles on her belly.  
          “Did they marry?”
          “Yes. But only once she’d made him swear that he’d never ask her to move to Big Sky Country. Once the war ended, he came back and they rented a little cottage down the road from our parents’ house.”
          “You’re going to miss her terribly. You know that, don’t you?”
          June blinked as tears filled her eyes again. “Let’s just hope these men are worth it, huh?”
          “They will be, won’t they?”  
          June could hear the sincerity in Betty’s voice. It was a hard thing to do, leave the world you knew behind and as good as go to live on the moon. Because that’s how far away they were going to be from their families. Decent people who worked hard, but would likely never be able to afford to visit their daughters abroad.  
          “Betty, even if they’re not, we’ve got to make the most of it.”
          She did her best to ignore the sob threatening to strangle her throat. Betty squeezed her hand harder.  
          At least she had someone to pass the hours with. Someone who could be her friend now and in America. Or at least she hoped.  
     
    * * *
     
          “So, what do you know about New York?”
          Alice smiled and placed one hand dramatically over her forehead. “Why, it’s the place movie stars and moguls live, ain’t it?”
          Her American accent had them all giggling.  
          “I think you’re thinking of Hollywood,” corrected June.  
          Betty wriggled beneath the wool blanket they’d pinched from their cabin as Madeline and June sat down with a paper bag full of chocolate chip cookies.
          “Where did you get those?”  
          Alice wiggled her fingers in delight and Betty smiled.  
          “The canteen has food like you’ve never seen,” said June. She passed the packet around. “And stockings, and pretty writing paper and pens.”
          June rolled her eyes before taking a biscuit for herself. “I was more interested in the food, but it was all rather incredible.”
          “How much money do you have?”  
          June blushed before whispering. “I tucked a little extra away in my knickers.”
          Alice put out her hand for another treat. “You’ll have to give us all another one then to stay quiet.”
          “£10 doesn’t go very far. I think that was a bit mean not letting us bring any more. I mean, what if something happened and we had to live off our own means for a while?”
          They sat and ate, nibbling the chocolate and licking at their fingers.  
          “Do you think they let you do this in America?”
          Betty giggled at Alice. “What? Licking our fingers?”
          She nodded.  
          June reached for her bag and pulled out a magazine. “Haven’t you girls been reading up on our new country?”
          That made them all laugh.  
          “My mother bought this for me the week before I left. Thought it would help me, you know, prepare.”
          Madeline wiped her fingers on a napkin then sat back in the sun. “You’d better start sharing then.”
          “How about a quiz?” June waggled her eyebrows.
          “Oooh, I love a good game,” said Betty.
          June waited for the other two. They nodded, reluctantly.  
          “Don’t make it too hard,” moaned Alice.  
          “Let’s start with name,” June said.
          “Names?” They all answered in unison.  
          “You know, like what the American word is for things.”
          “I thought they spoke English?” Alice groaned.
          June leaned over and placed an arm around Alice’s shoulders. “Well, they might not speak