Steve took the package out of his bag and handed it to Gladys. ‘Sally asked me to give you this.’
She exclaimed with pleasure when she saw the pies. ‘Go to the British Restaurant for your lunch and I’ll make you a nice dinner with these.’
‘Thanks, Glad.’ Harry glanced at the clock. ‘Give it another half-hour and we can go for lunch. So, why have you been given leave and Sandy hasn’t?’
‘We’re waiting for a replacement Lancaster,’ Steve told him.
‘Why do you need a new one?’
‘Ah, well, we broke the other one.’ Ricky smirked.
Harry raised his eyebrows. ‘And how did that happen?’
‘Steve dumped it in a farmer’s field,’ Luke told him. ‘Ruined his crops and nearly took the chimney off the farmhouse.’
‘I wouldn’t have had to do that if you’d all bailed out when I told you to,’ Steve protested, managing to keep a straight face.
‘And if we’d done that, we would all have ended up in the sea.’ Ricky shuddered in horror. ‘I nearly drowned once when I was a young kid, and there is no way I’d risk that again. Anyway, the farmer’s wife took pity on us and gave us a huge breakfast.’
Luke took up the story by telling them about the little girl who had taken a liking to Steve, and they all ended up roaring with laughter.
Except Gladys, who was looking at them in amazement. ‘How can you laugh? You could have been killed.’
‘But we weren’t, and that’s why we can laugh about it,’ Luke explained. ‘It’s the only way to deal with such mishaps, and what happened after was really funny.’
Ricky was chuckling. ‘The locals were protecting the Lancaster from people who wanted to have a closer look at it. They didn’t even want to let Steve through.’
That set the boys off again.
‘So, what happens now?’ Harry wanted to know.
‘There’ll be a nice new Lancaster waiting for us when we get back, and then we’re in business again.’
‘How many missions have you flown, Steve?’ Harry asked.
He shrugged. ‘I haven’t been keeping a tally.’
‘We still have a few more,’ Luke said, ‘but that doesn’t mean the end of our flying. It’s possible we will be asked to do more, but it depends on how things go. However, knowing Steve, he won’t be happy unless he’s at the controls of a plane.’
‘Yes, and hopefully we can stick together.’
‘Is that right, Steve?’ Gladys asked.
‘I love to fly and will take any opportunity offered me. What time does the pub open, Harry?’ he asked, changing the subject.
‘Around six.’ He stood up. ‘I don’t know about you but I’m hungry, so let’s go and get some lunch.’
When they reached the British Restaurant, the same woman was on the door and smiled when they walked in. ‘Hello, lads, good to see you again.’
They paid and collected the tokens while making polite conversation with her. Then they joined the queue, and after collecting their food several of Harry’s friends made room for them at their table. They had met them on their previous visit at the pub, and it proved to be an entertaining lunch.
Back at the house they walked into the kitchen to make a pot of tea, and stopped in surprise. There was a girl in ATS uniform sitting at the table.
‘Sybil!’ Harry exclaimed, his face lighting up with surprise and delight as she stood up and hugged him. ‘I didn’t know you were coming. How long have you got?’
‘Only forty-eight hours, Dad.’ She turned her attention to the three airmen crowding the kitchen, her eyes settling on Steve.
He grinned. ‘My, how you have grown. The last picture I saw you were still in school uniform.’
She stepped up and took hold of both of his hands. ‘How wonderful I get to meet you at last. Dad told me you were here, and I was so sorry to have missed you the last time. What a stroke of luck I came home today.’
‘Let me introduce you to my friends, Luke and Ricky.’
‘Lovely to meet you.’ She shook hands with them, and then turned back to Steve. ‘Are you staying for the night?’
‘Yes, but we will be leaving in the morning.’
‘You’ve certainly picked the right day. We must have a party this evening, Dad.’
‘Already arranged. They’re expecting us at the Jolly Sailor.’
‘That’ll be terrific. You go and sit in the front room while I make us some tea, then we can catch up on all the news.’
Harry walked in the pub with a huge smile on his face, and when everyone saw Sybil flanked by the three boys the place erupted with shouts of greeting and a stampede to get drinks for all of them.
Luke studied Sybil as she went round laughing with everyone, and turned to Steve. ‘What a stunner.’
He nodded. ‘She’s turned into a beauty, and even the khaki uniform can’t dim that.’
The piano pounded away and it was a wonder the roof stayed on as everyone sang at the top of their voices. Harry and Sybil made them join in the ‘Lambeth Walk’ and various other London songs, and had them dissolving into helpless laughter.
At closing time they went back to Harry’s and the party continued, just like last time.
Sybil went next door for the night so the boys could have the only other bedroom. It was the early hours before they finally got to bed, and were instantly asleep.
The next morning, after saying their goodbyes, Steve and Ricky were out of the gate before realising Luke wasn’t with them. He was still busy talking to Sybil, and when they saw them exchanging pieces of paper and hugging each other, Ricky raised an eyebrow.
‘He isn’t wasting any time, is he?’
Luke caught them up, tucking the paper safely in his pocket. ‘Sorry to keep you waiting. We are going to write to each other, and I hope you don’t mind, Steve.’
‘Why would I mind?’ He smiled and slapped his friend on the back. ‘I could see you liked each other.’
‘I think she’s lovely. She told me she’s a mechanic in the ATS. Fancy a young gal doing something like that.’
‘It isn’t unusual,’ Steve pointed out. ‘The women of this country have taken over many of the jobs the men do. They’ve had to, and she’s always been interested in how things work.’
‘Now we’ve all got a girlfriend,’ Ricky declared, obviously pleased by Luke’s attraction to Sybil. ‘Of course, Steve’s the only one who won’t admit it.’
‘Have you thought about what’ll happen when the war is over and we return home? Are you going to just say cheerio to the girls and walk away?’
‘Jean will come with me.’ Ricky sounded certain.
‘Will she? What if she doesn’t want to leave her home and family, will you stay in this country?’
Ricky frowned. ‘You know I can’t do that. I have commitments at home.’
‘So do we all. What I’m saying is that if we become too attached to the girls it could be complicated.’
‘You’re right, of course,’ Luke admitted. ‘It would be a lot to ask them to leave their own family and come to live in another country. Is that why you’re keeping your relationship with Nancy on a friendly basis? It’s obvious you care about her.’
Steve nodded. ‘One of the reasons. We’re all going to have to make hard decisions when the time comes to return home, but in the meantime let’s enjoy their company.’
‘Yeah, we’ll sort it all out when the time comes.’ Ricky held the station door open for them. ‘Let’s get back to Tom and Sally’s.’
Tom was home when they arrived back and greeted them warmly. ‘Did you have a good time?’
‘We certainly did.’ Luke laughed. ‘Those dockers are a lively crowd.’
‘I expect you’re hungry.’ Sally came out of the kitchen.
‘As always,’ Ricky admitted.
After dinner they sat round a log fire and talked on any subject but the war.
Steve gazed into the dancing flames and could almo
st imagine he was back home with his family. His thoughts dwelt on each of them and he said silently to himself – I will see you all again and that time might not be too far away.
Nancy’s laughter brought him back to the present and he sighed as he studied her. He knew how he felt about her, the attraction was strong and undeniable, but she was now everything to her parents. He couldn’t just step in and try to take their daughter away from them – he couldn’t. If he lived in England then there wouldn’t be a problem, but he didn’t. Canada was a long way away and his commitments there were too great to leave. It was a conundrum, and one he didn’t know the answer to, yet. But he sincerely hoped there was one.
‘Steve.’ He looked up sharply at the sound of his name.
‘Tom has asked if you’d like to go to the cinema this evening, or have a lazy evening at home?’
He gave a quick smile. ‘Sorry, I was miles away, Sally. For myself, I would be happy to just stay here and relax. What does everyone else think?’
They all agreed to stay in.
‘He’s the thoughtful kind,’ Ricky teased, referring to his friend’s lack of attention. ‘Steve never does anything without considering it from all angles. He’s the quiet one.’
‘I don’t know about that,’ Nancy said. ‘I’ve heard him making as much noise as the rest of you during a certain darts match.’
That set them all laughing, and it had to be explained to Sally and Tom in great detail.
Being in a real home was just what they needed, and by the end of their leave they all felt rested and relaxed.
Nancy still had one more day, so they thanked her parents for putting up with them, promising to come again when they could, then left the house and headed for the station.
The Daltons watched them striding up the road, and Sally murmured softly, ‘Be safe, boys.’
Chapter Sixteen
Two days back at base and they were flying again, aware that they were getting close to completing their thirtieth mission. It wasn’t mentioned, though, not wanting to tempt fate. They had seen far too many of their comrades go down or return injured.
With a reasonable spell of weather, they were going out night after night, and when their last mission arrived the ground crew were there to help them, as usual. It was clear by their faces that they had been keeping a tally of the missions and were well aware what this one was.
As Steve went to climb aboard, Sarge murmured quietly, ‘Have a smooth, trouble-free flight, sir.’
‘We will,’ he replied with a smile. He eased into the pilot’s seat and they went through the checks, all business as usual.
From then on there wasn’t time to think of anything but the task ahead. They all tapped the stars in their top pockets several times on boarding, calling on luck to be on their side this night. The flak over the target was fierce, but they managed to stay out of the searchlight beams, and on the way back they had a brush with a fighter, but came through unscathed.
When they landed and climbed out, the ground crew were all there with smiles on their faces. They stood beside the Lancaster and observed her with affection.
‘We made it.’ Ricky was serious for a change.
‘And on my birthday,’ Luke told them. ‘February the twentieth, and I’m feeling lucky to be able to celebrate my twenty-first.’
‘Hey, that’s terrific!’ Andy slapped him on the back. ‘We’ll have a right knees-up tonight.’
‘We certainly will.’ Steve drew the ground crew into the group. ‘I hope you’ll all join us in the pub.’
‘We’ll be there,’ Sarge replied, ‘and it’ll be our pleasure to buy you all a drink. You’ve been a first-class crew and have only trashed one plane.’
That produced hoots of laughter as Sandy and his crew joined them.
‘Party time tonight!’ Ricky informed them. ‘Everyone’s invited to the pub. I’ll find the girls and let them know.’
Steve caught hold of his arm. ‘Debriefing first, then you can go fetch the girls.’
‘Of course. Come on, then, let’s get it over with.’
The commander congratulated them, and Steve asked, ‘What happens now, sir?’
‘Don’t worry, you’ll be kept busy, but now you’ve all earned a period of rest and relaxation.’
‘Will we be asked to fly more missions?’ Sandy asked.
‘It’s likely, yes, but for the moment enjoy yourselves.’
‘We will, sir. It’s Luke’s birthday today and we’re going to have one hell of a party tonight at the local pub. Everyone is invited to join us, if you have the time to come along.’
‘I’ll try to look in and have a drink.’
‘You’ll be welcome, sir, and the wing commander as well.’
‘Right, I’ll tell him. Now off you go and have breakfast and some rest.’
Nancy was sitting up in bed, hands curled into fists. She had heard the planes returning and longed to go outside but knew she couldn’t do that. Jean could, though, so she was waiting anxiously for her return.
It seemed an age before her friend came back and sat on the edge of the bed. ‘They’re all back, with no injuries.’
Nancy let out a sigh of relief. ‘Thank heavens for that. Have you seen them?’
‘Only from a distance. They were heading for debriefing and they’ve been there some time.’
‘I don’t like the sound of that. I hope they’re not being given a second tour of missions.’
‘They’re a good crew so that’s always a possibility.’
Nancy looked at Jean and shook her head. ‘And you know Steve won’t be happy unless he’s flying.’
‘You’re right, of course, but let’s not dwell on that. Let’s take each day as it comes and be happy they’re back safely.’ Jean shook her friend’s shoulder. ‘Get up and let’s go to breakfast. I’m starving.’
Luke’s birthday party was a riotous affair as everyone let off steam and drank too much, knowing they wouldn’t be flying the next day. The commander and Robert joined them for a while and bought a round of drinks for everyone before leaving. The rest stayed until the landlord chucked them out at closing time.
The next morning, Steve was up before any of the others, and knew from the condition they had been in last night that they wouldn’t surface for hours yet. He always drank in moderation, so he was probably the only one without a hangover this morning.
He put his flying jacket on to shield against the biting wind and went in search of the commander. He was in his office and Steve knocked on the open door, and then stepped inside. ‘Good morning, sir. Would it be okay if I left the base for the day?’
‘Morning, Allard. You don’t have any duties for a few days and are free to leave the base. Just you, is it?’
‘Yes, sir. The others are still sleeping off too much to drink.’
The commander chuckled. ‘What do you plan on doing today?’
‘Just see more of the countryside.’
‘You come from Alberta, I understand. Are you missing the wide-open spaces, or do you live in a city?’
‘No, our home has plenty of space around it. I don’t like being hemmed in.’
‘So you want to go exploring today?’
‘Yes, sir, with your permission.’
‘You have it. Enjoy your day.’
Steve saluted and left the base, heading for the station.
He only had to wait half an hour for a train and found a seat in a carriage by a window. He relaxed and enjoyed the scenery as they went along. His thoughts turned to the crash. He would never cease to be grateful that he hadn’t killed or badly injured his crew or anyone on the ground and he had managed to get the plane within fifty miles of Scampton.
He got off the train and then caught a bus to take him close to the farm. The last mile he walked, and recognised the farmhouse the moment he saw it. There was smoke coming out of the chimney. He had been so low it was a wonder the house hadn’t fallen down from the vibration.
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sp; His attention focussed on the field and he strode past the house, anxious to see if the clear-up had been thorough. And it had. In front of him was a clear, ploughed field, ready for planting. Lost in the memory, he didn’t hear anyone approaching until he felt a small hand slip into his. He looked down at the child and smiled.
‘Men came and took it away,’ she told him seriously. ‘Did you want it back?’
‘No, it was too broken to ever fly again.’
‘Hmm.’ She tipped her head right back to look up at the sky. ‘What’s it like up there?’
‘Beautiful. The stars are very bright and the moon looks much larger.’
She pulled a face and held the rag dolly up for him to see. ‘Mary wouldn’t like to go so high.’
‘I’ll bet she would once she was up there.’
‘Might, suppose.’ A cheeky glint came into her eyes. ‘She likes to be picked up, though.’
‘Oh, well, we mustn’t disappoint her then.’
Her arms came up, still holding the dolly by the hair, and when he scooped her up she wrapped her arms around his neck and giggled.
‘She’s got the measure of you, lad,’ a voice said from behind him.
Steve turned to the farmer and they grinned at each other. ‘How old did you say she is?’
‘Three, going on thirty.’
‘I’m a pest,’ she whispered in his ear.
He moved his head so he could look in her face, an expression of mock puzzlement showing. ‘Really? That’s hard to believe.’
She nodded. ‘I get under everyone’s feet, and ask too many questions.’
‘Didn’t your mummy tell you to ask Steve something?’ her father reminded her.
She thought for a moment and then nodded. ‘Will you eat with us? We’ve got sausages and mash, with treacle pudding and custard for afters.’
‘I would love to. They are my favourites.’
Her face lit up with a huge smile. ‘Tell Mummy he’s going to stay with us. He’ll need lots to eat ’cos he’s ever so big.’
‘Let’s all go and tell her. Lunch must be ready by now.’
‘Oh, goody.’
‘Where is your son, sir?’ Steve asked as they walked to the farmhouse.
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