Well meet again, p.1
We'll Meet Again, page 1
About Cheryl Adnams
CHERYL ADNAMS lives in Adelaide, South Australia. She has published four Australian rural romance novels and this is her third Australian historical novel. Cheryl has a Diploma in Freelance Travel Writing and Photography, has lived and worked in the United States and Canada, and spent two years with a tour company in Switzerland and Austria. Her favourite writing retreats include Positano on the Amalfi Coast and Port Willunga Beach just south of Adelaide. When she’s not writing, Cheryl is still creating in her busy full-time job as a learning designer.
If you’d like to know more about Cheryl’s books, visit her webpage cheryladnams.com.
www.harpercollins.com.au/hq
For Dad. xx
Contents
About the Author
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty-One
Twenty-Two
Twenty-Three
Epilogue
The Facts
Author’s Note
Bibliography
Acknowledgements
One
Hawaii—November 1941
The wave of white just seemed to keep on coming. Sailors. So many sailors.
They attracted stares of both disapproval and admiration as they sauntered down the busy avenue, chattering and squawking at high volume, reminding Elizabeth of the flocks of white cockatoos that often swarmed around her home back in Australia. The crisp white of their navy uniforms was blinding in the bright Hawaiian sunshine, bellbottoms pressed to perfection, Dixie cups sitting atop regulation military haircuts.
As the mob came closer, almost as one, ten pairs of eyes zoned in on them. Well, on Maggie, anyway. Elizabeth both marvelled and worried at how her little sister seemed to attract men like bees to a flower. Maggie’s honey-blonde hair was curled in perfect waves across her shoulders, left bare by the halter-neck dress she’d purchased that morning which their father would never approve of.
Which was probably exactly why she bought it.
‘Howdy there, little lady,’ one of the sailors called. His greeting was promptly echoed by a multitude of voices and plenty of whistles.
Elizabeth lowered her eyes, intent on walking right on through the gaggle of sailors, but as she came out the other side, she realised she was alone. Turning back, she was unsurprised that Maggie had stopped, and was now surrounded.
‘Well, howdy yourselves,’ Maggie answered, her dimples winking as she smiled flirtatiously.
‘Where y’all from?’
‘Australia.’
‘Australia! Hot damn, boys, we got ourselves a real Aussie here.’
Elizabeth sighed, trying to rein in her impatience. ‘Maggie, come on.’
‘Maggie!’ the chorus sang out.
‘Sorry, boys,’ Maggie responded, pressing her way out of the circle of admirers. ‘My big sister calls.’
‘Oh, Maggie, you’re breakin’ my heart!’
One of the men called out to Elizabeth. ‘Hey, big sister! Come with us so we can get Maggie a shave ice?’
‘Thank you, but we must be going,’ Elizabeth declined, smiling politely.
‘Aw, come on now, sweetheart.’
‘Bye, boys!’ Giggling and obviously enjoying herself, Maggie joined Elizabeth and they crossed the street, heading back towards the distinctive pink building of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.
‘Maggie, you really shouldn’t encourage them.’
‘Oh, don’t go getting all high and mighty, Elizabeth.’ She waved it off. ‘It’s just a bit of fun. You can be such an old maid.’
Elizabeth opened her mouth to object, but closed it again just as quickly, too tired to argue. She understood her sister just wanted to have some fun, but while there was only four-year age difference between them, she often felt the gap was immeasurable.
Stepping into the lobby of the hotel, the girls walked through to the Coconut Grove Lanai and found their parents having tea with the Davenports, an American couple they’d met on the boat from Australia.
Her father dominated the setting. He might not wear the uniform anymore, but every part of her father’s presence betrayed him as a military man. His no-nonsense air that drew respect from people in business or politics. ‘Good afternoon, girls,’ he greeted them. ‘How was shopping?’
‘Splendid, Daddy.’ Maggie leaned down to kiss his cheek. ‘Do you like my new dress?’
Dark, bushy eyebrows knitted together in a frown, just as Elizabeth had expected. ‘I’d like it better if you’d put on that cardigan you’re holding.’
Maggie rolled her eyes. ‘It’s so hot, I couldn’t possibly.’
‘Girls, say hello to Mr and Mrs Davenport,’ Mother instructed.
Elizabeth spoke up. ‘Good afternoon, Mr Davenport, Mrs Davenport.’
‘Good afternoon, girls.’ Mrs Davenport smiled. ‘Don’t you look lovely and sun-kissed. Be careful not to get too much colour. Nobody likes a freckle-face.’
Elizabeth lowered her gaze. Sun or no sun, freckles would always be her curse as a redhead.
‘Katharine Hepburn has freckles and I think they’re rather fetching,’ Maggie returned, sending Elizabeth a wink.
‘I’ll call for more tea.’ Mother lifted a hand to attract the waiter.
‘Actually, Mother,’ Maggie said, ‘Lizzy and I are about to get changed and go to the beach.’
‘Very well, but don’t get burned,’ Mother insisted, waving the waiter away again. ‘Your father has organised for us to dine with several naval officers from the Pacific Fleet tonight, so don’t be late.’
‘Blurgh.’ Maggie let out the sound of distaste once they had left the table. ‘I don’t want to sit through dinner with a pack of puffed-up old navy officers. And what’s with that Davenport woman? “Nobody likes a freckle-face”.’ She imitated the woman’s nasal voice. ‘What a witch.’
‘Maggie!’ Elizabeth scolded, but couldn’t stop the chuckle. Her sister had a way with words sometimes. Still, she appreciated the solidarity, and Maggie’s quick thinking that had got them both out of tea with the Davenports. ‘Will you ever learn to keep your opinions to yourself?’
Maggie shrugged. ‘What? It’s not like they can hear me. Just because Daddy is kowtowing to the Americans so they’ll join Australia in the stupid war doesn’t mean I have to be there to see it.’
Thirty years with the Royal Australian Navy, during which he had achieved the rank of lieutenant-commander, had led Robert Cardwell to a life of politics, and that naval experience held him in good stead as he spoke with the elite commanders of the United States Pacific Fleet on behalf of Prime Minister John Curtin. Three years already the war in Europe had raged and it had weighed heavily on Australia. So many of its young men had followed Mother Britain’s call into yet another conflict and, by all accounts, things weren’t going well.
It was rare for the family to travel with Robert on diplomatic trips, but when he’d announced he was going to Hawaii on business, Maggie and their mother had badgered him within an inch of his life to let them tag along for a holiday. Elizabeth had been just as excited but she’d barely had to weigh in thanks to their relentlessness. Still, she was surprised at Maggie’s understanding of the situation.
‘I didn’t know you knew so much about Father’s work here.’
‘I’d have to be deaf and blind not to know what’s happening,’ Maggie tossed back as she stepped into the elevator. ‘I just choose not to get maudlin over it. I want to enjoy our holiday while we can.’
An hour later, they were draping their towels over the hotel sun-lounges on Waikiki Beach. Holiday-makers and locals played in the turquoise waters while surfers tried their luck with the small waves. Further out, tiny sailboats bobbed and cruised outside the reef. The smell of hibiscus and frangipani mixed with the humid, salty air as four local men on an outrigger canoe paddled into shore.
Someone was playing ‘Winter Wonderland’ on a ukulele as the shiny red and green tinsel wrapped around the tall palm trees swayed in the light breeze. To Maggie, this was the perfect paradise.
Unsurprised to see Elizabeth diving back into her book, Maggie removed her sundress and posed on her lounge, scanning the beach beneath the adorable, white-rimmed sunglasses she’d purchased earlier.
Not far from where they sat, a shaggy-haired blond man was teaching a young boy the finer points of surfing. The board was on the sand, and the Adonis-like instructor was demonstrating how to quickly move from stomach to feet without losing balance. Maggie lowered her sunglasses to admire the man a little better, and read the sign on the small wooden shack nearby: Surf Lessons: $1.
‘I want to learn to surf.’
Elizabeth studied the object of Maggie’s gaze and, with a shake of her head, went back to her book. ‘Of course you do.’
Maggie smiled wickedly. She had absolutely no desire to learn to surf. What she had was a very strong desire to talk to the beautiful blond surf instructor and she’d happily sacrifice her perfectly coiffed hair to do it. Besides, she looked sexy with wet hair. If Esther Williams could swim and still be glamorous, then so could she.
‘We can’t come to Ha
Sighing, Elizabeth took one of the green dollar bills from her purse and handed it to Maggie, putting her book aside. ‘This I’ve got to see.’
‘Wish me luck!’
Checking that her new blue and yellow swimsuit was sitting just right, she sashayed across the sand, picking the exact moment the object of her intentions saw her headed his way. Pale blue eyes did a double-take, his mouth dropped open ever so slightly and, just like that, the kid on the board no longer existed.
‘Good afternoon,’ Maggie said once she’d reached him.
‘Afternoon, ma’am,’ he answered with a head nod. So polite. ‘How can I help you?’
‘I was hoping you might teach me to surf.’
His eyes swept her from the perfectly curled hair to the pink-painted toenails. Maggie waited; she was used to men admiring her.
‘Beg your pardon, miss, but you don’t strike me as the sporty type.’
That hadn’t been the response she’d been looking for. Defiant, she lifted her chin slightly to show off her long, slender neck. It was one of her best features. ‘I’m Australian. We’re a very sporty nation.’
‘No kiddin’. Well, you’re in luck. Bobby here’s just about to go out on his own. Let me set him off and I’ll be right with you. Name’s Cody.’
He reached out and she slowly placed her small hand into his. It was warm, and a tingle of attraction skittered across her skin. ‘Maggie. Maggie Cardwell.’
‘Well, Maggie Cardwell, I’ll be right back. Don’t disappear on me, now.’
‘Wouldn’t dream of it.’
He grinned slowly at her unmistakably flirtatious tone before he lifted the board from the sand like it weighed no more than a twig and walked Bobby down to the water’s edge. She studied him closely as he manoeuvred the boy past the first set of small shore waves. Short black swimming trunks hugged his narrow hips perfectly, and she enjoyed the way his back muscles flexed and contracted as he moved the board into position for Bobby to climb aboard. She enjoyed even more watching him stride back up the beach towards her, his tanned chest gleaming in the afternoon sun.
‘Gorgeous day,’ Maggie said as he joined her.
‘Gorgeous.’ He nodded, his eyes tracking across her body again.
It always gave her a thrill when a handsome man found her attractive. She wasn’t a girl who played the shy debutante well, despite constant nagging from her sister that she should be more modest. She figured God gave her good looks and He would want her to use them to her advantage.
‘Let’s get you set up with a board,’ Cody said, heading into the little wooden hut.
She let Cody take her through the basics of surfing, watched as he demonstrated the technique to paddling out and how to snap up from her tummy to her feet. While she had approached Cody under false pretences, she discovered that she was quite enjoying herself.
‘You’re pretty good at that,’ he complimented.
‘I think I’m ready to go out there now.’ She pointed out to where small waves were breaking just offshore.
‘Really?’ His crooked grin was a touch condescending. ‘You might get that pretty hairdo all messed up?’
Her hands went to her hips, eyes narrowed. ‘I didn’t go through all that practice on the sand only to leave without actually trying out the board in the water.’
‘Alrighty then, Miss Cardwell,’ he acquiesced, his surprise evident. ‘Let’s see what you can do.’
‘Maggie! Maggie! It’s time we went!’
Why did it feel as though that was all she said these days?
Maggie, it’s time we left. Maggie, Mother and Father will be waiting. Maggie, put down that surfer boy, you don’t know where he’s been.
The sun was hanging low in the sky, and they were due to meet their parents for dinner in less than an hour. Elizabeth stood on the shoreline, the waves lapping at her feet, trying desperately to get Maggie’s attention. Was she ignoring her on purpose? Frustration peaked when Maggie turned the surfboard and headed back out to catch another wave.
Elizabeth sighed heavily and dug her toes into the soft, cool sand. Why couldn’t she be the one having fun with a young man with someone calling after her for once?
Because Fred is away fighting Hitler.
Shame overwhelmed her momentarily. Fred had been away for eighteen months already, such a long time to be apart. He wrote as often as he could, but even so, he was unable to tell her anything. At first, he’d been sent to Africa, then Greece, and now …? Well, she really had no idea where he was now.
She missed him. She did. But when she saw how much fun Maggie was having in the company of a handsome young man, the loneliness became a terrible ache.
And the surfer was handsome. And young. A few years younger than her, she guessed. Twenty-one? Or twenty-two, perhaps? His blond hair fell in messy, sun-bleached waves to his shoulders, and what broad shoulders he had. All that surfing, she supposed. Lifting those long, heavy surfboards for tourists would keep those muscles taut. She imagined he was popular with all the tourist girls who visited Waikiki Beach, but right now, he had Maggie’s undivided attention and the two of them were riding the waves like old friends.
She was surprised at how quickly Maggie had picked up surfing. It had been a long time since her sister had put her mind and energies into anything other than imitating movie stars and their hairstyles. She’d skipped her way through the last few years trying one job and then another, choosing to spend most of her time going to the pictures. She pored over the latest issues of Women’s Weekly magazine to discover the latest gossip out of Hollywood, and to find dress patterns that their mother could help her sew. Their mother indulged Maggie because she didn’t believe her girls needed to work; her only aim was to marry them off to successful husbands.
When the war broke out, Elizabeth took a job as a clerk at the Commonwealth Bank as positions were vacated by men joining up. When Fred enlisted and was sent overseas, she did her best to understand what was happening in the war. With each of Fred’s letters, she studied maps of Africa and Greece to try and discern the approximate whereabouts of his unit from the little information he gave her. Whereas Maggie only knew where Paris was because that was where all the best fashion houses were. She couldn’t blame Maggie for not wanting to get mired down in all the horrific details out of Europe but in equal measure, Elizabeth couldn’t understand Maggie’s attachment to such frivolous things when the world was fighting for its very survival.
As the pair surfed towards shore, she waved her arms. ‘Maggie!’
‘Like trying to herd cattle on a tricycle, ain’t it?’
Elizabeth glanced over her shoulder at a man who’d strolled up. He was in a sailor’s uniform, like every second man in Hawaii seemed to be. She was about to ignore him when he spoke again.
‘I’m Cody’s brother, Tom.’ He offered his hand, his dark blue eyes twinkling with mischief despite his polite manner.
She took his hand warily. ‘Cody?’
He pointed out to the ocean. ‘The guy teaching your sister how to surf. I’m the responsible older brother. Just like I imagine you’re the responsible older sister of … Maggie, is it?’
‘Yes.’
‘And does Maggie’s more responsible sister have a name?’
‘Oh, yes. Elizabeth. Sorry.’
‘No need to be sorry, darlin’. Elizabeth’s a fine name.’ He finally let go of her hand but kept on grinning until Elizabeth couldn’t help but smile too. ‘I know what it’s like, trying to bend ’em to your will.’
‘I’m not trying to bend her to my will,’ she shot back. ‘I’m just trying to get her to come back to the hotel before my parents send out a search party.’
Tom nodded and put his fingers to his mouth. She blanched at the loud whistle, but it worked. The two surfers looked their way, and Tom waved them in.
‘I’ve always wanted to be able to do that,’ Elizabeth admitted with a smile of admiration.
‘It’s easy,’ Tom said. ‘I can teach you.’
‘Oh, no, I … I’m sure it’s not the proper thing for ladies to do.’
He leaned in, lowering his voice. ‘I won’t tell anyone.’
Maggie and Cody rode up onto the sand and the topic was dropped.
