Read Online A Nightingale Christmas Wish by Donna Douglas - Free Book Online

here.’
    Frannie frowned. ‘His father? I didn’t think he had any family?’
    ‘Apparently he has. His father has been ringing round the hospitals for days, wondering where he is.’
    ‘Well, I never. Where is he now?’
    ‘He’s waiting in your office. I thought you might want to see him?’
    ‘I do. Thank you, Staff.’
    Still shivering, Frannie made her way down the short corridor to her office. As she reached the door, she could see a man’s blurred outline through the frosted glass.
    ‘Mr Campbell?’ She said, opening the door. ‘Sorry to keep you. I’m—’
    The man turned round in his seat and she stopped talking, the greeting dying on her lips, as she found herself staring into a face she hadn’t thought she would ever see again.

Chapter Nine
    HE ROSE TO his feet, and Frannie gasped, as if she were seeing a ghost. He stood there, tall and broad-shouldered, in his army uniform, just as he had when she’d last seen him on that railway station platform.
    ‘John?’
    There were threads of grey in his close-cropped dark hair and fine lines fanning from the corners of his green eyes, but she would have known Matthew’s best friend anywhere.
    ‘Miss Wallace?’ He frowned, uncertain. ‘Is it you?’
    ‘Yes, it’s me.’ She gave an embarrassed smile, her hand going up to touch her hair, hidden under her linen bonnet. ‘Although it’s a wonder you still recognise me, after all these years.’
    ‘I’d know you anywhere.’
    Her legs felt weak with shock and Frannie crossed the room quickly to sit behind her desk before they gave way. She motioned for John to sit down opposite her.
    ‘I can’t believe it,’ she marvelled. ‘Seeing you, after all these years . . . I thought you were dead,’ she said frankly. ‘When you didn’t come back to the village after the war, we all assumed—’
    ‘That I hadn’t made it?’ John said grimly. ‘I’ll admit, there were a few close calls. But then after the war I decided to re-enlist. The army was my family by then.’
    Frannie regarded him across the desk and felt very sad for the orphanage boy with no home to go to and no family to wonder what had become of him. She suddenly wished she’d looked for him, or at least mourned him. But she’d been too consumed with grieving for Matthew to give his friend a second thought.
    She felt herself drifting back to those days, and quickly dragged her thoughts back to the present. ‘You’ve seen your son?’
    ‘Oh, yes, I’ve seen him.’ John’s tone was chilly.
    ‘I have to say, Mr Campbell led us to believe that he had no family.’
    John’s mouth twisted. ‘That sounds like Adam. We’re not close,’ he explained. ‘Having a father who’s an officer in the British Army is rather an embarrassment when you’re a dedicated pacifist, I think.’
    That was a hint of mockery in his tone that made Frannie think of the soldiers she’d encountered on Oxford Street.
    ‘How is he?’ asked John. ‘I understand there was an accident of some kind?’
    ‘Hasn’t he told you?’
    He gave a small smile. ‘As I said, we’re not close. He has never been inclined to confide in me about anything.’ He leaned forward. ‘Perhaps you could tell me what happened?’
    His face paled as Frannie explained about the accident, and the extent of Adam’s injuries. They might not have been close, but there was no doubting John’s concern for his son.
    ‘And he will recover, you say? There won’t be any permanent damage?’
    Frannie nodded. ‘As long as he’s patient, does as he’s told and allows us to look after him, he should be back on his feet soon enough.’
    ‘Patience has never been my son’s strong point. Neither has being told what to do.’
    ‘We’re beginning to realise that,’ Frannie admitted ruefully.
    John was silent for a moment, and she could see the emotion building behind his calm face. ‘But what on earth was Adam doing, racing cars around the streets in the early hours of the