‘But your brother – you said he was a flying ace? That first night . . .’
May inhaled and slowly let the breath go before forcing the words out. ‘My brother was an amazing pilot, but he died in the air, Liz. And I miss him so badly every single day.’
Lizzie’s eyes flooded with tears and May had to swallow hard to stifle her own.
‘Honey, I’m so sorry,’ Lizzie whispered. ‘I had no idea. I would never have said all that if I’d known.’
‘Just go back and see your father, Liz. Promise me you’ll go straight to him before it’s too late.’
At that moment, a murmur rippled through the group, and they both turned to see what the commotion was about.
‘Ah, here she is, our shining star!’ Lizzie cooed as Ruby walked towards them in her striking dark-blue uniform, her cheeks pink.
‘Stop it!’ Ruby hissed, coming up to them. ‘You know I don’t like a fuss.’
But Lizzie started to clap, and soon everyone gathered was clapping, too – the other pilots, the ground crew and even Captain MacMillan.
‘We’re so proud of you, Ruby,’ May said to her, breaking from formality and giving her a big hug. ‘I was talking to Captain MacMillan earlier, and we both agree that you deserve every accolade. Congratulations on your success flying the Halifax.’ She glanced at Lizzie, expecting to see her bristle, but she was smiling instead.
‘I don’t want to brag about knowing a celebrity, but . . .’ Lizzie started to say, dramatically pulling a newspaper cutting from her pocket and unfolding it. She held it out and Ruby let out an audible moan.
Britain’s Four-Engine Bomber Girl – Ain’t She Grand?
There was a grainy photo of Ruby beneath the bold, black headline, shaking her long, dark hair out as if she were advertising a special brand of shampoo. Her flying suit was unzipped a tiny bit at the neck, as if she was trying to show a hint of cleavage, and she was wearing a huge smile.
May glanced at Ruby, who looked utterly mortified.
‘Put it away,’ May scolded.
Lizzie grinned as she folded and tucked the paper away. Then they all craned their necks as the sound of vehicles drifted across the base.
‘In position, everyone. They’re here,’ said May, her heart beating faster as a cavalcade of black cars came into sight, driving slowly towards them. The vehicles came to a halt in front of the gathered group, and security men leapt out to attend to the doors.
May held what she hoped was a calm expression as the first guest emerged. Then she almost gasped as out stepped . . . Jackson!
‘Captain Montgomery, what a pleasure to see you again!’ she said, holding out a hand and smiling when he kissed her cheek instead. She’d thought he’d left the country already, but clearly he’d stayed behind to escort the first lady on this outing.
‘The pleasure is mine,’ he said, before turning back to the vehicle and helping an elegantly dressed woman from the car. ‘Senior Commander Jones, it is also my great pleasure to introduce you to the first lady of the United States of America, Mrs Roosevelt.’
May tried not to gape at the woman who emerged, her smile fixed perfectly in place as their eyes met.
‘Welcome, Mrs Roosevelt. It’s our absolute honour to have you here,’ she gushed.
‘Why thank you, Senior Commander. I can’t tell you what . . .’
Before she could finish her sentence, rain started to pelt them, falling in huge, angry drops from the sky.
Why now? Honestly! Why were they having so much awful weather? May leapt to take the first lady’s arm and usher her out of the wet, but a man approached and bustled her out of the way, proffering his arm and an umbrella.
‘Elizabeth, look at you!’ Mrs Roosevelt said, catching sight of Lizzie. ‘Looking every inch the bomber girl, I have to say.’
May listened to Lizzie chat and laugh with the first lady as they huddled beneath the roof of the hangar, but she caught sight of Ruby, standing slightly away from the others beneath the giant wing of a Handley Page Halifax. May could see she was unsure what to do; perhaps she was feeling distanced from the others now that she was flying a different type of aircraft, or maybe she was nervous about meeting their guest.
May held up a hand and received a little wave back.
‘Is that her?’ she heard Mrs Roosevelt ask.
‘Ruby? I mean First Officer Sanders, yes,’ Lizzie replied. ‘The one and only.’
‘She’s the girl whose face I’ve seen plastered on every inch of newspaper since I arrived,’ the first lady exclaimed. ‘What an achievement!’
Without warning she took an umbrella from one of her bodyguards and strode into the rain, taking shelter with Ruby beneath the wing. The pair were like chalk and cheese: Ruby petite and dressed in her sturdy shoes and uniform, the first lady in a greatcoat with a fox fur draped around her neck, every inch the wealthy president’s wife. But as May crossed to join them with Lizzie, she saw that her smile was genuine and her words of praise warm, and she couldn’t help but like her.
‘So, how does it feel to be the first woman to fly a four-engine bomber?’ Mrs Roosevelt asked, over the pelting rain.
‘It feels spectacular, actually,’ Ruby replied, her voice more assured than usual. ‘I’m so proud of all we’ve accomplished here.’
‘Well, you deserve every accolade.’
‘Thank you,’ Ruby said, her chin pointed up slightly. May smiled, knowing how hard it was for Ruby to accept praise, but she’d seen a change in her since that first flight.
‘It’s even better that you’re so tiny,’ Mrs Roosevelt said jovially. ‘Shows the men that brute strength is nothing compared to brains and determination!’
They all laughed.
‘Now tell me about Elizabeth here. I hope her competitive spirit hasn’t got in the way at all?’
May saw Lizzie’s cheeks flare in embarrassment.
‘She’s a livewire, that’s for sure,’ Ruby said with a grin. ‘Elizabeth is an accomplished pilot and we certainly had a boisterous rivalry to become the first bomber pilot. It was neck and neck all the way and, if anything, she helped me to be the pilot I am today.’
May looked between the two women, watching Ruby’s easy smile and Lizzie’s shocked one.
‘Is that so? Well, it’s good to hear she’s been behaving.’
‘We’re going to miss her terribly,’ Ruby continued. ‘But she’ll be an asset to whatever squadron she leads when she returns home.’
‘Thank you, Ruby,’ Lizzie said. ‘But I can honestly say, hand on heart, that the best pilot paved the way for all of us. We all have Ruby to thank for our new ferrying role.’
‘Mrs Roosevelt, we’d like to invite you in for lunch now,’ May said, taking charge. ‘Perhaps it would be a good idea to get out of this rain and tour the airfield when it clears instead?’
‘Of course,’ the first lady replied. ‘Elizabeth, would you go and find Captain Montgomery, please? He’s such a gorgeous man, and I insisted that you both sit with me today. I’m sure the two of you get along marvellously, am I right?’
‘Ah, yes,’ Lizzie said, raising a brow at May and Ruby. ‘In fact, I’d love nothing more than to sit with him for lunch. How delightful that he managed to stay in the country for your visit. I thought he’d be home by now.’
May stifled her laugh and escorted Mrs Roosevelt towards the big hangar, which was set with huge tables and a feast for them all. She realised that not even the rain could ruin their day. Almost all of Lizzie’s pilots from America were in attendance, waiting to meet their guest, and they had enough food and champagne to feed and water an army.
Today, she was going to relax and enjoy a rare moment of fun. Tomorrow she’d be taking to the skies for the first time in months, to deliver much-needed Spitfires to Colerne so they could be transported immediately to Port Glasgow and then on to Malta by the RAF – and after that? She doubted there’d be any time at all for fun or anything remotely resembling it. She decided to go and f
ind Ben to walk together for lunch in the hangar. She had a feeling things were going to be on the up for the Allies now – from what she’d been told, the number of four-engine bombers they could now ferry to key bases and the delivery of the Spitfires to Malta could have a huge influence.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
HAMBLE AIRFIELD, HAMPSHIRE,
AUGUST 1942
LIZZIE
Lizzie hadn’t expected to be so emotional about leaving England. When she’d arrived she’d thought it was a gloomy, unexciting place, but since then everything had changed. She’d explored London, ferried all types of planes and made the most amazing friends despite the constant fears and trepidation about being in a country at war. She blinked away tears as she thought of Ruby and May – on first meeting she’d found them as boring and uptight as a pair of old nuns, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth. In reality, it had been her who’d needed the personality adjustment, and when she thought back to how she’d behaved, it was impossible not to cringe.
But she had to leave – her country needed her. And so did her father. She needed to get home to see him, to sit with him and tell him how proud she was of him, before going off to lead her squadron.
‘We’re going to miss you terribly,’ said Mrs Robinson, enveloping her in a big hug.
‘Thank you. For everything,’ Lizzie said, hoping they knew how grateful she truly was.
‘I only wish it was before the war,’ Mrs Robinson replied, dabbing her eyes. ‘I would have been making light fluffy cakes and scones with jam for you. Oh, and the stews! Without all this rationing I’m quite the cook, you know.’
Lizzie laughed through her tears, surprised by how hard it was to say goodbye. ‘I’m sure you are. And you cooked us wonderful, hearty meals, so there’s nothing to be worried about.’ In all honesty, she’d eaten enough Brussels sprouts and Woolton pies for a lifetime. ‘Did I tell you that Mrs Roosevelt knew all about the rationing here? She told me over dinner that even the Queen has to use a ration book, so there was nothing fancy for the first lady when she stayed at Buckingham Palace.’
‘Honestly? I thought it was all nonsense that the royal family was on rations.’
‘Not at all. And even the hot water for Mrs Roosevelt’s bath had to be rationed. I’m sure it was quite an experience for her.’
‘Well I never,’ Mrs Robinson clucked. ‘I thought it was all propaganda to make us feel better, and that they were probably still living a life of luxury.’
‘Lizzie!’ Ruby exclaimed, as she burst down the stairs. ‘Were you going to leave just like that?’
‘Don’t be daft, we were only letting you sleep in a bit,’ their hostess said.
‘I’d never leave without saying goodbye,’ Lizzie told her. ‘In fact, why don’t you travel in with me to base? May is coming to get me herself.’
Ruby nodded. ‘Give me a minute, will you?’
‘You need breakfast first!’ Mrs Robinson insisted, dashing off to the kitchen. Lizzie grinned, wondering if the older woman actually liked looking after them. She certainly seemed to enjoy keeping them well fed, and both she and her husband enjoyed listening to their stories; she would bet that they loved bragging to their friends about the two female pilots living with them.
A car horn sounded outside, and Lizzie turned to embrace Mr Robinson, who’d been standing quietly in the corner.
‘Thank you for being so gracious,’ Lizzie said honestly. ‘I’ll never forget your kindness.’
He was gruff as she kissed his cheek, then picked up her single suitcase and stepped out of the front door. Mrs Robinson came rushing up behind her and pressed something into her hand, and when she looked down and saw the cookies wrapped in paper, she didn’t know what to say.
‘I’ve been saving up my sugar and butter in case I needed to make a special cake, but I decided to bake some proper biscuits for your journey instead.’
Tears started to trickle down Lizzie’s cheeks then. Suddenly all she wanted was to get home to her own father, to hold him and kiss his cheek.
‘Thank you,’ she said.
May was out of the car and had the back door open, and Lizzie got in as Ruby came leaping down the steps with a piece of bread in her hand. As her friend scrambled in beside her, Lizzie leaned back and stared at the house she was leaving behind. Every bone in her body was ready to go home, but it didn’t make leaving any easier. She waved one last time to her English family as May pulled away.
‘A telegram arrived for you this morning,’ May said, as they headed down the road, passing it back to her. ‘I offered to bring it directly to you.’
Lizzie reached for it, hand trembling as she pressed her thumbnail beneath the envelope flap and then unfolded the letter inside, hoping it wasn’t bad news about her father. When she saw General Hap’s name she breathed a sigh of relief.
FEMALE SQUADRON IS COMMENCING AS PLANNED. YOU WILL ESTABLISH THE WOMEN’S FLYING DETACHMENT ON YOUR RETURN AND TRAIN WOMEN PILOTS FOR FERRYING MILITARY PLANES. NANCY LOVE WILL CONTINUE TO HEAD HER OWN SQUADRON. CAPTAIN JACKSON MONTGOMERY WILL BE ON BASE WITH YOU TO ESTABLISH YOUR OPERATIONS. RETURN DIRECTLY TO WASHINGTON AFTER YOUR VISIT HOME TO MEET ME IN PERSON. GENERAL ARNOLD.
She was actually getting it! She was going to be leading her own squadron! The only disappointing part was that she was going to have to put up with Jackson Montgomery back home. Why hadn’t he been redeployed? She carefully folded the telegram and took a deep, shuddering breath.
But Jackson was the least of her worries. She had no idea who this Nancy Love person was, who’d somehow managed to establish an entire flying division without her being notified. She gripped her seat, reminding herself that she was part of a bigger picture, that she needed to think of everyone as a team. If it helped win the war, there was nothing wrong with her and Love having a squadron each.
‘Everything all right?’ May asked.
Lizzie met her gaze in the rear-view mirror. ‘I’m bloody amazing,’ she replied.
And then they all burst out laughing, because finally, after months on British soil, she’d actually managed to sound like an Englishwoman without even trying.
‘Come on, what is it?’ Ruby asked, curiosity written all over her face.
‘I’m going to be leading my own squadron,’ she said, hardly believing the words.
‘Congratulations, Lizzie!’ Ruby exclaimed.
‘Thank you,’ she said, letting excitement wash over her. It was actually, finally, happening!
‘Well deserved,’ May said. ‘I’m so proud of you, Liz.’
‘Would you believe that Jackson Montgomery is going to be my sidekick though?’ she told them. ‘Or perhaps I’m supposed to be his sidekick. Either way I’ll just have to deal with it, because nothing is taking the shine off my new job!’
‘He wasn’t exactly hard on the eye,’ Ruby murmured. ‘You have to admit.’
‘He was a pain in the backside, that’s what he was,’ Lizzie grumbled. ‘And no, I absolutely do not have to admit that!’
‘Sweetheart,’ May chipped in, ‘if you thought he was a pain in the backside, you clearly have no idea what you were like to work with sometimes!’
Lizzie had to laugh. She wasn’t going to argue with May there.
‘I can’t believe this is it,’ Ruby said, as she flung her arms around Lizzie less than two hours later.
Lizzie hugged her back, then turned to her commander. ‘May, I hope that I can be half the leader you are one day,’ she said. ‘And I’m sorry I’m not here to help with the Spitfire deliveries. I’d have stayed if I could.’
‘Elizabeth Dunlop, was that a compliment?’ May asked, exchanging glances with Ruby. ‘And don’t worry about the Spitfires, we’ve got them under control.’
‘Ha ha, very funny. I suppose you have Jackson to thank for my new-found humbleness.’
‘Oh, we thank him every day,’ Ruby teased. ‘He’s the only thing that made you bearable.’
‘Oh, stop it,�
� Lizzie said, giving May a hug. ‘Can’t a girl have a decent send-off?’
May held her tight and kissed her cheek. ‘I thought you were going to be a thorn in my side when you arrived, Lizzie, and you certainly were. But I’m actually going to miss you.’
‘Me? A thorn?’ Lizzie laughed. ‘Never!’
She took one last look around the airfield where she’d been stationed for so long; the all-women ferry pool at Hamble had been incredible, and she was going to miss everything about it.
‘I’m sorry ladies, but it’s time.’ A Daimler was waiting, much like the one she’d driven when she’d first arrived in London, although this time she wouldn’t be driving it herself.
‘Goodbye,’ Lizzie said, bending to pick up her bag. ‘And thank you, for putting up with me and showing me what it truly means to be part of a team. I’ll never forget my time here with you.’
‘It was nothing,’ Ruby said, tears in her eyes.
Lizzie took a step towards the car. ‘With women on both sides of the pond ferrying planes, I think we can actually work together to win this damn war, don’t you?’
Ruby laughed, but May just nodded. ‘I’m sure of it.’
‘And May,’ Lizzie added, ‘please, one of these days, admit to yourself that you’re head over heels in love with that gorgeous flight mechanic of yours, would you?’ She grinned. ‘You’re not fooling anyone.’
‘May and Benjamin?’ Ruby gasped. ‘Are you joking?’
May positively glowered, but her flushed cheeks gave her true feelings away. ‘Ben is a lovely man, but . . .’
‘This is war, May. It’s life or death every day, and that means there’s not a day to miss. If you want him,’ said Lizzie, ‘go and get him. Because you deserve to be happy and he’s a good man.’
May just shook her head, not saying a thing, while Ruby still stood gaping. Lizzie got in the car, still laughing at May’s mortified expression, then turned to stare at the two women who’d become like sisters to her in the short time she’d known them.
The Spitfire Girls Page 18