by Lou Kuenzler
“Where will we go?” said Edie, tugging at her sleeve. “London’s our home.”
“Not any more,” said Fliss. She put her arm round Edie’s shoulder but her voice was still shaking as she spoke. “Seeing the cafe like that has brought me to my senses. Suppose we’d been there again last night. You could have been killed … and now school’s closing too.” She stopped in the middle of the street. “I’ve made up my mind,” she said. “You’ll have to go to Aunt Roberta in the country.”
“Aunt Roberta? In Yorkshire?” Edie gasped. “What about you?” she asked, panic rising in her throat. “Will you come too?” She had never been anywhere without Fliss before.
“No.” Fliss shook her head. “I’m afraid not, poppet.”
“But I’ve never met Aunt Roberta,” said Edie. “You told me you fell out with her when I was still a baby.”
“Oh, don’t worry about any of that!” Fliss brushed away her protests and began hurrying down the street again. “You’re family and there’s a war on. None of that nonsense matters now.”
Edie ran to catch up. “Then why did you and Aunt Roberta stop speaking to each other in the first place?” she blurted out.
“Oh, it was nothing, really. I suppose she disapproved of the way I lived my life,” said Fliss vaguely. She waved her hands in the air as if dismissing any further questions.
Edie felt a sickening guilt creeping up into her chest. She was certain she knew exactly why Aunt Roberta disapproved of Fliss. It would be the same thing it always was with grown-ups. Her – Edie. The illegitimate, unwanted baby girl, born when Fliss wasn’t married.
“Don’t look so worried. Uncle Peter will be there too,” said Fliss. “You’ll love Pete. We used to go with him to the seaside sometimes. Do you remember?”
Edie shook her head. She had only been about two or three years old at the time. But at least he didn’t seem to disapprove of her. He sent a postal order on her birthday every year.
“I’m sorry, sweetie.” Fliss laid her hand on Edie’s arm. “I wish I could come with you. But there’s something I have to do. Something important.”
“What is it?” asked Edie slowly. She knew she wasn’t going to like the answer.
“I’m going to fly planes again,” said Fliss.
“Fly?” Edie stared at her mother. “You’re going to fly planes for the war?” She felt as if her knees might give way beneath her. “But it’s so dangerous.”
Fliss squeezed her arm. “I have to, darling. They’re asking women to help out now.” Edie could hear the excitement in her mother’s voice. She felt a stab of jealousy. Fliss loved flying more than anything. Perhaps even more than looking after her, she thought angrily.
Edie stopped dead in her tracks. “You knew all along!” she said, suddenly realizing that this wasn’t something Fliss had thought of on the spur of the moment at all. It had nothing to do with those poor people at the Café de Paris, or school closing, or any of the rest of it. That was all just an excuse. Fliss must have been planning it for weeks.
“They want any of us who can fly to join the Air Transport Auxiliary,” said Fliss quietly, but her cheeks were flushed. “The chaps in the RAF need planes delivered to them from all over the country. I’ll be bringing aircraft from factories and airfields and flying them to wherever they’re needed.” She tried to take Edie’s hand, but Edie shrugged her off. “It’s all part of the war effort, poppet. It’s the right thing to do.”
Edie sighed, blinking back tears. It was pointless to argue with Fliss when she’d decided something.
“Stupid, rotten war!” she muttered under her breath. In spite of all Fliss’s promises that they would stay together, she was being shunted off to the country to live with a strange aunt she didn’t know. Meanwhile, Fliss was going to risk her life flying planes and Edie knew there was nothing she could do to stop her.
Chapter Two
Smoke, Steam and Suitcases
The hustle and bustle of King’s Cross seemed to Edie more like an army base than a train station. Soldiers in khaki uniform were hurrying to and from trains or sitting on their kit bags smoking cigarettes and laughing.
The last few days had been a constant flurry of activity, with both Edie and Fliss packing and preparing to go away. Fliss was already wearing her smart navy-blue Air Transport Auxiliary uniform with gold ATA wings on her chest. She looked beautiful and men turned to stare as they squeezed through the crowds. One young soldier even whistled as they passed. Edie wished they’d all stop gawping. She wanted Fliss to herself – just for these last few minutes before the train.
When they eventually reached the platform, the train was already billowing smoke; clouds of it were swirling up to the station roof like fog.
“It’s as if the train’s a mighty dragon!” Edie shouted above the noise.
Fliss laughed and her face broke into a wide smile. “That’s what we used to call them when I was your age.” She crouched down and straightened the gas mask hanging in its little cardboard box around Edie’s neck. “When we lived at Three Chimneys, Aunt Roberta, Uncle Peter and I used to wave to the 9.15 train and ask it to send our love to Father as it roared past on its way to London. We called it the Green Dragon.”
Edie felt a sudden wriggle of excitement in her tummy. Although she was going to miss Fliss dreadfully, she couldn’t believe she was really going to see Three Chimneys for herself. She had grown up hearing so many tales about her mother’s time at the house beside the railway and the adventures the three children had all those years ago, back before the Great War.
“I’ll do the same,” said Edie excitedly. “When I get to Three Chimneys, I’ll wave to the Green Dragon and ask it to send my love to you.”
Fliss smiled. “I won’t actually be in London, of course.” She glanced anxiously over her shoulder at the poster on the wall. CARELESS TALK COSTS LIVES, it warned. She leant closer and whispered in Edie’s ear as if a German spy might be sitting on a bench right behind them. “I’ll be living on the airbase from now on. On the south coast.”
“I know. Then you’ll be flying planes up and down the country,” Edie whispered back, although she didn’t want to think about it. “The smoke from the train will float up into the sky like a cloud. It’ll find you and bring you my love, wherever you are.”
“Oh, sweetie, that’s a wonderful idea!” Fliss threw her arms around Edie and kissed her cheek.
“Excuse me. Mind your backs,” said an official-looking lady in a green hat, although there was plenty of room to get by anyway. She strode off along the platform like the Pied Piper, leading a straggly line of evacuees with luggage labels tied around their necks. Edie felt a surge of pride that she’d be travelling alone with no one to look after her. But the feeling vanished as a tall blond-haired boy raised his eyebrows as he passed her on the end of the line. Edie blushed, guessing at once that she’d have a bright red lipstick mark from Fliss’s kiss in the middle of her cheek. She spat on her fingers and rubbed her face.
“Come on! Keep up, will you!” The blond boy turned and shouted over his shoulder. For a moment Edie thought he was hollering at her. Then she saw a tiny girl struggling towards them. She couldn’t have been more than about five years old – her suitcase was almost as big as she was.
“Brute! Why doesn’t he help her?” frowned Edie. It was obvious they were brother and sister. The girl had the same bright blonde hair, except hers fell in tight curls around her hot, red face. She was stumbling along with the suitcase banging against her knees. In her other hand, she was clutching a little woollen elephant. She had to stop every three or four paces to swap sides.
Edie couldn’t stand it. “Here! Let me help you.” She scooped up the suitcase before the little girl could say a word. Fliss leapt forward too and picked up her coat, which was dragging behind her. The girl beamed up at them with delight. As she smiled she showed two big gaps where she must have recently lost some wobbly teeth.
“Thank you!” she grinned
. “I could manage myself. Honest I could. It’s only that Mr Churchill wanted to hold my hand and he did make such a fuss.” She waved the tubby knitted elephant in the air. Clearly he was the Mr Churchill she was talking about. Edie wondered if the other Mr Churchill, the busy important prime minister, would mind sharing his famous name with a cuddly toy.
“I expect Mr Churchill is very heavy to carry.” Edie laughed.
“Of course he is,” said the girl, her face deadly serious. “He’s an elephant.” Without waiting to be asked, she slipped her hand into Edie’s and skipped down the platform beside her. Edie didn’t even mind that the little girl had squeezed in between her and Fliss in their last moments together. She had always wanted a little brother or sister of her own, and for a moment she secretly imagined they might all be one family, setting off for a holiday together at the seaside, perhaps. But when the older boy turned round again he scowled furiously.
“Don’t make a nuisance of yourself, Greta,” he huffed. “You can carry your own case perfectly well.”
“It’s no bother!” said Edie and Fliss at exactly the same time. They grinned at each other.
But the boy walked back and snatched the suitcase from Edie’s hand. “We can manage, thank you,” he said stiffly, and he bustled Greta away, following the Pied-Piper woman down the platform.
“Why don’t you join them?” suggested Fliss. “It might be nice to have some other children in your carriage.”
Edie shook her head. She wouldn’t have minded chattering to little Greta, but her big brother looked so grumpy and stuck-up and all the other evacuees seemed to know each other.
“I’ll be fine here, honestly,” she said, spotting an empty compartment and opening the carriage door. “I’ve got my book.”
She knew she was going to have to be very grown-up from now on. She was going to have to manage by herself.
“All right, then,” said Fliss encouragingly. “Spread your things out a bit and you might even have it to yourself. The troops can get a bit rowdy.”
“I’ll be fine,” said Edie again, though she wished her voice wouldn’t crack like that. “If there’s any trouble at all, I’ll go and find the Pied Piper.”
“Who?” said Fliss.
Edie put her nose in the air and imitated the snooty woman in charge of the evacuees.
“Ah!” Fliss laughed and wagged her finger. “Just one thing. Do make sure you look after your ration book,” she said seriously. “It’s in the pocket of your suitcase, with your socks. Give it to Aunt Roberta when you arrive or she won’t be able to feed you so much as a slice of bread and dripping until the end of the war!”
“I will,” said Edie. “But, Fliss… ?” They had closed the door between them now and Edie was leaning out of the window while Fliss stood on the platform. “She does know I’m coming, doesn’t she? Aunt Roberta, I mean?”
Edie was worried Fliss still hadn’t spoken to her, not even to make arrangements.
“Of course, sweetheart. It’s all tickety-boo.” Fliss smiled brightly. “I sent a telegram. Roberta’s going to meet you at the station when the train gets in. I’d deliver you myself, only I’m due at the base first thing in the morning and… ”
“It’s all right.” Edie tried to smile too, but she was suddenly overcome with a wave of nerves. It wasn’t the journey she was worried about. It was the thought of going all the way to Yorkshire to stay with a disapproving aunt who didn’t even want her there. She’d rather stay here in London and face the bombs. Most of all, she wanted to stay with Fliss.
“Please,” she said. “Can’t we just—”
But there was a great hiss of steam, a puff of smoke and a clank of pistons. The guard on the platform shouted something that sounded like, “All aboard!” Doors slammed, a whistle blew and the huge engine began to move.
“Goodbye!” cried Edie, her heart thumping.
“Bon voyage, sweetheart!” Fliss waved her handkerchief. Even with her nostrils full of smoke and soot, Edie caught a whiff of Chanel perfume. “Have fun!” Fliss ran along the platform as the engine gathered speed.
“And you be careful!” said Edie. “Please!” But her words were drowned out. Fliss was lost in the smoke as the train thundered away.
Edie wished she had asked Fliss for her handkerchief. It wasn’t that she was crying. “Of course not,” she told herself, wiping her cheeks with her sleeve. It was just that there was soot and smoke in her eyes.
Even so, she was glad to have the compartment to herself so that nobody could hear her sniff. She listened as hoards of rowdy troops thundered up and down the corridor outside. Some of them were singing, and their loud voices frightened Edie a little. She wished more than ever that Fliss was with her. But she took a deep breath and did as she’d suggested, spreading her coat out across the seats. “I’ve always wanted an adventure of my own, and now I’ve got one,” she whispered, trying to be firm with herself. Underneath all the worry, she felt excitement squirming in her tummy too.
She opened her book and tried to read, but she couldn’t take in a word, not with all the bustle and noise on the train and the bombed-out buildings of London slipping by outside the window.
The sliding door opened suddenly and a man with a band of red tartan around his regimental beret almost fell through it.
“Sorry, lassie. I’ll leave you in peace,” he said, crashing backwards against the door frame as the train rattled on.
“No, honestly, it’s fine,” Edie called after him guiltily, but he had already stumbled away, leaving the compartment door wide open.
She got to her feet and poked her head out into the corridor. She was shocked to see gaggles of men standing in the aisle or sitting on their kit bags.
“Oh, dear,” muttered Edie. They were off to fight for King and Country, or heading home for a well-earned leave. The least they deserved was a proper seat. She screwed up her courage, stuffed her coat on to the luggage rack and cleared her throat.
“Hello.” Nobody seemed to hear her. She coughed and tried again more loudly. “Excuse me. There are seats in here if anyone wants them.”
“Good!” said a clear sharp voice from further down the corridor. But it wasn’t one of the soldiers who had spoken. It was the Pied Piper. She appeared in the doorway to the next carriage, a long pheasant feather bobbing in the top of her green hat.
“If you’ve got space, little girl, we’ll take it,” she said, almost pushing Edie aside as she poked her beaky nose into the compartment to inspect it. “Perfect. We’re two seats short in our carriage.” She glanced at the list on her clipboard and then peered over her shoulder. “Where is that wretched child? I told him to follow me.” She sighed deeply. “I thought his sort were supposed to be organized… ”
Edie had no idea what that meant, but a moment later, the grumpy-looking blond boy from the station appeared, lugging his suitcase down the corridor. Greta skipped after him, swinging Mr Churchill by his long grey trunk. A soldier was carrying her suitcase for her. She gave him her best toothy grin as he heaved it into the luggage rack by the window.
“There you go, General,” he said, saluting her smartly and going on his way.
Greta giggled with delight. “I’m not a general. I’m a girl!” she called after him.
“Settle down, now!” snapped the Pied Piper, as Greta flopped backwards on to a seat and grinned at Edie.
The boy sat down too, sighing heavily and barely even glancing at Edie as he stared out of the window. Edie guessed he must be only a year or so older than she was, but he looked so stern and serious it was hard to tell.
“Righty-ho!” The Pied Piper scribbled something on her clipboard. “You’ve got your sandwiches and a flask of tea. I’m just in the other carriage if there’s any trouble.” She wagged her finger at the three children. “I don’t want to hear a peep out of any of you.” She appeared to have forgotten that she wasn’t in charge of Edie at all.
She stepped out of the compartment and closed the
door behind her. Even the soldiers in the corridor seemed to settle down under her strict stare. But, the minute she marched away out of sight, Greta bounced off her seat and flopped on to the one next to Edie.
“Hello,” she said with an enormous grin. “I’m Greta. I met you before. And this is Mr Churchill, remember?” She held up the grey knitted elephant.
Edie smiled. “Of course I remember. Hello. I’m Edie.” She shook the elephant’s trunk and the little girl’s hand, then glanced towards the boy.
He made no effort to introduce himself but began to flick through the pages of a large book about aeroplanes.
How rude, thought Edie. From the furious look on his face you’d think it was she who had interrupted his peace and quiet, not the other way round.
But Greta seemed determined they should all be friends. She leapt to her feet again.
“This is Gus, my big brother,” she said. “His real name is—”
“Gus will do just fine,” the boy snapped. “Honestly, Greta. We’re only sharing a carriage for an hour or two. There’s no need to tell perfect strangers our entire life story.”
“And there’s no need for you to be so rude!” said Edie. The words were out of her mouth before she could stop herself.
“’Zactly!” Greta folded her arms and nodded in agreement.
“We’re just trying to be friendly. That’s all,” muttered Edie.
Gus sighed and continued to stare at the pictures of aeroplanes.
“My mother’s going to fly planes, you know,” said Edie, trying a different tack. Perhaps he wouldn’t be so stuck-up if he realized how important Fliss’s new job was going to be.
“Yes. I saw her,” he said. “At the station. She was the woman wearing the Air Transport Auxiliary uniform, I suppose?”
“That’s right.” Edie felt a swell of pride.
“Hmm!” He flicked over another page in his book. “The ATA aren’t part of the proper air force, you know. They only deliver planes to the real pilots. It’s like driving a bus or something. That’s why they’ve let women join. They don’t go into battle or anything.”
