Spitfire Girl

by Lily Baxter

  She went back indoors to get Jennifer up and give her breakfast before she had to leave for the aerodrome. Mrs Delaney would arrive at eight thirty and she would take care of her until the honeymooners arrived home later that morning. Susan went upstairs to get dressed before going into Jennifer’s bedroom and lifting her from her cot. It was only then that the reality of the situation hit her. Danny had given notice at his digs and was moving in today. Nothing had been said, but if Roz conceived as quickly as she had in her one night of passion with Patrick, it was quite possible that she would be pregnant again in the near future. It would not happen overnight, of course, but Susan could see her days at the pub coming to an end. Until now she had lived as one of the family, but now that Roz had a husband and a child, Susan realised sadly that there would soon be no room for her, even though no one would dream of asking her to go.

  She was still mulling this over when she sat in a corner of the mess, waiting for the delivery chits. She did not notice Elspeth until she sat down beside her.

  ‘What ho, old thing? You look down in the dumps.’

  Susan looked up with a start. ‘I’m okay.’

  ‘Not with a face like a fiddle. Come on, sweetie. Tell Auntie Elspeth what’s wrong.’

  ‘I was just thinking that it was time to make a move. I mean from the pub, not the ferry pool.’

  Elspeth fished in her handbag for her silver cigarette case. ‘Darling, you had me worried for a moment. What brought this on?’ She extracted a cigarette and tapped it on the back of the case before lighting it and inhaling with a sigh of pleasure. ‘Come on, sweetie. After all we’ve been through together you know that you can tell me anything.’

  Susan gazed out of the window at the aircraft lined up on the tarmac waiting for their pilots, the sunlight bouncing off their silver wings. She sighed. ‘Roz and Danny don’t need a third party acting as gooseberry. They’ll want to have kids of their own and I’ll just be in the way.’

  ‘That’s all that’s bothering you?’ Elspeth flicked ash into the ashtray. ‘Darling, I’ve got the perfect answer. I was going to let the cottage but you can have it for a peppercorn rent. I know you’ll keep it spick and span, whereas, some of them,’ she lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, ‘some of the others live like pigs.’

  Susan stared at her in amazement. ‘You’re leaving the cottage?’

  ‘I’ve decided to move back into my old home. Now that Colin and I are officially a couple I don’t see why we should shack up in relative poverty while my beautiful mansion is empty. The tenant moved out a month ago.’

  ‘So you’re going to marry him?’

  Elspeth studied the ring on her left hand. ‘Yes. Probably, I don’t know, but he’s on trial. If he misbehaves in the near future he’ll be out on his ear. I’ve laid the law down, Susan.’

  ‘And he accepts it?’

  ‘He hasn’t much choice, sweetie. If he wants me and all the fringe benefits, then he’s got to behave. Anyway, that’s not your problem. You can have the cottage for as long as you want.’

  ‘It’s a very generous offer.’

  ‘Nonsense. You’ll be doing me a favour by keeping the place clean and aired. This war is going to end soon and your boyfriend will come home. You’ll need somewhere to live.’ She stubbed out her cigarette and rose to her feet as her name was called. ‘Think about it, Susan.’ She strolled off to collect her chit.

  Despite Roz and Bob’s pleas for her to stay, Susan moved into the cottage by the river at the end of July. At first she was lonely and missed the hustle and bustle of the pub, but she continued to help out at weekends when she was not on duty, and Roz often brought Jennifer to the cottage to play with Charlie who had become her much loved friend and protector. When Susan was off on a long flight, Danny took Charlie back to the pub where he was petted and spoilt by the regulars and the family alike. He definitely had the best of both worlds.

  The war that had seemed never ending was slowly drawing to a close. Victory was in sight as the Allies pressed on through France and into Germany. The battles were bloody and Susan could only be thankful that Tony was in the comparative safety of the prison camp. She dared not dwell on the possibility that he was malnourished and sick; she could only fix her hopes on a speedy end to the war and his release from years of imprisonment.

  Christmas came and went. Susan stayed at the pub over the festive season but her time off was short and aeroplanes still had to be ferried across country and abroad. She was so accustomed to flying Spitfires that the cockpit felt like a second skin, although she had now flown almost every aircraft in operation and sometimes up to five flights a day. She was now an accepted member of the ferry pool. Her enthusiasm and willingness to take on any task had earned her the respect of her colleagues, but she kept herself to herself. She could never quite shake off the feeling that she did not belong in any particular social group. Not knowing who her parents were was a cross that she would have to bear for the rest of her life. When she was much younger she had often imagined that one or both of her parents would come back to claim her, but now she knew that was never going to happen. Perhaps she should be grateful that her life was a blank slate on which she could write her own destiny. When she was alone in the cottage she sat by the fire on winter evenings, stroking Charlie and listening to the wireless. Soon she would be reunited with Tony, but it still seemed a long way off.

  It was finally over. The conflict in Europe was at an end. The newscaster on the wireless announced that the prisoners had been released from the German camps, but now it was a matter of getting the men home. Thousands of prisoners and soldiers alike waited on the coast of France for passage to England on troop ships. Overjoyed and buzzing with excitement, Susan set off immediately riding her bicycle and weaving through the crowds of people who were literally dancing in the street. A carnival atmosphere prevailed and everyone was hugging and kissing, waving flags and singing. Charlie bounced along beside Susan, his eyes shining as if he understood that something remarkable had happened. As she reached the pub she could see Bob up a ladder putting out the bunting and when she entered the bar she found it was packed with locals. Danny and Roz were serving behind the bar and Jennifer was sitting on Mrs Delaney’s lap eating a biscuit, which Charlie immediately spotted. He threw himself down beside her watching every crumb as it disappeared into her mouth with his tongue hanging out. Susan made her way to the bar.

  Roz finished serving Nutty with a pint of mild. She turned to Susan with an ecstatic smile. ‘Isn’t it wonderful? What are you drinking?’

  ‘I’ll have a glass of cider as I’m off duty.’

  ‘Dave wants you to telephone. He says he’s got good news.’

  ‘Tony,’ Susan breathed. ‘Never mind the cider. I’ll have it later.’ She edged through the crowd making her way to the door marked ‘Private’. In the comparative quiet of the hallway she waited for the operator to put her through to the cycle shop.

  Dave answered almost immediately. ‘Susan. I knew it would be you. I’ve just heard from Tony. He’s in Dover. They brought them home on a troop ship and he’s waiting to get a train to London, but there are hundreds of soldiers there all desperate to get home. He doesn’t know when he’ll be able to get here.’

  For a moment Susan could not speak. Her lips moved but somehow she could not voice the words that flooded her brain.

  ‘Susan, can you hear me, love?’

  She nodded her head. ‘Yes. Yes. I’ll go there and get him.’

  ‘Hang on, ducks. Calm down and give it some thought. Wait for him to get on a train. Come to London by all means but—’

  ‘No.’ She almost shouted the word down the mouthpiece. ‘I’ve waited years for this moment. I’ll go and meet him even if I have to steal a plane.’ She replaced the receiver, dropping it onto its cradle. She stood for a moment, too stunned to move, but then the adrenalin started to flow and she hurried into the bar. She leaned across the counter, catching Roz by the sleeve. ‘Look af
ter Charlie for me. I’m going to pick up Tony. He’s back in England. Isn’t it simply wonderful?’ Without giving Roz the chance to argue she raced out of the pub and picking up her bicycle she pedalled as fast as she could back to the aerodrome.

  She almost ran Elspeth and Colin down as they walked arm in arm through the gates. ‘Here, hold on. Where’s the fire?’ Colin caught the handlebars as she was about to ride past them. ‘Where are you going?’

  ‘Help me, Colin. Tony’s just got off a troop ship in Dover. He’ll have to wait days for transport to London. I must get to him.’

  ‘Sweetie, calm down,’ Elspeth said, exchanging worried glances with Colin. ‘You’re not going to do anything silly, are you?’

  Susan grabbed Colin by the arm. ‘I need your help. You know the new two-seater Spitfire trainers? I want one. I can fly to Dover and be back before dark, but I need you to authorise it as a training flight.’

  He stared at her as if she had gone mad. ‘You can’t do that.’

  ‘I’d do the same for you, darling,’ Elspeth said sweetly. ‘Get her past security and let her fly the Spit. You know she’s perfectly capable. It’s little enough to ask for a woman who’s risked her life for her country time and time again.’

  ‘I’ll be arrested and put in the Tower.’

  Elspeth gave him a gentle shove towards the hangar. ‘Shut up and help the girl. Where’s your spirit of romance?’

  ‘I wish I’d stuck to bloody Highland Mary or whatever her name was.’

  ‘No you don’t, darling. Do this and I’ll name the day. We’ll be married in the register office and honeymoon at Daddy’s villa in Monte.’

  ‘You drive a hard bargain, Elspeth.’

  ‘Come on,’ Susan said, abandoning her bike. ‘Please, Colin. You’re Tony’s friend. Please do this for us.’

  Flying the Spitfire trainer was the easy part. Finding somewhere to land near Dover was the difficult bit. In the end she opted for the American air base in the former municipal airport. She executed a perfect landing and was immediately surrounded by army personnel brandishing weapons. Their astonishment on seeing a girl climb out of the cockpit momentarily overcame their suspicions, but she was escorted under guard to the CO’s office where she was met by a bemused American officer. Breathless but determined she explained her mission. ‘You can arrest me if you like, but I need to get into Dover and find my fiancé. He’s an RAF pilot who was shot down over Germany and has been in a prison camp for three years. I don’t know what sort of state he’ll be in and he might have to wait days for a train to take him to London. Please let me go and find him. I’ve got to get the Spit back to Hamble or there’ll be hell to pay and not just for me. Please give me a couple of hours and then we’ll leave here and no one will be the wiser.’

  He stared at her for a long moment and then a slow smile spread across his face. ‘Well, if that don’t beat all. I’ve never heard a tale like that,’ he stared at the gold bands on her sleeve. ‘Flight Lieutenant.’

  ‘First Officer, actually, sir. I’m in the Air Transport Auxiliary.’

  He whistled through his teeth. ‘I’ve a great admiration for the work that you and your colleagues have done both here and in the States. I guess it would be unpatriotic of me to turn you over to the authorities, especially today.’

  Acting on impulse, Susan stood on tiptoe and kissed him on his clean-shaven cheek. ‘Thank you, sir. I’m truly grateful.’

  He flushed and cleared his throat, shooting a sideways glance at his sergeant who stood to attention by the door. ‘Er, yeah. Well, we can’t have you wandering about on what is technically US property so the sergeant will organise a jeep to take you to the port and bring you and your fiancé back here, should you find him, of course.’

  ‘I will,’ Susan said firmly. ‘I most definitely will.’

  The town was packed with military personnel. Susan’s heart sank. The chances of finding Tony amongst thousands of returning soldiers and prisoners of war were almost nil. There was noise and confusion and after two long hours of searching she was no nearer finding Tony than she had been at the start.

  The American soldier who had driven the jeep had stayed with her. He was sympathetic but sceptical. ‘I guess we’d better think about getting back to the base, ma’am.’

  She clutched his arm. ‘Please, just another half an hour. I know he’s somewhere near. I can feel it.’

  ‘Half an hour it is, but that’s all, ma’am.’

  ‘I’m going to the station,’ Susan said firmly. ‘Wait here, private. If I don’t find him in that time I’ll come straight back.’ Without giving him a chance to argue she set off for the station, asking for directions from passers-by and then following the sound of the engines letting off steam. She knew it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack, but all she could do was hope for a miracle, and then, as if in answer to her prayers, she saw him standing at the end of a queue outside a telephone box. His uniform was tattered and dirty and it hung on him like the clothes on a scarecrow, but there was no mistaking the straight profile even if it was half concealed by several days’ stubble. She would have known him anywhere. She called his name and he turned, shading his eyes against the sunlight. As if in slow motion they made their way towards each other. Measured steps, never faltering, they walked into each other’s arms.

  When at last they drew apart, breathless and smiling, Tony traced the outline of her face with his fingertips. ‘You were always pretty, Susan. But now you’re beautiful, and you smell heavenly.’

  She swallowed hard as she fought back the tears that threatened to overcome her. ‘I wish I could say the same of you, Tony, darling. You smell awful.’

  When he laughed he was the old Tony that she loved to desperation. ‘I know I do. I’m not fit for human company.’

  She linked her hand through his arm. ‘You’ll do for now. Come on. I promised the private that I wouldn’t be long.’

  ‘How did you get here? How did you find me?’

  She met his puzzled gaze with a smile. ‘I stole a Spitfire.’

  With the aeroplane returned to its hangar and no questions asked, Colin having covered up for her with the efficiency of a secret agent, Susan took Tony to the riverside cottage. Bathed, shaved and wearing one of Colin’s suits that had been left in the wardrobe thanks to Elspeth’s casual attitude to packing, Tony came downstairs looking much more like his old self.

  Susan was setting the table but she stopped when she heard his footsteps on the stairs and walked towards him holding out her arms. ‘That’s more like it. How do you feel?’

  He swept her off her feet and carried her to the sofa, sitting down with her on his lap. ‘I’m happier than I ever imagined I could be, darling. I can’t believe what you just did for me, and I’m so proud of you for what you’ve achieved. There aren’t enough words to tell you how much I love you, Susan.’

  She answered him with a kiss that went on and on until she realised that the pan of soup was boiling over on the stove. She clambered off his knee with an apologetic chuckle. ‘First things first. You must eat.’

  He caught her by the hand. ‘I can think of other things I’d like to do.’

  She kissed his fingers before twisting free from his grasp. ‘I’ll bet, but soup first.’ She hurried into the kitchen to take the pan off the heat. ‘And you’d better phone your dad. He’ll be going out of his mind wondering what’s happened to you.’

  ‘You’re right, of course.’

  She glanced through the doorway and smiled to herself as Tony reached for the telephone. She could hardly believe that he was home and safe at last. She had to keep looking at him in order to reassure herself that it was not just a dream. She yelped as she burnt her finger on the hot saucepan, but the pain was as nothing compared to the agonies she had suffered while he was in the prisoner of war camp. She said a silent prayer of thanks for his safe deliverance, and she smiled as she listened to him explaining the situation to his father. She waited for the
conversation to end before taking the food in and putting it on the table.

  ‘He’s fine,’ Tony said, getting to his feet and wrapping his arms around her. ‘I’ll go and see him on my way back to my squadron.’

  She stared at him in dismay. ‘What d’you mean? The war’s over.’

  ‘But I’m still in the RAF. I’m under orders and you’re still in the ATA. You’ll go to work as usual tomorrow and so will I.’ He laid his finger on her lips as she was about to protest. ‘I’m sure I’ll get some leave and then I’ll be right back. Nothing will keep me away from you for any longer than absolutely necessary.’

  She nodded dully. ‘I suppose you’re right.’

  ‘And we’ve got an occasion to organise, unless you’ve changed your mind.’

  ‘What’s that?’

  He took her left hand and held it, stroking her ring finger. ‘We’re engaged, aren’t we? That usually leads to a wedding, or have things changed since I went away?’

  ‘Are you proposing to me, Tony Richards?’

  ‘I thought I had already, but if you insist.’ He went down on one knee. ‘Susan, I love you with all my heart and soul. Will you marry me?’