AВ Peaceful Summer
Ace Anthony
The summer of 1939, the last summer of peace before World War II. Helmut Krauss, a young German pianist, returns home after completing his education in Britain, only to discover that his mother has become an ardent supporter of Hitler. Far from sharing his mother’s enthusiasm, Helmut applies for an American visa, but Frau Krauss doesn’t give up easily – she believes that her talented son and German Reich are made for each other…
AВ Peaceful Summer
Ace Anthony
Photograph Berlin, Staatsbibliothek, Unter den Linden Bundesarchiv, B 145 Bild-P014772 / Frankl, A. / CC—BY-SA
Photograph Matt Hobbs
Illustrator Ace Anthony
© Ace Anthony, 2019
© Berlin, Staatsbibliothek, Unter den Linden Bundesarchiv, B 145 Bild-P014772 / Frankl, A. / CC—BY-SA, photos, 2019
© Matt Hobbs, photos, 2019
© Ace Anthony, illustrations, 2019
ISBNВ 978-5-4474-0176-4
Created with Ridero smart publishing system
AВ PEACEFUL SUMMER
Ace Anthony
IВ M P R IВ NВ T
AВ Peaceful Summer
byВ Ace Anthony
В© 2014, Ace Anthony
All rights reserved.
Author: Ace Anthony
Contact: apeacefulsummer@gmail.В com
Cover: designed byВ Ace Anthony
Berlin, Staatsbibliothek, Unter den Linden
Bundesarchiv, B 145 Bild-P014772 / Frankl, A. / CC – BY-SA
The piano image byВ Matt Hobbs
This ebook, including all its parts, is protected byВ copyright and must not be copied, reselled or shared without the permission ofВ the author.
ChapterВ 1
“Admit it, there’s nothing like Italian air. Especially at this time of the year…”
“It’s still cold…”
“No, it isn’t. Not for walks.”
“Well, it is for swimming… Just look at them! The water temperature must be murderous!”
He was old, grumpy, wrapped in rugs and his sister’s shawl. She was sitting by his side, a plump woman in her sixties, flushed and smiley, determined to enjoy every bit of that sunny day at the seaside.
“Don’t grumble, Berthold, you promised, remember?”
She surveyed the sparkling surface ofВ the sea from under her old-fashioned sunhat. There were only but few swimmers splashing daringly inВ liquid turquoise.
“What are these brats after? Pneumonia?”
“They are young and healthy… They can do what they want.”
“Your hat is ridiculous.” The remark missed her as she had just turned to a girl sitting to her left:
“You look so pretty today, Irma. The sea air certainly agrees with you.”
The girl smiled. She was very thin, and her dress ofВ bleached linen seemed toВ have more colour than her skin.
“Thank you.”
The woman was inВ the mood for aВ talk:
“Yesterday’s evening was magical, wasn’t it?” she said. The girl nodded.
“Magical,” the man grumbled. “What did you drink last night? You’ve been giggling like an idiot ever since.”
“You really should have come, Berthold. It was wonderful…”
“Will you give me another rug, this one is itchy… If that baby doesn’t stop squeaking, I am going back to the hotel,” he hissed when his sister bent to tuck the rug round his knees. She only laughed:
“If I let you have a smoke, do you promise to stop growling for a change?” She fished his pipe out of her handbag. “Here’s your toy.” He snatched at it and immediately lost interest in the world around him. “Men are like children,” she winked at the girl and moved her chair under the tent to join other women.
“When did you say your husband is coming?” she asked the mother of the whining baby.
“Oh, he’s not coming… Some last minute change of plans, I suppose…”
“Pity. He was so looking forward to it. May I?” She took the baby and rocked him in her arms with the nonchalant ease of someone used to it. “There, young man, if you behave, a mermaid will give you a precious pearl.”
She began toВ hum aВ tune, and the baby went quiet, listening. Everybody, except her brother, gave smiles and gasps ofВ appreciation.
“For God’s sake, Gabi, stop embarrassing people with your enthusiasm!”
She took aВ deep breath:
“I
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