‘Daffodils’ chronicles love, loss during WWI

By: 
Jan Jones
Correspondent

This week’s book was “Daffodils,” the first book in Alex Martin’s Katherine Wheel series. Early in the 1900s, the strict rules separating the social classes keep the residents of Upper and Lower Cheadle apart.

Sir Robert Smythe owns nearly all the land around the village, and most of the area residents work for the Smythe estate. Agnes and Bert Beagle have worked for Sir Robert for many years. Now their son Albert and daughter Katherine, or “Katy,” work there, too.

While her parents are content to live out their lives in service to the Smythe family, Katy often shirks her duties to read from the many books in the Smythe library. She longs for travel and adventures beyond the small village.

Jeremy “Jem” Phipps grew up working beside his father in the Smythe gardens. He loves working the land, seeing crops grow and has no plans to ever leave. World War I has begun, and Charles Smythe has enlisted. During a short visit home, he and Katy commit a minor social faux-pas, and Katy loses her job.

Jem has always loved Katy, but she hasn’t shown any interest in him. Yet she agrees to marry him to save face. She is amazed at how quickly she learns to deeply love Jem. Within a year, little Florence Phipps is born, and Katy can’t imagine being happier.

Sadly, Sir Robert’s refusal to upgrade the water facilities causes little Florence to die from typhoid. Katy’s grief overwhelms her and drives a wedge between the young couple. Her deep depression combines with other issues, and soon Katy is near death with pneumonia. She recovers, but the relationship remains distant.

Hoping to do something positive, Jem enlists and soon finds himself in the midst of the front lines. His natural calm under duress and positive outlook makes him popular. Meanwhile, Katy manages day-to-day tasks and lives for Jem’s rare letters.

Her world implodes when she receives notice that Jem is missing in action and presumed dead. Her pain is so great that she lets herself slide into the river, happy to drown and be with Jem and Florence again. To her amazement, Jem pulls her from the water and kisses her.

Katy responds in joy and disbelief only to learn that she has been rescued by the vicar, Lionel White. She’d always thought he was a bit arrogant and is aghast when proclaims that has always loved her and now that Jem is dead, he wants to marry her. Lionel White might have charmed anyone else, but Katy unceremoniously throws him out of her house.

With Jem dead, Katy must leave the house provided by the Smythes. Katy tells no one that she received a letter written after the notice of Jem’s death. She is sure that he is alive.

Cassandra Smythe has joined a women’s military corps driving ambulances, so Katy signs up for a nursing corps. On her way to London, she meets Ariadne Pennington and the two become instant friends. Eventually they end up working on the ambulances in France – Katy as a mechanic and Ari cleaning and sanitizing them after each run.

As they endure the horrific results of the war, Jem is also enduring the hell of a German POW camp. When the war finally ends, the troops are processed through the camp where Katy works. Suddenly Jem is standing in front of her. He has survived influenza, near starvation and the loss of an arm, but he looks perfect to Katy.

This book ends with Katy, Jem, Cassandra and their friends reuniting at the Smythe’s estate. They mourn the loss of Charles Smythe and Albert Beagle, but celebrate what they still have together. I’m sure book two will be worth following this stalwart group into what comes next.

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