The captain of her heart
Dashing and valiantly wounded, Captain John Gallows could have stepped straight out of a navy recruitment poster. Leanne Sample can’t help being impressed—although the lovely Red Cross volunteer tries to hide it. She knows better than to get attached to the daring captain who is only home to heal and help rally support for the war’s final push. As soon as he’s well enough, he’ll rush back to Europe, back to war—and far away from South Carolina and Leanne. But when an epidemic strikes the university campus, John comes to realize what it truly means to be a hero—Leanne’s hero.
“You gave a stunning presentation, Captain. Yours is a harrowing tale.”
A flicker of a shadow came over his eyes at her use of the word. It was instantly replaced by the cavalier expression. “Ah, but so heroic and inspiring.”
“It makes it unfair that your leg pains you so much.”
She expected him to give some dashing dismissal of the judgment, but he paused. He looked at her as if she were the first person ever to say such a thing, which couldn’t possibly be true. “Why?” It was said in the oddest tone.
“I…” She fumbled, not knowing the answer herself. “I should think it a terrible shame. It seems a very brave thing you’ve done.”
“Wars need heroes,” he said, “and those of us in the wrong place at the wrong time find ourselves drafted into that need. I don’t ponder whether I limp from justice or bravery, Nurse Sample. I just try to walk.”
His smile had a dark edge to it as he walked away. With an odd little catch under her chest, Leanne noted that while he hid it extremely well, he still limped.
ALLIE PLEITER
Enthusiastic but slightly untidy mother of two and RITA® Award finalist Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and nonfiction. An avid knitter and unreformed chocoholic, she spends her days writing books, drinking coffee and finding new ways to avoid housework. Allie grew up in Connecticut, holds a B.S. in speech from Northwestern University and spent fifteen years in the field of professional fundraising. She lives with her husband, children and a Havanese dog named Bella in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois.
Homefront Hero
Allie Pleiter
MILLS & BOON
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Have I not commanded you?
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid;
do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God
will be with you wherever you go.”
— Joshua 1:9
To Suzanne,
a brave hero and a warrior in her own right
Acknowledgments
A wise writer brings lots of good counsel
with her into a historical manuscript.
In addition to John M. Barry’s invaluable book
The Great Influenza, I owe thanks to many other good people who served as sources: Paula Benson, Dr. John Boyd of the 81st Regional Support Command, Susan Craft, Kristina Dunn Johnson
at The South Carolina Confederate Relic Room
and Military Museum, Mary Jo Fairchild at
the South Carolina Historical Society,
Mary J. Manning (and the entire outstanding museum) at the Cantigny First Division Foundation, Nichole Riley at Moncrief Army Community Hospital, Stephanie Sapp at
Jackson Army Base U.S. Army Basic
Combat Training Museum, Christina Shedlock at the Charleston County Public Library and Elizabeth Cassidy West and the other dedicated librarians at the South Caroliniana Library at the University of South Carolina at Columbia. Any factual errors should be laid at my feet, not at the excellent information these people provided me.
Contents
