LOVE WAVES

Revised Edition: Shadows of the Atlantic

By JoAnne Pool
Revised 2026 Edition
Published by James Pool Enterprises
Ebook ISBN: 978-17372058-5-2

Printed in the United States of America Copyright © 2023 by JoAnne Pool. All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise—except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the publisher or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee.

Table of Contents

Prologue – 5
Chapter 1 – 7
Chapter 2 – 11
Chapter 3 – 14
Chapter 4 – 18
Chapter 5 – 20
Chapter 6 – 23
Chapter 7 – 26
Chapter 8 – 30
Chapter 9 – 34
Chapter 10 – 36
Chapter 11 – 38
Chapter 12 – 41
Chapter 13 – 44
Chapter 14 – 48
Chapter 15 – 52
Chapter 16 – 56
Chapter 17 – 60
Chapter 18 – 63
Chapter 19 – 66
Chapter 20 – 69
Chapter 21 – 72
Chapter 22 – 74
Chapter 23 – 76
Chapter 24 – 78
Chapter 25 – 81
Chapter 26 – 84
Chapter 27 – 89
Chapter 28 – 93
Chapter 29 – 97
Chapter 30 – 99
Chapter 31 – 102
Chapter 32 – 105
Chapter 33 – 108
Chapter 34 – 111
Chapter 35 – 114
Chapter 36 – 118
Chapter 37 – 121
Chapter 38 – 124
Chapter 39 – 127
Chapter 40 – 131
Chapter 41 – 134
Chapter 42 – 137
Chapter 43 – 140
Chapter 44 – 143
Chapter 45 – 147
Chapter 46 – 150
Chapter 47 – 153
Chapter 48 – 156
Chapter 49 – 159
Chapter 50 – 162
Chapter 51 – 165
Chapter 52 – 169
Chapter 53 – 173
Chapter 54 – 176
Chapter 55 – 180
Chapter 56 – 185

Prologue

The morning was cold, gray, and damp in the town of Southampton, England, as Katie stood at the dock and stared up at the gigantic cruise ship. It was springtime in 1939, and scores of people waited on the dock, too excited to notice the damp dreariness of the day. They were anxiously awaiting the maiden voyage of the luxury liner, RMS Columbia. She would be the largest ship to cross the Atlantic Ocean. The First-Class accommodations, centered in the middle of the ship, were so elegant that English royalty would be astonished. The Second Class—or Tourist Class—was just as fine, located in the stern. The Third Class, or Steerage, was small but impressive, positioned at the bow. The RMS Columbia was indeed the most luxurious ship on the ocean.Katie was a youthful twenty-year-old, and for her, this day was also a maiden voyage: her first trip across the Atlantic, between Southampton and New York. She was unaware that this was the beginning of many trips on the Columbia. Her thoughts were focused on New York, where she planned to attend college to become a nurse. A whole new life lay ahead of her.Once aboard, Katie was awed by the elegance of the ship’s interior. She could smell the fresh new paint that covered the ship both inside and out. The Second Class was filled with elegant artwork on ornate wood-paneled walls. The carpet lining the hallways was just as elegant—a rare treat for passengers on the Columbia. Up until recently, most passenger liners had only corkwood flooring. Something else Katie noticed was the use of a very new and very expensive material: plastic fixtures such as doorknobs and drawer handles. Very impressive indeed, she thought to herself.

The Visit

He told of love,
And the end of death,
Of God’s true promise
To help mankind.
But no one heard,
And no one cared.
For man is man—
His life, unshared.

Chapter 1

A British gentleman with a school-boyish face approached her. “May I show you to your stateroom, Miss?” Katie replied, “Yes, please.” As he led her down the long Second-Class hallways, Katie noticed the separation of the classes at once. She had also seen elaborately dressed entourages of First-Class passengers with large numbers of luggage and steamer trunks. In comparison, Katie felt like quite the light traveler—yet she could never consider traveling with so many belongings or the swarms of maids. She had everything necessary for the five-day crossing in her single steamer trunk and suitcase. Once inside her stateroom, Katie unpacked and made herself at home. About an hour later, she glanced at her clock and noticed it was near the two o’clock sailing time. Knowing almost everyone was up on the Sun Deck or Promenade Deck, waving goodbye to friends and relatives stranded on the dock, Katie chose to stay in her stateroom and wave from the open porthole. The ship stood ten stories tall above the waterline: the very top deck was the Sports Deck, then the Sun Deck, the Promenade Deck, and the Main Deck. The decks below the Main Deck were listed from A Deck down to F Deck. Katie’s stateroom was on B Deck. The captain must have ordered the crew to start the ship’s engines earlier, since Katie could now feel the escalating vibration. Outside, people shouted goodbyes to each other. Katie moved to the round window and looked out. It did not take long to find her younger sister, Monica, waving from the dock. Katie waved and shouted goodbye, hoping Monica could see her despite the distance. As she waved, the ship moved slowly away from the dock, the traditional three long blasts of its horns bellowing in the air. Katie watched as the dock slowly faded in the distance. Brushing a single tear away, she turned from the porthole. She felt homesick already over leaving her beloved England and worried she would never see it again. To dispel her sadness, she decided to explore the ship’s offerings. She eagerly set out to find the swimming bath. She met a cabin steward who directed her to the pool on E Deck. At the bath, she thought it could not possibly be for Second Class because it was in the First-Class section. Abruptly, a young gentleman walked in, placed his towel on a lounge chair, and dived into the pool with one smooth movement. Katie watched him for a few moments before gathering the courage to speak. “Excuse me, sir. Is this the Second-Class swimming bath?” The man swam to the edge near Katie in one swift stroke. “It’s for all classes, but they’re scheduled for different times. First Class swims in the morning and evening after five. Second Class between twelve thirty and three in the afternoon, and Third Class between three and five in the evening.” He smiled while he spoke, and Katie noticed his heavy British accent and beautiful baritone voice. “Thank you very much,” she replied, returning his energetic smile. “Let me introduce myself. My name is Robert Churchill. I’m on my way to Boston, and you?” Katie was unsure if she ought to talk to this stranger, but her ingrained politeness won out. “My name is Kathryn Winsted. I plan to attend college in New York. I must go now. Please forgive me for disturbing your swim.” As she turned to walk away, Robert called after her. “Maybe we’ll see each other at dinner?” Katie was surprised at his continued boldness and gave a slight nod as she hurried away. Once again in her cozy stateroom, Katie gathered her toiletries to prepare for dinner. As she soaked in a steaming saltwater bath, her thoughts lingered on her meeting with Robert. He was very friendly and attractive. She closed her eyes and dreamily pictured him: tall and lean, healthy and fit with well-defined musculature. His expressive eyes were a hypnotizing brown, framed by thick, dark brown hair. He was twenty-two, in the prime of life. In his stateroom one floor above on A Deck, Robert could not forget Katie’s mesmerizing beauty. As he dressed for dinner, he felt awed by her: slim and shapely, with large, sparkling hazel eyes rimmed in gold. Her face was neatly framed by long, silky light brown hair. She had a special elegance, and her quiet demeanor exuded intelligence and sophistication. He wondered if he had found the woman of his dreams. Katie seemed everything he wanted in a woman—and more. Katie was finally ready for dinner. She checked herself in the mirror: her long tresses pulled back from her face with a blue ribbon, falling in elegant curls against her powder-blue evening gown. Before she left, her new roommate charged into the room. She had boarded earlier from Queenstown, Ireland, and due to an error in stateroom assignments, she and her sister Susan had been given separate rooms. She had been next door with Susan, trying to sort out the confusion. After a few hours, she reluctantly returned to her own stateroom. “Hello. My name is Casey Brenner. You must be Katie. How do you do?” Casey was several years younger than Katie but mature and well-mannered for her age. “Yes, I’m Katie, and I’m fine, thank you. Will you be going to dinner? I’ve met someone I hope will be there.” “No, no. I’m too nervous about this trip to America, away from my Irish home. I have no choice but to go, and I’m so homesick and upset over the stateroom confusion that I just want to stay in tonight. Have an enjoyable time.” Katie left for the Second-Class dining room. She found her table and, to her surprise, Robert was among the six people seated there. As she approached, Robert stood to greet her. “Good evening, Ms. Winsted. You look lovely tonight.” She thanked him for the compliment and sat in the proffered chair. During dinner, they were unable to talk much due to the confusion and noise in the room. Katie found the meal exquisite—the filet mignon melted in her mouth. When she was ready to leave, Robert politely helped her up and guided her to the exit. “Ms. Winsted, would you care to join me for a walk on the deck?” “Yes, I would love to. Please call me Katie.” She could not help it as his friendly eyes and touch beckoned her. They strolled to the Promenade Deck and found a cozy spot along the starboard railing, where they could gaze at the moonlit ocean and talk. “I am eager to attend college in Boston to become a lawyer. I hope to be the youngest lawyer in all of England,” Robert began, hoping she was interested. “Really? I’ll be in New York to study nursing. Are you traveling alone?” She wondered if he was married. “Most of my family is back in Manchester awaiting my return in six months for a long holiday.” He looked at Katie’s face and noticed a sadness veiling her eyes. She bowed her head and watched the gentle wind blow her skirt. “You must be married? Your wife and children must miss you terribly.” Robert barely heard her. He responded with a burst of laughter, gently raising her chin until her eyes met his. “By family, I mean my mother, father, two brothers, and a sister. In fact, my older brother Jonathan is in the Boston area right now on a business trip—he’ll meet me at the dock in New York. I am a bachelor and will continue to be until I am well established. I don’t even have a girlfriend. What about you?” She softly smiled. “I’m not married either. I was living with my younger sister and her fiancé.” Robert smiled and gently brushed a lock of hair from her face. “So, where in England are you from?” Katie was slow to respond. “My sister and I lived just outside of London, and I attended school in Manchester for a short time.” Surprised, Robert replied, “I’ve lived in Manchester my whole life. My family has been there since the mid-1800s.” They spent the next hour talking about each other’s pasts, and as the time passed, they both felt a growing bond. “I love England very much, and I am so afraid I may never see it again.” Katie grew sad thinking of the life she had left behind. Robert and Katie smiled at each other, their eyes holding for a moment. Robert touched her arm and squeezed it reassuringly. Together, they walked toward Katie’s stateroom. When they arrived, Robert kissed the back of her hand and bid her goodnight. “Goodnight, Katie. I’d love to see you again. Will you be there for breakfast?” “Yes, I’ll see you then.” Katie entered her stateroom and found Casey in bed reading a book. “Casey, isn’t it past your bedtime? It’s after eleven. Why are you still up?” Casey closed her book and grinned. “Well, I had to know if you saw him and find out what he’s like. I am sure he is handsome and very regal.” Katie sat on her bed and laughed. “Yes. He is handsome and very friendly. He seems so sincere too. Maybe not a prince, but very close to one! He’s from Manchester, England, and is on his way to Boston to become a lawyer. Okay, time for bed, or else I’ll hear it from your sister.” Casey jumped into her bed childishly and eyed Katie as she undressed. “Do you plan to see him again?” Katie slipped into bed. As she reached up to turn off the lamp, she smiled. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I am.” In youthful ignorance, Casey assumed the couple had fallen in love and asked if it was so. She was surprised when Katie seriously answered, “Yes, I am in love with him.” Katie relaxed and snuggled her head into the pillow. Thinking Casey had fallen asleep, she heard a quiet murmur: “Are you going to marry him?” Katie laughed and replied, “Good night, Casey!” Katie mused over their conversation. She already felt Robert was the man she wanted to marry, but would she? In such a short time, she felt they were right for each other, but she did not know if Robert felt the same. Only time would reveal the answer. The long and eventful day finally ended in peaceful sleep.

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