"The worst day of Mrs. Oliver's life was when Polly told her she wants to marry a soldier"Life at the bakery on Simnel Street has always been simple, comfortable, safe & secure for the daughters of the Master Baker, Polly & Susannah Oliver. Yet when the girls begin to grow up, events outside the bakery changes each of their lives (differently) forever...
Mrs. Oliver has always wanted the best for her 2 daughters, her heart being set on finding them respectable husbands. But against her wishes, & to the very dismay of Mrs. Oliver, Polly falls in love with a simple rifleman. When he is shipped off to the war in Spain, Polly's mother is sure she'll forget him. Yet she underestimates polly's determination, stubborness & loyalty to true love. Thus, Polly decides to go search for her rifleman in midst of the war...involving the entire town, neighbors, friends, all try to get a word to the vanished army & their beloved Polly...
A beautiful book which is written straight from the heart. Old nursery rhymes, children 'street' songs, recipes from rye bread to plum cakes all adds to the autencity of the book.
"Marry a grocer, eat well all yr life, marry a tinker, tread dry as his wife, marry a baker, never lack bread, marry a draper, quilts for yr bed. Marry a ploughboy, knee deep in mire, marry a tinker, blackended by fire, marry a sailor, salt in yr eye, marry a soldier, widow u'll die"