Daisy's Long Road Home

Daisy's Long Road Home
Merryn Allingham

All she’s ever wanted is a place to call home1948: Daisy Driscoll is working as a qualified Sister in Brighton. The war may be over, but Daisy’s heart is in turmoil. Abandoned in childhood and haunted by the experience of her first marriage, Daisy no longer trusts anyone.Convinced the roots of her identity lie in India, and desperate to find the truth, Daisy leaps at the chance to leave her lonely life behind when her friend Grayson Harte travels to the East on business. As she uncovers long-hidden secrets about the family she never knew, will she be able to put the past behind her and find happiness after all?The heart-warming final book in the bestselling Daisy’s War series – perfect for fans of Katie Flynn, Kitty Neale and Nadine Dorries.The Daisy’s War trilogy:The Girl from Cobb Street – Book 1The Nurse’s War – Book 2Daisy’s Long Road Home – Book 3Each story in the Daisy’s War series can be read and enjoyed as a standalone story – or as part of this compelling trilogy charting the fortunes of Daisy Driscoll.

MERRYN ALLINGHAM was born into an army family and spent her childhood on the move. Unsurprisingly, it gave her itchy feet and in her twenties she escaped from an unloved secretarial career to work as cabin crew and see the world. The arrival of marriage, children and cats meant a more settled life in the south of England, where she’s lived ever since. It also gave her the opportunity to go back to ‘school’ and eventually teach at university.

Merryn has always loved books that bring the past to life, so when she began writing herself the novels had to be historical. Writing as Isabelle Goddard, she published six Regency romances. Since then, Merryn has set her books in the early twentieth century, a fascinating era that she loves researching. Daisy’s War takes place in India and wartime London during the 1930s and 1940s, and is a trilogy full of intrigue and romance.

If you would like to keep in touch with Merryn, sign up for her newsletter at www.merrynallingham.com (http://www.merrynallingham.com).

Merryn Allingham

To my father, who spent the happiest years of his life in India, but who never went back

After a while, whoever you are, you just have to let go,

and the river brings you home

—Joanne Harris, Five Quarters of the Orange

Table of Contents

Cover (#uafdbccaa-6110-50e3-a10c-b9ccc0fdbd06)

About the Author (#udbe4079d-af71-5566-b823-07cdaa2167ec)

Title Page (#ue7f0d831-e184-5d00-81b8-2585de7f4bd4)

Dedication (#uef2b9d7c-56dd-55d9-9720-a2b8fb6c993a)

Epigraph (#u1a5971d2-c960-5e52-ad86-6fbc25262a1b)

CHAPTER 1 (#u6adcc9f9-1ba3-5f8f-939d-af2c67236281)

CHAPTER 2 (#ucf1d4e8d-6ca8-51c0-b1ad-17c3dc513321)

CHAPTER 3 (#u7ac473d1-58d8-5a3b-8fe4-b7132cfdaebe)

CHAPTER 4 (#ub7f562d7-5279-5750-a599-348e40df9982)

CHAPTER 5 (#u9ce19855-d94f-558e-865f-87813a320b06)

CHAPTER 6 (#ud5e355b9-4c26-596c-9af9-ca3228fdc488)

CHAPTER 7 (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER 8 (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER 9 (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER 10 (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER 11 (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER 12 (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER 13 (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER 14 (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER 15 (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER 16 (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER 17 (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER 18 (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER 19 (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER 20 (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER 21 (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER 22 (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER 23 (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER 24 (#litres_trial_promo)

Endpages (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER 1 (#ulink_66a3d3a8-c594-5a6b-9ace-e2c9b60bf47f)

Sussex, March 1948

Daisy ignored the doorbell when it rang. It had been a bad day and she’d no wish to entertain her prying neighbour. Half her nurses were down with influenza, but the ward was so crowded she’d had to order the few still on their feet to make up beds in the corridor. The row with Matron had been the last straw.

The bell rang again and she shut her ears to it. Until the third chime. Then she marched to the front door and flung it wide in exasperation. A man leant nonchalantly against the doorpost and she stared in amazement at him.

‘Grayson?’

‘It’s nice to see you recognise me.’ She didn’t think he meant it as a jest. And why would he? It was months since they’d seen each other.

She tried to pull her thoughts together. ‘But why are you here?’

‘I needed to see you. Can I come in?’