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Back The Land Beneath Us Save as PDF
Chapters (62)
  1. Cover
  2. Endorsements
  3. Books by Sarah Sundin
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright Page
  6. Presidential Radio Broadcast
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. Epilogue
  58. Acknowledgments
  59. Discussion Questions
  60. About the Author
  61. Back Ads
  62. Back Cover

Clay stopped in his tracks. How could he talk about a girl in such a callous way? A girl like Leah. Had this Peggy found herself in a predicament like Leah’s, with disgrace or exile as her only choices?

Clay breathed out a prayer for Peggy and her family, and another prayer of thanks that God had let him help Leah.

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17

CAMP FORREST
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1943

Rita Sue drove her pickup truck down Forrest Boulevard into camp. “Any news from Clay?”

“Just yesterday.” Leah ran a finger under the waistband of her skirt. Tonight she’d let it out another inch. Thank goodness she wasn’t showing yet. “His battalion left Florida. The school said they were the best unit they’d ever had. In the final exercise they took Fort Pierce by storm.”

Leah didn’t mention how the Rangers had taken Fort Pierce by storm the following evening on leave—a night of drunkenness and brawling. The entire battalion had been confined to quarters for the rest of their stay, even those who had behaved, like Clay and G. M.

“Where’s he going next?” Rita Sue waved a jeep through at the intersection.

“Fort Dix in New Jersey for advanced tactical training.” She spoke slowly to get the term correct. “He’s excited about it.”

“I’m glad he’s doing well.” Rita Sue pulled the truck in front of the library, stepped out, and flagged down a trio of soldiers. “Excuse me, gentlemen. Could y’all lend us a hand, please? We could use a few pairs of strong arms.”

The soldiers brightened. “Sure, ma’am.”

“Thank you. Please carry these boxes inside for Mrs. Paxton.”

Leah gave them an awkward smile, feeling inappropriately empty-handed. Even though she was three months along in her pregnancy, the time most ladies made their announcements, Leah had to wait another month.

She waved good-bye to Rita Sue and held the door open for the men. “Thank you, gentlemen. Please set them on the circulation desk.”

Miss Mayhew approached from the card catalog. “Oh my! Isn’t this wonderful?”

Leah thanked the soldiers and opened the first box. “I’m only partway through the Victory Book Campaign collection. More will be coming.”

“I’ll take anything I can. The Army prefers the Armed Services Editions, but those only go to the troops overseas. Here in the States, we’ve depended on the VBC to supplement our purchases. But the Army cut that off.”

Leah stacked books on the desk. “Such a shame.”

Miss Mayhew inspected a copy of William L. Shirer’s Berlin Diary. “Has the library in town decided what to do with the books we don’t want? It’s criminal to scrap them.”

“We received permission to do with them as we please. I’m determined to find good homes for them.”