A Zephyr Rising (The Windswept Saga #4)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

Somerset, England

The world had gone mad and Ginger Whitman couldn’t stomach it for one more second.

She stood from her seat in the stone gazebo where she’d been attempting to read the newspaper.

The paper crinkled in her gloved hand as she started across the lawn toward her family’s home.

One thing after another had distracted her: thoughts of guests arriving soon, the glare of the sun against the paper, the feeling of uselessness.

The memory of the townspeople singing and chanting in the streets a few nights ago.

“It’s a long way to Tipperary…”

She shuddered thinking of those excited faces and toasts. Since then, that tune had been stuck in her head, teasing and haunting her. According to the papers, the celebration had even extended to Buckingham Palace, where King George and Queen Mary greeted the merry crowds.

So many people cheering for the promise of death and destruction.

She slowed and bent toward the grass, righting a fallen croquet hoop. The servants had already set up games for the afternoon. Her palm grazed a mallet as she passed it.

She felt immune to the general sentiment pervading her country, unable to comprehend how something she’d always thought of as being so ugly and fearsome as war could now be called “splendid.” She strolled under the shade of a tall elm and stopped, taking in her family’s stately house.

Servants bustled, setting up the garden party under the towering shade of the graceful arched windows overlooking the west balcony.

Just this morning, all but one footman had given notice, explaining their intention to enlist. They walked now with a spring to their step, whistling, proud to do their bit.

Even this party felt incongruous to her.

Parties were for peaceful times, for quiet moments while gazing over grassy hills.

As though nature wanted to offer its agreement, a warm breeze wrapped her in a gentle embrace, but left goose bumps on her skin.

The chill of autumn already crept into the fingertips of the wind.

She frowned and deposited her newspaper on a bench under the tree. The scent of ink remained on her gloves as she started forward again.

Anxiety had been clawing at her gut since the news had broken four days earlier.

Britain was at war with Germany. The actions of six conspirators in Sarajevo in June had sealed the fates of many.

The thought of men dying in combat on the battlefield made her throat clench.

Which families would this war touch? Her friends? Or maybe her own brother?

Her mouth went dry.

The inexplicable buzz of excitement bothered her the most. The young men her age who were eager to show their patriotism for king and country—none of them seemed to think beyond that.

Even Henry seemed to share their lack of foresight.

Her older brother had entered an impassioned discussion with a friend at dinner the previous night about volunteering before they were called up.

She didn’t want life to change. Uncertainty about the future made the merriment around her feel like ignorance and na?veté.

The declarations about “routing the Huns” in a few short weeks sounded like nothing more than hubris and bravado.

Like many men she knew, Henry had only experienced shooting in hunts.

Hunts ending with lawn parties and tea and baths.

Servants to tend to their horses. She couldn’t help but wonder if they would be so confident when another man was their target.

Worse still, she was completely powerless, silently screaming as she watched her life invaded by a force she had no ability to influence or help fight against. What if the war came to her doorstep?

The servants unfurled tablecloths, the white fabric catching like sails in the breeze, billowing and beautiful. Ginger steadied herself against the trunk of the tree, the fingertips of her gloves catching against the bark.

Weeks earlier, they’d been more concerned about the Americans winning the Henley Regatta.

The familiar world of the London Season, with its late-night dinners, parades at Hyde Park, breathless balls, and thrilling cricket matches—it was slipping away.

Eclipsed by something none of them quite understood.

Only men like her father, who had served in the African war, carried on with gravitas.

For once in her life, her father’s opinion seemed to be aligned with hers. She wished she could talk to him about it all. But he had barely spoken to her the last week. He continued to be angry with her.

Her jaw set. She didn’t want to think about it. Or Stephen’s impending arrival. She wasn’t ready to face him yet.

The open-aired tents that had been erected for the party swayed in the morning breeze and Ginger gave up her spot as she saw her mother among the servants. Mama had transformed their own garden party into a fundraising event to support the war effort.

This was a way to be useful. For now. She slipped under the cover offered by the tent where her mother stood. Both she and the head housekeeper, Mrs. Williams, wore deep frowns as they spoke.

A few days earlier, Ginger would have dismissed their concerns as something trivial. Given the new circumstances, it seemed worth asking about. Ginger paused at her mother’s side. “What is it, Mama? Has something happened?”

Her mother’s green-eyed gaze turned toward her. “The butcher’s delivery never arrived from town this morning. And it’s getting quite late. The kitchen is in chaos because the cook had several cold meat items on the menu.”

Ginger imagined the scene. The party would start in five hours—‘chaos’ was likely too gentle a term. “Mr. Martin has always been punctual. What could have delayed him?”

Mrs. Williams cleared her throat, the soft lines by her eyes crinkling as her gaze swept over the tent. “That’s what Lady Braddock and I are worried about. Someone might have done something to his business because...” She trailed off.

She didn’t have to finish. Ginger understood the implication. Yesterday, the papers had carried tales of businesses being destroyed. While Ginger had dressed in the morning, her lady’s maid had told her that over-zealous “patriots” had smashed the windows to the local bookseller’s shop.

“You don’t think someone might have harmed him because he’s German?” Ginger straightened, alert with the horrifying thought. “But Mr. Martin is one of us—he’s been in town longer than I’ve been alive. And his wife and children...”

Her mother put a gentle hand on her bare wrist. “We’re sending Florence to go and check on the order. There isn’t need for alarm yet.”

The housemaid would be more useful at Penmore.

And it would give her something to do instead of mill about and worry over the war and the looming confrontation with Stephen.

Ginger shook her head. “I can go into town instead of Florence. I’d like to know if anything has happened sooner rather than later. ”

“You’re a dear.” Her mother’s lips curved in an affectionate smile.

Ginger left the two older women in the tent and strode toward the house.

Passing her lady’s maid, Ginger turned. “Oh, Violet—I’ll wear the striped dress I got in London two weeks ago.

I’m going into town, so I won’t have as much time to get ready for the party.

If you don’t mind—tend to Lucy first.” Her younger sister would be happy to have Violet’s attention.

She always complained about how long Ginger’s hair took.

“Yes, my lady.” Violet curtsied, her red hair gleaming in the sun. Henry joked Violet was well-suited to be Ginger’s maid because only she understood the tribulations a redhead had in matching clothes to her hair. Ginger smiled to herself. The trait she shared with her maid had bonded them.

Only a week earlier, she and Violet had gushed over some of the latest styles coming in for the fall from Paris. She wouldn’t use those types of dresses now. Then again, Henry seemed certain they would resolve the entire conflict by Christmas. Her father was more wary.

For weeks, Ginger had followed the building tensions between the governments of Europe in the papers.

When the Archduke of Austria had been shot in Bosnia, most Britons didn’t believe it would lead to war with Germany.

But Germany had been aggressive, hungry for war.

Despite the many declarations of war between the countries toward the end, she’d still hoped for peace.

But when the Germans had refused to respect the neutrality of Belgium, the patience of the British government had ended.

Now it was all too late.

She found the chauffeur in the courtyard, reading his newspaper. “I hope you made it further into the dreary news than I did,” she said. “Would you give me a ride into town?”

Bosworth blinked at her from under his cap. “Right away, my lady.” He frowned at his newspaper. “I expect they’ll need good drivers in the army.”

Not another one. She said nothing as he readied the motorcar. At the rate they were losing servants, she might have to learn to drive. Her lips twisted in amusement. That wouldn’t be the worst thing.

The small village of Penmore was only a few minutes’ drive from her family’s estate.

As the car wove its way over hills, Ginger reclined into the leather back seat of the car, a breeze blowing a few face-framing stray hairs into her eyes.

The war had been declared the day after a bank holiday and so many people had been away.

Her family had only just returned from London.

The familiar greys and whites of the stone buildings standing on either side of the main street of the hamlet set her heart at ease. The townspeople milled in the streets on their way to the market. From the open market, the scents of freshly baked goods, cinnamon, and cooking food filled the air.