The War Widows

The War Widows
Leah Fleming

When you lose everything you love, you need a friend…Nothing ever happens in sleepy Grimbleton. Until two strangers - both claiming to be the fiancée of a dead soldier - arrive in town.Susan prides herself on her refined 'English' manners - yet her airs and graces hide harrowing memories of her escape from war-torn Burma.Volatile Ana pines for the sunshine of her Greek village - but is forever haunted by her sister's death at the hands of the Nazis'.Enemies at first, Su and Ana soon find themselves united in grief at the loss of Freddie Winstanley - the father of both their children.Freddie's sister Lily takes the women under her wing and soon the circle of friends expands to include Italian Maria, torn between her invalid husband and another man, and uppercrust Diana, whose jolly exterior conceals a secret sorrow.Supported by this new-found sisterhood, Lily dares to dream of spreading her wings away from her domineering family and spineless fiancé.But each woman's courage is soon sorely tested. Can they help each other to find happiness after the heartache of war?

LEAH FLEMING

The War Widows

Copyright (#ulink_7fd3449b-fc49-57eb-baea-89bc0b330ae3)

This novel is entirely a work of fiction.

The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

AVON

A division of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd. 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk (http://www.harpercollins.co.uk)

Copyright © Leah Fleming 2008

Leah Fleming asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

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HarperCollinsPublishers has made every reasonable effort to ensure that any picture content and written content in this ebook has been included or removed in accordance with the contractual and technological constraints in operation at the time of publication

Source ISBN: 9781847560131

Ebook Edition © 2009 ISBN: 9780007334971

Version: 2018-06-19

Dedication (#ulink_b9a81c9d-7d34-54c4-b942-107c1109b1e0)

For Jan, Madeleine, Menna, Lyneth, April, Kathryn and all the Lichfield Register friends, past and present.

‘We have eaten bread and salt together, sorrows and joys shared…’

Contents

Title Page (#u98c360b7-a6f4-569a-96ed-f1ef834a6593)

Copyright (#ufee43186-ccfb-5d4f-bc79-d2e316401bde)

Dedication (#u7bb5c5de-54f2-5ca1-a5a8-e16cb31424a2)

Prologue (#uebcbd0ea-e500-5d31-82d5-0775831b5d21)

Chapter 1 - Business as Usual (#u49fd92e7-3781-5a2b-bc36-0c9a620cb712)

Chapter 2 - The Telegram (#u110bc765-cbdb-5efd-b7c3-59180f93efd7)

Chapter 3 - An Unexpected Legacy (#ud9f6dc6f-f344-597e-bfe0-a5b51b4980a8)

Chapter 4 - The Leftover Brides (#u13da5329-ffdc-564e-9731-801b1f23cb1c)

Chapter 5 - The Day War Broke Out Again (#ufda8d57b-0e1f-507b-8418-ce44d4f8aa02)

Chapter 6 - Farewell to Freddie (#u06de050d-3fe7-5f3e-8bd0-84d467758142)

Chapter 7 - The Olive Oil Hunt (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 8 - Maria (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 9 - Balancing Books and Entertaining Angels (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 10 - Invitations to a Feast (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 11 - Susan to the Rescue (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 12 - The Olive Oil Club (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 13 - A Dickens of a Christmas (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 14 - Dancing in the Snow (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 15 - The Miracle Cure (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 16 - The Joys of a Family (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 17 - Cinderellas in Ballgowns (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 18 - Moses Heights (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 19 - Changing the Guard (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 20 - A Bit of Blackpool Air (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 21 - Here Comes The Bride (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 22 - Dancing in the Park (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 23 - The Mission (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 24 - A Brief Encounter Moment (#litres_trial_promo)