Transcontinental 1

Author's note: The battle of Vimy Ridge was fought from April 9th to April 12th, 1917 in Northern France. Some say Canada came of age as a country in this battle as it was the first time that the four Canadian divisions fought together. Previous assaults on Vimy Ridge had been repelled by the Germans. The tenacious Canadians captured their objective. But, it came at a price. In the four days of fighting ten-thousand Canadians were killed or wounded. Captain Winters is a fictitious character, but he represents the sacrifice made for King and Country. Four Victoria Crosses were awarded to Canadians for their actions at Vimy Ridge, only one of them survived the war. Captain Winter's DCM -- Distinguished Conduct Medal ranks just below the Victoria Cross. The term DCM with Bar indicates the individual was awarded the same decoration at least twice.

I would encourage you to read the history of the Battle for Vimy Ridge

I would like to thank KillerKitty74 and glynndah for editing and proofreading.

---

An article in the back pages of the afternoon newspaper caught Noreen's attention. A blind children's author from Vancouver was killed when he stepped off the curb. The hit-and-run driver had run a stop sign and fled. His name and picture were very familiar to Noreen.

-

She got up and went into the closet in her bedroom. She retrieved a small metal box and returned to her chair. Noreen unlocked the box and removed its contents. Typewritten letters tied with a ribbon, a military decoration, and a picture of a young man in uniform.

"David," she whispered as she held the picture in her hand, then she began to sob.

---

The doctor looked at the young Army Captain seated across from him. He removed his glasses and sat them on the desk. He hated this, he hated having to deliver bad news to young men who had already given so much.

"I'm afraid the doctors in New York agree with the doctors here, in Paris and London. Your optic nerves have been severed or suffered damage that we cannot repair."

Captain David Winters nodded, "Well, that's the news I've been expecting. I suppose it's time for me to put that part of my life behind me and begin a new chapter."

The doctor was surprised at the response, too often it was denial, anger and men breaking down into tears. But this man remained positive.

Intrigued, he asked, "What will you do now?"

"My family wishes that I travel to Vancouver where they own property. They believe the climate will be better than Calgary, especially with winter coming. I was studying engineering, but I think I will become a writer. I feel that's something I can do."

The doctor stood up and shook the Captain's hand, "Best of luck, then."

---

Nurse Noreen Campbell stood in the aisle of the rail car, her progress blocked by other travelers. She felt a suitcase and a cane strike her from behind. She turned, ready to lash out at whoever had hit her, but before her words could leave her mouth she stopped. It was an Army captain, carrying a battered case, and a white cane. This must be her patient for the cross country journey.

"Captain Winters?" She asked.

"Guilty as charged." His voice was quiet, and pleasant, "I'm still not used to the cane and I'm dreadfully clumsy right now as I can't..." his voice trailed off.

"I'm Noreen Campbell, I'm the nurse your family retained to accompany you to Vancouver."

Captain Winters shifted his cane to his left hand and extended his right. "I'm pleased to meet you. I promise to try to not be too much of a burden." Then with a cheery voice, "Now, Nurse Campbell, if you would lead the way perhaps we can find our accommodations and get ourselves settled.

David Winters' family had booked two first-class adjoining drawing rooms for Captain Winters and Nurse Campbell on the Canadian National Trans-Continental from Halifax to Vancouver.

---

Noreen was pleasantly surprised at Captain Winters' appearance. Upon reflection, she wasn't sure what she had been expecting. Unassuming and average would have been her initial description. However, the ribbon for the Distinguished Conduct Medal would dispel that notion. Closer inspection would find the rosette on the ribbon which signified he had won the medal twice.

According to the dossier Noreen had read, Captain Winters had been decorated for his actions at the second battle of Ypres, and then two years later at the Battle of Vimy Ridge. DCM with bar, and thrice mentioned in dispatches was quite the accomplishment for any officer.

Two weeks before the end of hostilities, the truck he was riding in struck a landmine. He had been struck in the head by shrapnel and lost his vision. Experts in Paris, London, and New York had all come to the same conclusion. The optic nerves had suffered irreparable harm, and there was no hope of him recovering his vision.

---

With her help, he had changed from his uniform and into a dark gray suit. "Less conspicuous. Sometimes people see the ribbons, and they want to ask questions," he let out a long sigh, then with a hint of sadness in his voice, "Questions to which I have no answers."

He put his arm through hers, "I would like to leave my cane here, if you have no objections?"

They walked to the dining car, and the waiter let them to a table, mid car.

"What should I call you? Miss Campbell, Mrs. Campbell, Nurse Campbell," he asked after they were seated.

"I am married, but you can call me Nurse, or Noreen, whichever suits you, Captain Winters."

"Please, just call me David. Captain Winters is my past, now."

She read him the menu, and waited for him to make his choices.

"Are you pretty, Nurse Campbell, your voice sounds as if you should be pretty?"

Noreen blushed, "Well, my husband thinks so."

David leaned across the table, his hand near her face, "Can I touch your face so I can see you?"

She paused for a moment, nodded, and then in a soft voice, "Yes, go ahead."

His touch was delicate, the tips of his fingers tracing over her face. The sensation of his touch made her tingle. For a moment she wondered what his touch would feel like elsewhere on her body.

"As I suspected," David announced with a sense of triumph. "You have a nice face, I think you are quite lovely."

He continued, "Since losing my sight it seems like my other senses, hearing, taste, smell, touch have become, hmm, improved, I'm not quite sure that's the correct word."

Noreen nodded as she took a sip of the wine David had ordered, "Working at the hospital during the War, I have heard that both from patients and the doctors. They think the brain is trying to compensate for the lack of visual information by enhancing the other senses."

The white-coated waiter set the bowls of soup down in front of each of them and refilled their wine glasses.

"Soup is easy," he remarked, "All I have to do is find the bowl. Finding the fish on the plate, that's the trick."

"As soon as the main course arrives tell me what you will need me to do," Noreen replied.

"What I wish, most of all, is to not make a complete spectacle of myself," he cocked his head and looked in her direction.

She found him to be a delightful dinner companion. He had charm, and he had wit. The more she studied his face, the more attractive she found him. Noreen wondered how a man who could appear to be so unassuming be capable of the things he had accomplished.

After dinner they adjourned to the bar car for an after dinner drink.

"I really shouldn't," Noreen protested, "I'm on duty."

"Nonsense," David replied with a laugh in his voice, "Think of me as your traveling companion."

"But, I'm a married woman," Noreen looked around to make sure no one within earshot was listening.

"Every knows you're my nurse, so your reputation will remain unsullied," David ordered them both drinks.

"What was your life like, before the war?"

"I grew up in Calgary, father was a solicitor, mother's family were ranchers southwest of Calgary. Hooligans if you listen to my father's family. They lived the Western life, they were cowboys, and there were Indians. I spent almost every summer on the ranch, riding, hiking, fishing. The kind of life most boys just read of in books."

David paused and took a sip of his drink, "Since mother and father both objected to me becoming a cowboy, I enrolled in the University of Alberta and started studying engineering. It was the one occupation that I felt I could be good at, and still allow me to be outdoors. And then came the war." His eyes took on a sad look. "We expected to be home by Christmas, what folly that was."

---

She had found the envelope in his uniform, the writing was definitely feminine.

"I can smell the perfume from the letter, go ahead and read if you wish."

Noreen nodded and removed the letter from the envelope and began to read;

David,

I have heard the news about your eyes. I don't like to mince words. But, I feel I need to break off our engagement. I cannot see myself spending the next fifty years being a nurse to a blind man. I will not throw my life away as you have done. I will not be returning the engagement ring, I feel it's adequate compensation for the six years of my life that I have wasted with you. I wish you the best.

Cecilia

Noreen looked at David, he was staring blindly out the window, or would have been had the blinds not have been drawn.

"I am so sorry," Noreen felt her heart break a little for him.

"Don't be," David replied, "She was always a bit selfish. I think she was attracted more to Father's money than she was to me. And I am sure Father will be of a differing opinion regarding the ring, it belonged to his grandmother."

She helped him undress and hung his clothes in the small closet.

"Now Captain..."

"David," he interrupted, "Please call me, David."

She smiled, "David, then. Lay back and I'll give you a sponge bath to get you ready for bed."

He removed his robe and lay on the bed, clad only in white boxers. It made her sad to see his body, like so many she had seen, scarred by the war. It was obvious he had been wounded multiple times, patched up and sent back into the fray again.

She washed his arms, and his chest. Her hands moved to his stomach. She smiled when she saw him beginning to become aroused. In nursing school they had been taught this was a normal reaction and to just ignore it.

She reached across his body and fell his arousal against her wrist. His eyes were closed, his body still. She bit her lip, this man had given so much for his King and Country. She knew what she could do; something she had done many times for her husband before they were married.

She slid his boxers down, put her hand over his erection and began to stroke him slowly and gently.

"What are..." David's voice was barely above a whisper.

"Shh, David, relax," her hand continued her slow up and down strokes on his turgid erection.

He was longer and thicker than her husband, as she moved her hand up and down she wondered what he would feel like inside of her.

"This will help you sleep," she continued her ministrations on his erection.

His cock-head was very swollen and looked like a helmet. She thought about what she had overheard one night at the hospital. One of the nurses who had returned from France was talking to another nurse about their boyfriends. She had said that he liked her taking care of his needs in the French way, meaning she used her mouth on him.

Noreen had blushed at the thought of her doing that to her husband. She had wondered if he would like it, or find it disgusting. Knowing her husband it was likely to be the latter. The thought had been very erotic to her. On nights in the bath, when she masturbated, she fantasized about using her mouth on a man, not her husband, but a random stranger.

She looked at his eyes, they were still closed. Rhythmically she pumped his shaft up and down. A little drop glistened at the tip. Her eyes were fixed on head of his erection. She leaned down and kissed it. It felt soft against her lips. Her tongue darted out at the droplet, the taste was familiar, a light salty flavor.

For a moment she hesitated, looking back up at his face, there was a look of pleasure on it. Noreen felt her own desire growing. She would take care of that once she was in bed.

Opening her mouth wide, she took his head into her mouth. He felt so large, and she liked the feeling of him filling her mouth. Her hand gripped a little tighter, and moved a little faster as her tongue licked the underside of his hard cock.

Soft moans of pleasure came from David's mouth, and she was surprised when his hand touched her head. Even more surprised when his hips began to pump. Noreen wished she could reach her now wet pussy and touch herself. She had never felt as aroused as she felt at this moment.

Noreen felt his cock began to swell. She was aware what this meant, and at this moment she felt wanton. She didn't mind that he was going to erupt in her mouth. When using her hand on her husband before they were married, this was her favorite moment, seeing his seed spurting out and the look of sublime pleasure on his face. Her hand had often ended up with some of his cum on it, and more than once when he wasn't looking, she had tasted it and licked it from her fingers. She had liked the taste.

"Oh, God, I'm going to," his voice trailed off as his cock erupted in her mouth.

She was as close to climaxing as she had ever been without touching herself. She felt him ejaculate into her mouth. She wasn't quite ready, but she swallowed what she could and felt some dribble down her chin. It was on her face. If she would have touched her clit at that moment, most likely she would have climaxed at once.

Noreen removed his spent cock from her mouth, but continued to stroke it up and down until his hardness had gone away.

"I don't know quite what to say," David began.

Noreen had taken the sponge from the basin and had cleaned his spent penis. In a soft voice she replied, "You don't have to say anything."

After emptying the basin and tidying up, Noreen said in a quiet voice, "Goodnight, David, and if you need me for anything, anything at all just call out. I'm a light sleeper." With that, she turned off the light and retreated into her drawing room.

---

'I wonder why I don't feel guilty,' Noreen thought once she was in bed and alone with her thoughts. 'I should, I have been unfaithful to my husband. But, I don't.'

Those thoughts evaporated as she put her hand between her legs, she was still aroused. She could still feel him in her mouth, his cock moving.

She just knew her husband wouldn't approve of her using her mouth on him. He was too conservative. He would find it a depraved act, something only done by whores, or foreigners. With him, sex was Wednesday and Saturday nights, and always the same; a few minutes of touching, him mounting her, frantic thrusts followed by a long moan, and collapsing on the bed beside her. She always felt unfilled, so masturbation in the tub had become her outlet.

As her finger rubbed her little nub she fantasized about taking David's cock inside her. What would he feel like? She bit her lip. She shouldn't be having these thoughts. But as she rubbed, the feelings only intensified.

"Oh, yes, David, fuck me," she couldn't stop the words as she climaxed. "I need you."

She froze as a sleepy voice from the other room interrupted her fantasy, "Nurse, is everything okay?"

"Yes, David, I think I must have been dreaming, go back to sleep," Noreen waited for him to reply, but there was only silence.

David had been having an erotic dream, as soon as he became semi-conscious, the dream evaporated into the mists of the mind. One thing he was certain about the dream; it was about Noreen.

---

In the morning after dressing for the day, they sat at the table in the dining car, drinking coffee while they waited for breakfast. David had opted for his uniform for the day, with plans on wearing one of his two suits in the evening for dinner.

David sat in thought, "Noreen."

"Yes, David?"

"About last night," his voice was quiet.

Noreen felt herself blush, "I'm sorry if..."

"No," David interrupted her, "You need not be sorry. I am trying to say thank you." He reached across the table and put his hand over hers. "Acts of kindness, such as yours." He stopped and looked out the window, his eyes glistened. "I had almost forgotten that people can be kind."

Noreen squeezed his hand, not sure how to respond.

He looked back at Noreen. "Did you bring dresses other than your nursing attire?"

"Yes, David, I did, why?"

"Tonight, I would ask that neither of us wear our uniforms, and that we dress for dinner as a man and a woman, and not as nurse and patient."

Noreen was going to remind him that she was married, but stopped herself. Deep inside it pleased her that he saw her as more than his nurse, or even a traveling companion. She replied in a low, soft voice, "Thank you, David, I think I should like that."

---

They stood on the platform at the station in Toronto. The engine had developed some sort of mechanical malfunction and the train was waiting for a replacement. David and Noreen took advantage of the delay to get off the train and stroll along the platform.

A young man approached, and then came a halt, raised his hand in a snappy salute, "Captain Winters, sir?"

David cocked his head for a moment, recollecting the voice, "Broadfoot? Corporal Broadfoot?"

"Yes sir, well, I was Corporal Broadfoot, but now it's just Clyde Broadfoot."

"It's good to see you," he paused. "Even though I can't see you." David reached out his hand, "Broadfoot. I'm glad you made it home."

David turned to Noreen, "This is Corporal Broadfoot, he was one of the men that served under me at Vimy Ridge." And to Clyde he said, "This is Nurse Noreen Campbell, she's my guide home. Seems like you fellows were right about officers not being able to find their own way."

"I am glad to be home. And it's probably because of you that me and a lot of other lads made it home."

David laughed, "Nonsense, I just stood around and got in the way most of the time.

Clyde looked at Noreen, his eyes glistening, "That's not true, Miss. We would have followed the Captain to the gates of Hell." Tears began to roll down his cheeks, "And at Vimy Ridge we did just that."

There was a momentary silence, and then Clyde said, "I'll not intrude on your time anymore, sir, I just wanted to thank you."

Broadfoot saluted one more time, "Captain Winters, Sir!"

David returned the salute with perfect military precision, "Carry on, Corporal Broadfoot."

Looking at Noreen, "Take good care of him, Miss. God knows he took care of us."

As Clyde Broadfoot departed Noreen looked at David, "What a remarkable young man."

"They all were," David nodded, sadness in his voice, "All of them. Especially the ones we left behind."

---

"What will you write about?" Noreen asked as they sat in the bar car after dinner.

David seemed to be studying his hands for a moment, "Whatever the public will buy I suppose, but really I'm not sure. I have been thinking about an adventure series for boys. I read them voraciously as a boy, I think that's where I'll make my start."

There was a smile on his face as he remembered the books he read in his youth. Noreen thought for a moment, 'That's a man that would be easy to fall in love with.'

"Paper anyone, I'm done with it," one of the other passengers held a paper above his head.

"Grab it, Noreen, and we'll find out if the world has missed us yet!" David chuckled at the thought.

Noreen went through the paper ignoring for the most part the major stories of the day, instead focusing on the news less traveled.

"Oh, this is interesting," she exclaimed. "Cecilia Renfrew nee Montague, and new husband Angus Renfrew to honeymoon at Niagara Falls following their recent wedding." Noreen checked the date on the paper, and continued, "Just two days ago. Isn't that the same Cecilia?"