by Nevil Shute
Peter Marshall looked down at her, and said kindly: ‘Did that worry you a lot?’
She glanced up at him. ‘Yes, it did,’ she said. ‘I suppose one gets accustomed to that sort of thing in time. I’ve been in Training Command, and I’m new to it.’
He was immensely sorry for her. ‘Look,’ he said, ‘Sawyer went in just ahead of me, and I saw him going away after he dumped his load, and he seemed to be quite all right. Sawyer may have been hit, of course, or else the navigator. But, anyway, he went hundreds of miles away off course.’
She said: ‘That’s true. He was right over by the mouth of the Skagerrak.’
‘That’s what I heard.’ He looked down at her, smiling. ‘It’s just plain crackers to go worrying over that.’
She forced a laugh, colouring a little. ‘I suppose it is. But it’s difficult not to.’
He said: ‘I used to worry about things a bit. But then I took up golf and found what worry really meant. It got me down, so I gave it up and took up fishing.’
She laughed. ‘Counter-irritant!’
He grinned down at her. ‘That’s it. You find yourself a nice new worry and stop bothering about fixes that are all right, anyway.’
She walked on for a pace or two in silence. ‘When I was in Training Command,’ she said, ‘I wanted to be on an operational station, so as to be doing a bit more for the war. I never thought how anxious it would be.’
Marshall nodded. ‘When I joined the RAF I thought it would be lovely, all flying about in sunshine and blue sky among the dear little fleecy clouds, like a lamb gambolling in the fields.’ She laughed. ‘Honestly, I did think of it like that.’
‘Like the posters in Wings for Victory Week.’
He said: ‘Just like that. You aren’t the only mutt round here, if that’s any comfort to you.’
They came out of the woods into a clearing. They had been walking up a gentle slope for some way, and now they found that they were on a piece of rising ground looking away towards the east. The clearance in the trees showed them the country over towards Princes Risborough and its range of hills, sunny and hazy.
‘This is the place,’ said Marshall. ‘We waited just here, on this log.’
The girl stood and looked out over the low, flat country. ‘It’s lovely to be looking down on something, for a change.’ She glanced up at him. ‘I come from a hilly part of the world,’ she said. ‘I’ve been awfully bored with this flat country here.’
‘Where do you come from?’ he enquired. He knew already, but he wanted her to tell him.
‘We live at Thirsk, in Yorkshire,’ she said. ‘Just by the Clevedon Hills.’
He wrinkled his forehead. ‘Helmsley way?’
She nodded. ‘That’s not very far. Do you know that country?’
‘Only by flying over it,’ he said. ‘It looks as if it would be interesting country on the ground.’
She nodded. ‘I like it. But I suppose you always do like the place where you were brought up.’
They turned to the badger’s earth. It showed as a scrape and a hole beneath the root of an oak tree, at a place where the soil had broken away, making a little earthy cliff. There was a fairly strong smell of animal about. ‘Stinks like a badger,’ said Marshall complacently. ‘Now I know what that means.’
She laughed. ‘It does, rather.’
They stooped down together by the hole, one on each side. The sun shone on the dead leaves and the budding shrubs above them, on the pale blue of their uniforms, and glinted on their brass buttons. ‘Do you think he’s in there?’ she enquired. She looked up at him, merry and keen.
‘Must be,’ he said. ‘An empty hole wouldn’t ponk like this.’
‘Let’s get a stick and poke about, and see if we can get him out.’
They got up and went and found a chestnut branch and broke a long stick off it, and went back to the earth. Gervase took it and began rattling it about down the hole; once she thought that she touched something soft that backed away. They tried in turns to get the badger out, and presently they desisted and stood up, muddy and cheerful.
‘He won’t play,’ said Marshall. ‘Too bad.’
‘I do wish we could get him out,’ said Gervase. ‘I just want to see him.’
‘The only thing to do would be to come back with a pick and shovel.’
‘He’d dig away from you,’ she said. ‘I bet he can dig faster than you can.’
‘I’m not going to try,’ said Marshall. ‘If you really want to see a badger I’ll take you to the Zoo.’
She said: ‘I’ve never seen the Zoo.’
He noted that for future reference and said: ‘Well, that’s all I can show you here today. Would you like to walk on for a bit and see where this track goes to?’
She said: ‘Let’s.’ So they started on over the hill, walking on the dead leaves between the trees, talking about the badgers and the foxes and all the little creatures of the woods. And presently she stopped. ‘Look — there’s a primrose!’
He was mildly interested. ‘There’s another one over there — and there’s another.’
‘It’s frightfully early for them.’
‘It’s the second of March. Is that early?’
She laughed up at him. ‘Of course it is. You don’t know anything. Let’s see if we can get enough to take back.’
She stooped down to the leaves and began to pick the occasional blossoms. He stooped down with her, strained and awkward where she was lissom. He was not really interested in primroses, but he thought that he had never seen a sweeter sight than Gervase picking them.
With some difficulty they found sufficient for a little bunch; they bound leaves round the posy with a bit of fine string from his pocket and went on through the woods. And presently he said: ‘I say, what was wrong this morning with Ma Stevens?’
Her face clouded; she thought quickly and carefully before replying. ‘It wasn’t anything to do with you or your batwoman,’ she replied. ‘It was just she was a bit upset.’
He was no fool, and he had lived a long time on a station. ‘Forbes?’ he enquired. ‘Does she take things hard?’
The girl said a little testily: ‘Of course she does. Nobody’s at their best after a thing like that.’
Marshall said: ‘I didn’t know she got cut up about things. She always seems so tough.’
‘I think that’s her way.’ She turned to him. ‘Do you think any of them got out?’
He shook his head. ‘I don’t think so.’
A dreadful curiosity made her enquire: ‘Did you see it happen?’
He nodded. ‘I was stooging around outside a bit before going in, and so was Davy. We both saw it. It was a direct hit; I don’t think any of them got out.’ He did not expand upon the matter. He had long passed the nervous stage of wanting to tell people what it looked like, how the fire spread and the bits fell off as the machine went down. Being shot down was like getting cancer, a sad, painful business that you did not labour to describe.
She was still puzzled. ‘Was it just bad luck?’
He found some difficulty in answering her. ‘He was running up for a damn long time,’ he said, ‘and it was pretty hot. He was making sure of getting his bombs just exactly where he wanted them. Of course, it’s always bad luck if the flak gets you.’
She said doubtfully: ‘I suppose so.’
He smiled down at her. ‘I always stooge around a bit outside and wait a quiet time to go in,’ he said. ‘I don’t know that it makes any difference really, but the boys think it does. And we like to do a different sort of approach every time, just on principle. I don’t think that makes any difference, either, but it’s another thing. Sometimes if you sit outside a bit and have a damn good look for five minutes or so you get a hunch what’s the best way to tackle it.’ He laughed. ‘I don’t think we’re really yellow — just cream. We generally put our load down on the target in the end.’
They came to the top of the rise, and the track ran down before them
through the woods. In front of them, through the bare trees, there was the glint of water. Marshall said: ‘I say, there’s a lake or something.’
Gervase nodded. ‘There is a lake here,’ she said. ‘I saw it on the map. There’s a house somewhere near.’
The pilot said: ‘I wonder if there’s anything in it?’
They went on briskly to the water’s edge. Across the lake, no more than a hundred yards in width, there was a mown lawn fringed with rhododendrons, and at the head of this there was a house, low, long, and covered in creeper. ‘That’s Kingslake House,’ said Gervase. ‘I remember that. The drive runs from the other side of it back on to the road where we left the bikes.’
Marshall said: ‘Nice place. Do you know who lives there?’
She shook her head. ‘I suppose the wood belongs to the house.’
They turned to examine the lake. It was artificial and very shallow, created by a concrete and timber dam across a little stream that ran down through the trees. With one eye on the house they made their way towards the dam and the deep water by it, and walked out upon it, fascinated by the tinkle of running water at the overflow. Gervase looked out over the small sheet of water and smiled. ‘I suppose this is the King’s Lake,’ she said. ‘He must have been a very little King.’
The pilot grinned. ‘Because it’s a very little lake?’
She nodded, laughing up at him. ‘Boy’s size.’
They walked on round it presently, being careful to keep out of sight of the house as much as possible. ‘I bet there are some fish in it,’ Marshall said thoughtfully. ‘It’s been dammed up so as to hold them.’
Gervase agreed with him. ‘I’ve seen places like it,’ she said. ‘You buy trout and put them in — stock it. Then you have a lot of fun getting them out again.’
He was interested. ‘How much do trout cost?’
‘About a shilling each, I think.’
They came to the stream that ran in at the top end and stood looking at the water. ‘There’s a fish!’ said the pilot suddenly. He touched her on the arm and pointed. ‘By that bit of weed.’
She saw a grey shadow moving slowly over the bottom. ‘That’s a trout,’ she observed. ‘I said there’d be trout here.’
‘How do you know it’s a trout?’ the pilot asked.
She stared at him. ‘Well — it’s a trout. Haven’t you ever seen one?’
He shook his head. ‘I come from High Holborn, lady. I’ve only fished for roach and pike so far.’
She said: ‘It looks grey now, but if it was to turn suddenly you’d see it was a sort of goldy colour underneath. It’s got spots on it, too. They’re much brighter when they’re out of the water.’
‘How do you know all that?’ he asked. ‘Have you fished for them?’
She said: ‘I go out with my uncle sometimes, when I’m staying up at Twistleton. He’s the rector. He fishes up and down a little river between Twistleton and Helmsley.’
‘Fly fishing?’ She nodded. ‘Have you ever done it?’
She said: ‘The line always catches up in trees and things with me. I never caught anything.’ She glanced around them. ‘It would be different here,’ she said. ‘There’s plenty of room behind. I expect they arranged the trees like that on purpose.’
He stared down at her with new admiration and respect. ‘I never fished with fly,’ he said. ‘I don’t know how to.’
She was still staring at the fish. ‘He’s awfully sluggish,’ she said. ‘I suppose it’s early in the season, and cold. Let’s get a stick and tickle him up a bit.’
They got a long stick and thrust it very quietly down into the water at the fish. Before they reached it it flicked round and shot off into deeper water.
The pilot said: ‘See it flash? Sort of bronze colour. Let’s see if we can find another.’
They walked all round the little lake, stick in hand. They saw one or two more fish, but well out of reach of their stick. Over their heads the light began to fade and a little chill wind of March blew through the leafless trees. Presently, regretfully, they left the lake and the long house beyond the lawn and walked back over the rise, down past the badger’s earth towards their bicycles.
At the gate Gervase said awkwardly: ‘I think we’d better go back independently . . .’
The pilot nodded. ‘It’ll be all over the station in ten minutes if we don’t.’ He grinned at her.
She turned to him. ‘I have enjoyed this afternoon,’ she said. ‘It’s been like old times at home. Thank you so much for letting me come.’
Marshall said: ‘Thank you for coming.’ He hesitated for a moment, wondering how to put what he wanted to say. She stood waiting for him. ‘If I could find another badger, or something,’ he said, ‘would you like to do it again?’
The afternoon had shown her that he was simple and honest. He had promised to show her a badger’s earth and he had shown her just that; he had not tried to kiss her or do any of those things. He had helped her to pick primroses.
She said: ‘I’d like to, some afternoon when you’re not fishing.’
She smiled at him, got on her bicycle, and rode off down the lane towards the station. She went very happily. The wind was behind her; the evening was fine and blue. For the first time since she arrived at Hartley Magna she felt a mitigation of the bleak ugliness of life upon the station; her world was no longer made up solely of defaulting airwomen, grey wooden huts, anxiety, and grief, and death. She had had an afternoon with a young man that she liked and respected; a carefree afternoon. She knew quite well that the young man was getting to be very much interested in her, and she liked that, too. There might be difficulties ahead, but she shut her mind to those.
She got back to her quarters in the last glimmer of daylight, parked her bicycle, and went indoors to the sitting-room. Section Officer Ford was there, a fair-haired girl who was second-in-command to Flight Officer Stevens. She said: ‘Two pilot officers and two sergeant pilots came in this afternoon from the Pool.’
Gervase rang the bell and ordered herself a cup of tea. ‘What are the officers like?’
‘One’s a South African called Harkness. He calls you ‘my dear’ every time he speaks. The other’s a boy called Drummond.’
‘Do you know who they’ll be put with?’
Jane Ford said: ‘They’ll get crews of their own before very long, now that they don’t carry second pilots. They might be put with Davy or Marshall or Johnson for a trip or two.’
Gervase said: ‘Marshall has a second pilot — a Dane.’
‘Only because he’s a Dane and they don’t feel like giving him a crew of his own. They’ve regraded him as navigator. You mean Gunnar Franck.’
Peter Marshall got back to the ante-room about the same time and ordered a pint of beer. Pat Johnson was there. He said: ‘Been fishing?’
Marshall shook his head. ‘Rode out on the bike to look at a pond,’ he said. ‘I don’t know that it’s any good to me.’ He paused and then said: ‘Did you go round today?’
Mr Johnson said: ‘I did a lovely fifth in four.’
‘What did you do the thirteenth in?’ That was the hole with the stream.
‘Eleven,’ said Mr Johnson.
‘You’re coming on. Have a beer.’
The beer came presently. Johnson said: ‘I’ve got to have a prune with me next trip.’
‘Have I?’
‘Not that I know of. Lines has got the other one.’
‘What’s yours called?’
‘Drummond.’
Pilot Officer Drummond came into the ante-room soon after that; Johnson called him over and introduced him to Marshall and Davy. Pilot Officer Drummond was young, about nineteen; he was small and dark-haired and pale-faced, with a keen, lively manner. ‘I say,’ he said to Johnson, ‘I found a razor in my room. What had I better do with it?’
Johnson said equably: ‘Give it to Flight Officer Stevens, officer in charge of WAAFs. She’ll post it on.’
They gave him a can
of beer. ‘I’m awfully glad they sent me here,’ he said. ‘They were going to send me to Coastal, but I asked for Bomber Command, and they let me change.’ He had been for a few weeks at an operational training station.
Marshall said: ‘What’s wrong with Coastal? You can have a damn good time at one of those places.’
The boy said: ‘Spend all day out over the sea and see nothing but a lot of mouldy ships. No, thanks.’ If he had been honest he would have said that he wanted above everything to drop bombs on Germans, but he was not quite so young as that.
Presently he asked: ‘When’s the next operation?’
‘Give us a bloody chance,’ said Mr Johnson. ‘We had one last night. If they take my advice they’ll have the next one about three months from now.’
‘No, seriously. You’ve been doing one every three or four days, haven’t you?’
Marshall said: ‘We have for the last fortnight, but we can’t keep that up. All the machines are running out their time. We’ll be laying off for a bit pretty soon.’
‘I hope we have another first,’ the boy said.
‘Ruddy little fire-eater,’ said Davy. ‘Don’t let Winco hear him, or he’ll get us into trouble.’
Presently they went and dined, and afterwards they walked down in the quiet of the moonlit night to the ‘Black Horse’. Marshall met Mr Ellison in the lounge bar. ‘Sorry about last night,’ he said. ‘We had to go out on a job. What’s it to be?’
The tractor salesman said: ‘Pint, please. It said on the wireless tonight we raided Dortmund.’ He raised an eyebrow enquiringly.
The pilot nodded slightly. It was not to talk about Dortmund that he had come to the ‘Black Horse’, but to forget it. He said: ‘Take you on at bar billiards. Loser buys a round.’
‘All right.’ They put in sixpence and began to play as the table started ticking. ‘I saw Jack Barton about those pigeons, by the way. He said, go right ahead, any time you like.’
‘Fine. You got a gun?’
Mr Ellison said: ‘Sure.’
‘We’ve got a two-two rifle, and I think I can borrow a twelve-bore. What about tomorrow afternoon? A hundred and sixty-six.’
The other marked it up. ‘All right.’
