The Brooklands Girls

by Margaret Dickinson

  Pips sighed. ‘It’s difficult. I would feel I was being disloyal.’

  ‘Fair enough. I can respect that.’ He cocked his head on one side and regarded her thoughtfully. ‘I get the impression you’re strong on loyalty.’

  ‘Very.’

  Now it was his turn to sigh heavily, but it was an exaggerated one. ‘So, I haven’t a chance if I throw my hat into the ring as a suitor, then? Because, despite what you say, there is Mitch, you know.’

  Pips laughed. ‘Oh him. He’s not serious.’

  But Jeff’s tone was deadly earnest as he murmured, ‘I think you’ll find he is. Anyway, this conversation is getting far too heavy. Let’s dance. I fancy doing the tango with you, so I have the excuse to hold you close. Are you game?’

  ‘Of course, but first, when’s my next flying lesson?’

  During the second week in January, Pips received a letter from her father. She tore it open, anxious that it might contain bad news – Edwin rarely wrote to her now. Letters usually came from Robert in his shaky – but improving – left-handed writing. She read it and then read it again, more slowly the second time:

  Dearest Pips, I hate to trouble you when you’re having so much fun, especially the New Year’s Eve party you told us about in your last letter. Even your mother just shrugged her shoulders and said, ‘Well, she deserves it’. But why I’m writing is to ask you when you might next be coming home. You see, we feel we are progressing with encouraging Robert to take up his career as a doctor again. I know last time’s efforts ended in failure – perhaps we tried too soon – but after he was so helpful at Peggy’s confinement – she’s singing his praises to the rooftops and telling everyone she couldn’t have done it without his calming influence – we think he’s really begun to see that he could help patients by just listening and maybe counselling them. He would probably be able to diagnose ailments, too, where a physical examination wasn’t necessary. And, for the moment, I am still able to do that. Though your mother would like me to, I have no intention of retiring just yet! We all feel he needs one final push and we think you are the only person who can do that. By the way, do bring George, if he’s free and would like to come. We all like him very much . . .

  The letter continued with family news and a long paragraph about Daisy’s progress, which Pips read three times. Then she sat down to write a quick note to George telling him that she’d be going to Lincolnshire at the weekend and asking him if he wanted to go with her. When she hadn’t heard from him by Friday afternoon, she set off on her own, disappointed, but not surprised.

  ‘No George?’ Robert was the first to ask.

  ‘Not this time. It’s you I’ve come to sort out. I know you’re still doing your research . . .’ She grinned. ‘Dr Hazelwood showed me your piece printed in The Lancet. You must be proud of that. We are. But what on earth are you dithering for about joining Father in the practice again? For goodness’ sake get back to what you can do and stop dwelling on what you can’t.’

  ‘Ah. So who’s been telling tales. Alice?’

  ‘Heavens, no! And don’t ask any more, because I’m not going to tell you. What’s important is that you should give it another go.’

  ‘I tried, if you remember, but it didn’t work out.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘I just haven’t got the confidence any more.’

  ‘But you were fantastic with Peggy. Holding her hand and telling her how to cope with the contractions. There’s so much you could do to take the weight off Father. He’d be able to take it a bit easier. At least give it another shot, won’t you?’

  ‘But what about when Father wants to give up completely? What then?’

  ‘He could employ another doctor. Like Sam suggested. We all thought that was such a good idea at the time, but it never went anywhere. Mainly because of your reluctance.’ She eyed him with her head on one side as she thought quickly. ‘Perhaps we could find a young doctor just out of medical school, who’d benefit from the experience and with advice on hand. Father will want to remain part of the practice and that way, he’d still feel useful. Or . . .’ Now she was being even more devious. ‘A doctor who’d served in the war.’

  ‘You’ve got it all worked out, haven’t you? You’re all in cahoots.’

  ‘No, actually, we’re not. I’ve only just thought about the last bit. But it’s a possibility, don’t you think?’

  He nodded and said slowly, ‘All right. I’ll give it another go, even if it’s only to get you off my back.’

  Pips kissed his cheek. ‘That’s more like the Robert I know, and now, where’s Daisy?’

  ‘Have you been away?’ was George’s first question when Pips opened the door to him on the Wednesday evening after her return.

  For a moment, she gaped at him and then opened the door wider for him to step into the flat. ‘I wrote to you. Didn’t you get my letter?’

  George frowned. ‘No, I didn’t.’

  ‘Oh well.’ Pips shrugged it off, though she had her own suspicions as to what might have happened to the letter she’d sent to the flat he shared with Rebecca. ‘Never mind, you’re here now.’ She tucked her arm through his and led him into the living room, explaining the reason for her sudden visit home.

  ‘And do you think it will work?’

  ‘I’m hoping so.’ She laughed. ‘I seem to be the only one who can give him a straight talking to. Everyone else – even Father – treats him with kid gloves. I don’t.’

  George smiled and said softly, ‘It is what he needs, though, my dear.’ He sighed. ‘Perhaps I should adopt the same approach with Rebecca.’

  She sat beside him and took his hand. ‘Still no sign of a thaw in her attitude?’

  He shook his head. ‘She’s on duty for the next four days. Would you come and stay?’

  ‘There’s no need. Milly doesn’t mind you staying here.’

  ‘But I do,’ he said covering her hand with his. ‘I want you all to myself. Milly is so gregarious. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I’m extremely fond of her – but there are so many people in and out of here all the time that it resembles Charing Cross Station at times.’

  ‘All right. For the next three days – I’m all yours.’ She leaned forward and kissed him.

  They were sitting in George’s apartment, still in their dressing gowns, having a leisurely breakfast, when there was a rattle at the door and Rebecca came in. It would have been difficult to say who was the most startled of the three of them.

  Rebecca slammed the door behind her and marched towards her bedroom, stopping only to point a finger at Pips and say between gritted teeth, ‘Get that bitch out of here,’ before slamming that door too.

  ‘Oh dear. Was she expected today, George?’

  He shook his head. ‘No, not until tomorrow.’

  ‘I thought that’s what you said. I’d better make myself scarce.’

  ‘And I’d better get dressed,’ he murmured. ‘And face the music.’

  ‘You sound as if you’re scared of her.’

  He laughed sardonically. ‘Let’s just say I’d sooner go over the top.’

  They smiled at each other before Pips kissed his cheek and hurried to the bedroom they had shared for two nights. Half an hour later, she left the flat without having seen Rebecca again.

  George tapped on his daughter’s bedroom door. ‘Rebecca?’

  ‘Has she gone?’

  ‘Yes, but I won’t have you speaking to Pips like that.’

  The door was flung open and she faced him, her face red with fury. ‘I told you I didn’t want to come home and find her here. It’s so embarrassing finding you both in a state of undress. This is my home – or at least I thought it was. If you want me to move out, you only have to say.’

  ‘Rebecca – please. I thought you weren’t due home until tomorrow.’

  Moodily, Rebecca was forced to agree. ‘I wasn’t, but I’ve developed a cold and Sister doesn’t like us to be on the wards where we might spread infection to the patients
– or to our colleagues, either.’

  ‘Then, I’m sorry. Is there anything you need me to get for you?’

  ‘No,’ she snapped, then added, grudgingly, ‘Thanks. I just want to go to bed and sleep.’

  ‘You go ahead, then. I’ll make dinner this evening. Perhaps you’ll feel a little better by then.’ He turned away, thinking to himself, better in temper as well as physically, I hope.

  Twenty-Eight

  Pips didn’t see George for another two weeks and she concluded that Rebecca was spinning out her illness on purpose. In the meantime, she continued to have fun with Milly, to practise at Brooklands and to go flying with Jeff. Over the next few months she went on several visits home to see Daisy and the rest of her family. She was delighted to learn that Robert was now seeing a few patients every week in his own consulting room.

  ‘He seems to be sticking to it this time,’ Alice told her.

  ‘Let’s hope so.’

  When winter turned into spring and she was able to fly more often, Pips soon completed the requisite number of hours Jeff had demanded before she could even think of going solo. But as she landed the aircraft smoothly one day in late April and climbed out, he said, ‘I’m pleased to see that last week’s dreadful accident hasn’t put you off flying.’

  The accident he was referring to had resulted in the deaths of two flyers and had cast a black cloud over Brooklands.

  ‘Did you think it might?’

  ‘It crossed my mind.’

  ‘Jeff, if I allowed other people’s accidents, either in their cars or planes, to put me off, I’d never do anything.’

  Jeff nodded approval of her sentiment. ‘In that case, then I think you can apply to the Royal Aero Club for your Aviator’s Certificate.’

  Pips flung her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly.

  Two months later, she received a letter that had her dancing around Milly’s kitchen, waving it in the air. ‘I’ve got it, Milly. I’ve got it.’

  Milly, emerging from her bedroom in her dressing gown, yawned. ‘What have you got, darling?’

  ‘My aviator’s certificate. I can fly solo now and go anywhere I want, because it’s recognized internationally.’

  Milly blinked. ‘That’s marvellous, darling. So, all you need now is an aeroplane to fly?’

  ‘Well, I’ve sort of got one.’

  Milly ran her fingers through her tousled hair. ‘Have you?’

  ‘Mitch has said he’ll lend me one of his any time I want. He’s got two now.’

  Milly’s eyes widened. ‘Oh dear. He has got it bad. I’m very fond of Mitch, Pips. Please don’t break his heart.’

  But all Pips said was, ‘Oh phooey.’

  They were all there to watch on the day that Pips took her first solo flight.

  ‘Nice take off,’ Jeff murmured as the small aircraft lifted smoothly into the sky.

  ‘Where’s she going?’ Milly asked. ‘She won’t go out of sight, will she?’

  Muriel laughed. ‘No knowing with that one. She probably won’t be back until tea time.’

  ‘Half an hour. That’s what I told her.’ Jeff was like a bird watching his chick fledge.

  Standing beside Mitch, George said, ‘I’m surprised you didn’t teach her yourself.’

  ‘Golden rule, old boy. Never teach family or very close friends.’

  ‘And you consider Pips a very close friend?’

  There was a slight pause before Mitch said softly, ‘She saved my life.’

  ‘We have that in common, then.’

  ‘Yes. That too.’

  The underlying meaning behind his words lay heavily between them, but neither spoke again as they watched Pips circle Brooklands and then head northwards.

  ‘Where’s she going?’ Milly asked worriedly.

  ‘Lincolnshire, I shouldn’t wonder,’ Muriel said airily.

  Milly turned frightened eyes towards her. ‘Oh no, she wouldn’t, would she?’

  ‘I’m teasing you, Milly darling. I bet she’d like to, but no, she won’t. For once she’ll do just what she’s been told.’

  They watched the aircraft grow smaller and smaller in the clear sky until, just before they could no longer see it, it turned to the left and, in a much wider circle this time, flew around them. Thirty minutes later, almost to the second, she brought the aircraft down.

  ‘That’s one of the smoothest landings I’ve ever seen a first-time soloist make,’ Jeff said proudly.

  ‘You’ve done a great job, Jeff,’ Mitch said, but the other man merely shrugged.

  ‘It was easy. She’s a natural.’

  ‘Come on. Let’s go and meet her,’ Mitch said, leading the way across the grass. ‘This calls for the champagne I’ve got in the back of my car.’

  Although George followed them, he hung back, allowing Pips’s Brooklands friends to greet her, but as she stood up in the cockpit he was gratified – and not a little smug – to see that it was to him she waved.

  Pips continued to race at Brooklands and to fly whenever she could, but she could not persuade George to take part in either activity.

  ‘Give him credit, though, darling,’ Milly said. ‘He comes to support you at every race he can and watches you fly off into the skies. And he never tries to stop you doing any of it. Lots of men would, you know.’

  ‘He couldn’t if he tried,’ Pips muttered.

  ‘Tell me – woman to woman – is it you putting off this wedding or him?’

  ‘Both of us really. I don’t want to be tied down – not just yet – and although he’s all right about everything now, I just have the feeling that if we were married he’d be more likely to try to enforce the “obey” bit in the marriage service.’

  ‘You said “both of you”,’ Milly prompted.

  Pips sighed. ‘He still hasn’t tackled the “Rebecca problem” and she’s never going to come round in a month of Sundays.’

  As if to emphasize the fact, George did not accompany her to Lincolnshire for the children’s birthdays. And then, just before Christmas when Pips invited him to join her family for the celebrations, he wrote:

  Darling Pips, I would love to come, but Rebecca has some time off over Christmas and she’d be on her own if I went away. So, regretfully . . .

  ‘You know,’ Robert said gently when she told him, ‘I think you’re going to have trouble with that girl.’

  Pips folded the letter. ‘I already have.’

  Alice was kept busy helping Henrietta plan for Christmas, but she couldn’t help her thoughts turning to her own family. There were always faces missing around the Dawson dinner table. If only her father was not so stubborn about William. Now she had a child of her own, she could not understand Len’s unbending attitude. She loved Daisy fiercely – they all did – and whatever the girl did as she grew up, Alice knew she would forgive her anything. Perhaps now, it was Len’s prickly pride rather than the fact that he still bore malice towards his only surviving son. She sighed as she washed the crystal glass that would adorn the long table in the Great Hall on Christmas Day. Sadly, she knew there was nothing she could do, but her heart ached for her mother and Ma.

  ‘Aunty Pips! Aunty Pips! You’re home for Christmas. Will you take me and Luke riding?’ The little girl – just turned five – was jumping up and down in excitement when Pips entered the Great Hall by the front door.

  ‘Of course, but let me see everyone first.’

  ‘Can we take Luke out too? Today, instead of waiting till Saturday?’

  ‘If his mummy says so, then yes.’

  ‘Grandpa Dawson will say “yes”. Luke spends all his time at Grandpa’s workshop when we’re not at school. That’s where he’ll be.’

  Although not quite five at the time, Daisy had been able to start school in September and Robert had written to tell Pips all about her first day. Pips had not dared to go home to witness the momentous event in her niece’s life. She was sure that, for once, she would have given way to tears and that would never
have done.

  You should have seen them, Pips, Robert had written. Luke took her hand and led her into the playground, not caring if anyone teased him. He introduced her to her classmates and though he didn’t actually say anything – he didn’t need to – he made it clear that he was her protector. She’s settled in very well and has made one or two new little friends, who come here to play, but of course Luke will always be her very best friend . . .

  Now, Daisy kept a tight hold on Pips’s hand so that she couldn’t escape her promise to take the children for a ride.

  Half an hour later, Pips was riding through the fields, with the two children waving to everyone they passed.

  Christmas once again was a lovely time of year for families and, with each year that passed, they were able to put the bitter memories a little further behind them. That didn’t mean they forgot those who were missing, just that the pain of loss, though it would never go away entirely, was not quite so acute. And now they all had the younger generation to concentrate on.

  Boxing Day at the hall, when Henrietta invited the Dawsons, the Coopers and the Nuttalls to a buffet luncheon, was becoming a tradition, and this year the numbers were growing as Peggy and Sam brought Harry too to celebrate not only his first birthday but also the actual place of his birth.

  But this year, although it had been wonderful to be with her family, to see Daisy and especially heartening to hear that Robert was still working alongside his father in the practice, Pips was strangely restless and found that she was missing George more than she had believed possible. So she returned to London on 28 December and the next day called unannounced at his flat. Her heart was pounding as she rang the bell and waited. If Rebecca answered, she would make an excuse and leave immediately . . .

  To her relief, it was George who opened the door. His smile and his outstretched arms told her that he had missed her just as much. He pulled her inside, shut the door and kissed her passionately. ‘Rebecca’s at work,’ he whispered against her lips. ‘We have the place to ourselves.’

  ‘Are you sure she won’t come home?’

  ‘Positive. She thinks you’re still safely in Lincolnshire.’ He took her hand and led her towards the bedroom to make love with an urgency and intensity that showed them both how much they had longed for each other.