The Girl from Simon's Bay

Book excerpt: A seashell and a sealed letter form a tenuous connectionto a forbidden wartime romance1937. Simon's Town is a vibrant and diverse community in a picturesque part ofthe Union of South Africa. At the heart of the town is the Royal Navy port, andLouise Ahrendts, daughter of a shipbuilder, nurtures the idea that through hardwork she could step beyond a destiny of domestic service. She dreams ofbecoming a nurse and she has the tenacity to make this dream a reality. Whenthe Second World War breaks out and the port becomes a hub of activity,Louise's path crosses with that of Lieutenant David Horrocks. Despite the gulf intheir backgrounds and the expectations facing them from family on both sides,Louise and David are determined to be together.But as the end of the war approaches and a new troubled moment of historydawns, will they find their way back to each other?