A delightful read. A story of love, betrayal, war and sacrifice.
The Soldier's Wife
by Margaret Leroy
Voice
June 2011
The time is World War II and the Germans are occupying the small Island of Guernsey - second largest of the Channel Islands just off the coast of Normandy in northwestern France. All the British soldiers are gone - no one seems to care about Guernsey.
Vivienne de la Mare is alone with her two daughters and her elderly mother-in-law. He husband is off somewhere fighting the war - they haven't heard from him since he left - no mail is getting through. Vivienne is planning to take her daughters on the next boat to London. They must leave before the Germans arrive and they will be doomed. She will take her mother-in-law to live with a neighbor. The day arrives and n they rush to the docks to board the ship. Vivienne thinks the ship is too small for all the people and returns home. German soldiers move into the house next door. Has she made a mistake by not going to London? She continues to care for her family, but things are getting harder - resources become scant, dementia takes hold of her mother-in-law and to make matters worse the Germans has imposed a curfew on the town. Anyone outside after the curfew will be in serious trouble - maybe even shot or sent to prison in France.
Vivienne's love affair begins very innocently with Captain Gunther Lehmann. One morning he comes in her garden to offer her coffee. She of course refuses - it wouldn't be right - she must not fraternize with the enemy. Another time he offers her chocolate. She cannot resist and takes it, but divides it with her daughters - her mother-law does not like chocolate.. Her youngest daughter falls and hurts her knee. It becomes infected and Captain Lehmann sends Captain Reichter to care for her. Vivienne begins to have feelings for Gunther. She knows this is wrong, but she is so lonely and things were not good between she and her husband before he left. He had betrayed her with another woman. She takes Gunther to her bed and they carry on the affair in secret. No one must learn of the affair - especially not her daughters,
Things move along quite normally until one day the Nazi Forces come to her house. Vivienne is harboring a run away prisoner from the slave camp. Someone has turned her in. He tries to escape and is gunned down in her garden. When Gunther comes that night she believes he turned her in and ends the affair. Gunther and Captain Reicther soon leaves the island to go to the Russian front. Her mother-in-law dies and Vivienne works hard to provide for her family - but she can't help thinking of Gunther and wonders how he is getting along.
The war is over and her husband returns. They decide to separate - she stays in the home and he moves to town. Vivienne has a visit from Captain Reicher. She meets him in Town at the Coffee Shop. Gunther is dead. Vivienne returns home to her daughter and small son who has Gunther's smile.
Highly recommended. You will thoroughly enjoy the story of one woman who sacrificed all for forbidden love. Ms. Leroy is an excellent writer. The book is a keeper.
