A Flight of Golden Wings

by Beryl Matthews

  They would be docking in Southampton in about two hours, so Bet stayed at the rail, waiting for her first glimpse of England.

  Passengers were now coming up on deck, wrapped up against the cold wind. There were a few youngsters on board, coming home after spending the war in America. Bet wondered how they were going to adjust to life in a country drained by a long, hard fight for survival. They would have to get to know their families all over again. After such a long separation they would feel like strangers in their own country. Her heart ached for them. There would no doubt be difficult times ahead for both parents and children.

  As the ship came into dock, Bet rushed to the other side so she could scan the waiting crowds. It didn’t take her long to spot her tall son, and she fought to stop tears clouding her vision. It was so many years since he’d walked out the door to come and fly for the ATA. Lucy had told her he’d changed and she could sense this. There was a mature man on the quay, relaxed and at peace with himself. And there was Lucy standing beside him, as she had always done since she was a young child. They had both found what they had been looking for, and she would as well. At that moment her doubts melted away and she waved frantically.

  It seemed to take an age before she could walk off the ship and be swept off her feet by Jack, and kissed and cried over by Lucy.

  Another hour went by before they could retrieve her luggage. This was then loaded into the car belonging to Simon, they told her.

  ‘Where are Ruth and Simon?’ she asked, as soon as they were on their way.

  ‘They’re waiting at Ruth’s house for you. Her folks have insisted that you stay with them until we can get you settled in a place of your own.’ Jack cast his mother an affectionate glance. ‘You’ll like it there, Ma. They’ve been real good to us.’

  ‘I know, Jack, but are you sure it’s OK? I could stay in a hotel for a while.’

  ‘Mom!’ Lucy exclaimed. ‘We wouldn’t hear of it, and neither would Ruth’s folks. They said you must stay with them for as long as you like. They’ve got a huge house. Simon’s folks are also there waiting to meet you.’

  ‘Oh dear.’ Bet patted her hair. ‘I look such a mess.’

  Jack and Lucy laughed. ‘You look fine,’ they assured her.

  ‘Ruth’s mom is a great gardener,’ Lucy explained. ‘You wait until you see it in the spring. It’s a glorious place.’

  Jack relaxed as he listened to them chatting. He had known early on that he wanted to make his home here, and when he’d fallen for Ruth, there was no way he could imagine his future without her. The offer to be a part of Simon’s flying school had made him even more determined to find a way to stay, but he’d needed to do the right thing by Ma and Lucy as well. It had been a dilemma that had caused him quite a few sleepless nights, but it had finally come right.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  ‘They’re here!’ Ruth saw the car stop outside the house and she ran for the door. She was so looking forward to meeting Bet at last.

  It was chaos as the introductions were made, and seeing that Bet was looking quite overcome by the welcome, Ruth took her upstairs to show her the room Alice had prepared for her.

  Bet stood just inside the door and gazed around, stunned. ‘This is beautiful. I’ve never slept in a four-poster bed before.’

  ‘It’s very comfortable.’

  Bet sat on the edge of the bed and blew her nose. ‘I didn’t realise you had such a grand home. This is like a palace.’

  ‘It’s been in the Aspinall family for several generations, but it’s a home, Bet, and you can treat it as such. Jack and Lucy have always loved to stay here.’

  ‘That’s right, Ma.’ Jack came into the room. ‘It’s a great place to relax.’

  ‘I’ve got a four-poster bed!’ Bet looked up at her son and grinned.

  ‘So I see. I must have a word with Alice. She never offered me that.’

  Ruth’s mother appeared at that moment and stood beside Jack, looking highly amused. ‘You’re too big for it. Your feet would have stuck out of the end, but it’s just the right size for Bet.’ Alice smiled. ‘I’ve made tea, or would you prefer coffee? I’ve still got some left you sent me.’

  ‘You’ve got to have tea, Ma. It’s grand stuff, and got this country through the war. They drink gallons of it.’

  ‘So do you,’ Ruth teased.

  ‘I needed it to keep me flying. The ATA never give us time to eat.’

  They were all laughing as they made their way down to the sitting room. It was a cosy sight with a log fire burning in the grate and tea laid out ready for everyone. Bet seemed to relax immediately, but this lovely old house did that to everyone who entered it.

  Bet had to tell them about her journey over, and when the mothers began to talk about arrangements for the weddings, Jack winked at Ruth. ‘Time we left,’ he said quietly.

  They all said cheerio and got in the car to make their way back to the airfield.

  Now Bet had arrived, plans for the future went ahead at full speed. Simon and Jack took a trip to Cornwall to check over the planes and make sure they were in good flying order. Ruth and Lucy toured around Heston looking for houses to rent. Simon had already obtained permission to reopen his flying school, so they needed to live as near as possible to the airfield. Then they went to see Bet.

  They found her in the kitchen showing Alice how to make American pancakes.

  ‘Lovely,’ Lucy said as she greeted them. ‘Have we got any maple syrup?’

  Alice held up a bottle. ‘This was in one of the parcels your mother sent me, but I wasn’t sure what to do with it.’

  ‘We’ll show you,’ Lucy said, as they all sat down to enjoy the feast. ‘Mom, our flying school will be at Heston, as Simon has already explained to you, and we’ve been looking for houses in that area, but you need to tell us where you’d like to live.’

  ‘Do you think it would be possible for me to find a small house in this area?’ She gave the girls a fond smile. ‘I don’t want to get under your feet, and I’d like to stay near Alice and George, if possible.’

  ‘I’ve told Bet she can make her home with us,’ Alice said, ‘but she wants her own place, and I can understand that.’

  ‘I’m sure we can find something.’ Ruth was delighted to see that Bet and her mother had become firm friends.

  They went on to discuss the weddings and agreed that Lucy and Simon should marry the first Saturday in December, then Jack and Ruth the following week. That would give both couples a chance to have a short honeymoon and then they could all spend Christmas together.

  ‘Gosh, that doesn’t give us much time.’ Lucy pulled a comical face at Ruth. ‘We never did find suitable dresses in Paris, did we? What are we going to wear?’

  ‘We could marry in uniform, I suppose.’

  They all looked at Ruth in horror at that suggestion.

  ‘You most certainly will not!’ Alice exclaimed. ‘I still have my wedding dress, and I’m sure it will fit you, Ruth.’

  ‘And I’ve brought mine with me for Lucy. I’d heard all about the rationing and knew it might be difficult to get hold of wedding dresses.’

  ‘Some girls have been getting round the rationing by having them made of parachute silk, but we haven’t got time for that.’ Lucy kissed her mother. ‘Thanks, Mom, I’ll be proud to wear your beautiful dress.’

  ‘Me too, Mum.’ The dress was exquisite, but Ruth had had no idea her mother still had it. ‘That solves that problem.’

  ‘What problem is that?’ Simon asked as he and Jack arrived.

  ‘Mind your own business,’ Lucy teased. ‘This is women’s business.’

  ‘Ah, in that case we’d better stay out of it, Jack.’

  ‘Too right.’ He stared at the empty plates. ‘You been making pancakes, Ma?’

  Bet stood up. ‘Sit down and I’ll make you a fresh batch. The farmer down the road gave us a few eggs. I can’t get on with this dried egg stuff.’

  ‘I’ll give you a hand.’ Ali
ce disappeared into the kitchen with Bet.

  ‘How are the planes?’ Ruth asked Simon.

  ‘Working perfectly after Jack got his hands on them. We can start bringing them back early next year, and we can have the school up and flying by the spring.’ His face was alight with anticipation. ‘Pupils are already coming forward for lessons.’

  ‘That’s wonderful.’ Ruth caught Simon’s excitement. The flying school had always been his pride and joy. Now he could start again, but on a much larger scale this time. They were anticipating a lot of youngsters wanting to learn to fly, and with four of them teaching they could take on a lot of pupils.

  ‘There’s one sad note.’ Jack looked serious. ‘There’s going to be a closing ceremony at White Waltham on the 30th of November when the ATA flag will be lowered for the last time.’

  There was silence around the table. They’d known this was being planned. Now they had the date.

  As the Air Transport Auxiliary flag was lowered, Ruth knew that each pilot there had his or her own memories of the war years. Jack, Lucy, Simon and herself were lucky; they would continue flying with the school, but many were wondering if their flying careers were coming to an end.

  Their families and various dignitaries were there to see the end of the ATA. Ruth glanced around, delighted to see that Gussie and Harry had been able to come. Bet was bursting with pride at the role her children had played in this unique organisation. They had come a long way to help a country in desperate need, and had been welcomed, respected and loved. The ATA had quickly built into an efficient force, consisting of many different nationalities, all individuals in their own right, but with a common passion for flying.

  Ruth’s thoughts turned to those who had become good friends, and those who had been killed doing the job, Tricia and Rob being just two of those to lose their lives.

  Jack touched her hand as the flag was folded, and they shared the poignant moment. Words were unnecessary. They knew what a vital job they had done, and were proud to have been a part of it.

  Now the future was ahead of them, but the memory of the golden wings they had worn with pride would always be with them.

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  About the Author

  BERYL MATTHEWS was born in London but now lives in a small village in Hampshire. As a young girl her ambition was to become a professional singer, but the need to earn a wage drove her into an office, where she worked her way up from tea girl to credit controller. She grew up in a family who all loved to read, and books have always been an important part of her life. She had always weaved stories in her head, but never written them down. After retiring she joined a Writers’ Circle in hopes of fulfilling her dream of becoming a published author. With her first book published at the age of seventy-one, she has since written eighteen novels.

  By Beryl Matthews

  Hold on to Your Dreams

  The Forgotten Family

  Battles Lost and Won

  Diamonds in the Dust

  A Flight of Golden Wings

  The Uncertain Years

  The Day Will Come

  Copyright

  Allison & Busby Limited

  12 Fitzroy Mews

  London W1T 6DW

  allisonandbusby.com

  First published in 2007.

  This ebook edition published in Great Britain by Allison & Busby in 2016.

  Copyright © 2007 by BERYL MATTHEWS

  The moral right of the author is hereby asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  All characters and events in this publication other than those clearly in the public domain are fictitious and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent buyer.

  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

  ISBN 978-0-7490-1833-7