What a heart wrenching, yet heart warming true story this is! Aussie author, JB Rowley, discovered her mother, Myrtle, had a previous marriage with 3 children, prior to her marriage to her father, George, after Myrtle's death, and set out to discover what she could about it, and to finding her half-siblings.
It gives new meaning to the mother-in-law from hell when you read about Myrtle's life, how she fell in love with Henry at a very young age, and Henry being quite a bit older than her, and much more experienced, where Myrtle was very naive. When Myrtle fell pregnant, they were immediately forced into marriage, as this was in the late 1930's and having a baby out of wedlock was a terrible thing, with marriage being the only answer.
So Myrtle's young life of freedom and happiness changed to one of cold disdain by her mother-in-law, and being totally ignored by the man she loved, and whom she thought loved her as well. With Henry going out with his mates until the early hours most nights, and his mother supporting him, where he could do nothing wrong, Myrtle felt very lonely, her only happiness being in caring for young Bertie. As they lived with her in-laws she couldn't escape the harshness of being told she was a terrible mother, and that she had trapped Henry into marriage, and many other things. Except for the friendship of her cousin Lily, and the occasional visit to her mother, who lived in the flat next door, and who doted on Bertie, she felt very alone.
Over the next few years, Audrey, then Noel were born, but when Noel was just a baby, and Henry was at war, her three beautiful children were taken from her, and she was told she was an `unfit mother'. Myrtle was devastated, and her mother, Ettie, took her in to care for her. She visited the children when she was allowed, in the Home, but Bertie wasn't handling the separation from his mother at all well.
When Myrtle met George, he was a soldier and stationed in her home town of Albury. He gave her friendship, and kindness, and gradually she began to love him, and see him as a completely different character to Henry. She felt safe with George, loved and cherished. When he asked her to marry him, she very nervously told him all about Henry and the children. She was worried he would think she was a bad person, and she would lose him. But George loved Myrtle, and he promised he would never leave her side.
So George and Myrtle's life began, and the happiness that followed was beautiful. The detail of Myrtle's early life has been well researched, and JB has shown what a wonderful life her parents gave her and her siblings. The grief and crushing guilt that Myrtle felt over being unable to care for Bertie, Audrey and Noel is incredibly sad. JB is currently writing a follow-up story about the three children (adults now) which I will be very anxious to read when it's published.
This story of tragedy, loss, guilt and shame, topped by a mother's love and devotion is one I highly recommend, one that shows that Myrtle did absolutely nothing wrong, and it is also a credit to her daughter, JB!
