by CW Browning
“I’m glad you came to fetch me.”
He looked at her. “Because I drive a fast sports car?”
“Because I really didn’t fancy walking all the way home.”
Miles laughed and the engine started with a low growl. Evelyn rubbed her hands together in the dark briskly, a smile playing with her lips. She’d forgotten how easy it was to banter with him, and how comfortable it felt to do so. It was as if they’d known each other all their lives, rather than just a few months. It was so strange, this connection that they seemed to have with each other. It was like nothing she’d ever felt before, but she wasn’t about to question it.
She relaxed in the expensive leather seat as he reversed out of the parking spot and pulled out of the lot. His broad shoulders seemed to fill the car, making it seem much smaller inside. Leather mixed with the musky smell of him and she felt the tension flow out of her.
“And how have you been, Assistant Section Officer?” Miles asked after a moment of silence.
“I’m doing much better now that I’m here,” she answered, turning her head on the seat to look at his profile in the moonlight. Heat was pouring out of the vents now and her shivering had stopped. In its place was languid contentment. “How are you faring up in the great blue?”
“Piece of cake,” was the flippant answer, drawing a smile from her.
“No more landings without wheels?”
He shook his head. “No, thank God.”
“How is that possible? To land without wheels?” she asked, her brows knit together thoughtfully. “It doesn’t seem like it would work very well.”
“It usually doesn’t,” Miles said bluntly, glancing at her. “The Yank was bloody lucky. His fuel was low and Bertie thinks that’s what saved him. When you come in without landing gear, you see, you have to land completely on your belly. If you tilt one way or the other, the wing goes into the ground and, well, then it’s all over, isn’t it? It’s jolly difficult to do.”
“Have you ever had to do that?”
“No, and I hope to God I never do. Chris said it was terrifying. He doesn’t even know how he did it and says he couldn’t do it again if his life depended on it.”
“It sounds like his life will depend on it if it ever happens again,” Evelyn murmured, turning her gaze out her window. “I’m glad he made it.”
“So were we all, but let’s not talk about that anymore. How are you getting on with your training?”
“It’s going well, actually. The girls are doing well.” Evelyn said, swallowing the pang of guilt at the ongoing lie.
“Any possibility of getting out of Scotland?”
“You know, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were psychic. I’m getting reassigned after Christmas.”
He looked at her in surprise. “No! Are you?”
She laughed at the look on his face and nodded. “Yes.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know yet, but somewhere closer to London. So, you just might get to meet me for dinner once in a while after all.”
The smile on his face went straight through her and she felt it right down to her toes.
“Do you know, Assistant Section Officer Ainsworth, I think you’ve just made my Christmas.”
She leaned her head back on the seat again, smiling.
“You might regret that,” she warned. “For all you know, I might be nothing but trouble.”
He glanced at her, his lips curved and his eyes warm.
“I’m a fighter pilot, m’dear. I live for trouble.”
“Evelyn! At last!” Mrs. Ainsworth got out of her chair and moved across the drawing room quickly to wrap Evelyn in a scented, warm embrace. “I thought you’d never get here!”
“So did I, Mum,” Evelyn said with a laugh, returning the hug. “It’s so good to see you!”
“Miles got you here in one piece, I see,” Rob said with a grin, setting his drink down and coming over to take his turn embracing her. “Miracle, that.”
“This coming from the man who rolled into a ditch last week,” Miles drawled from the doorway.
“Rolled into a ditch? You didn’t!” Evelyn pulled away from her brother and stared at him. “Tell me he’s joking.”
“Afraid not,” Rob said cheerfully. “Can’t see a damn thing on the ground when you’re in the cockpit. How was I to know they’d dug a trench there while I was up?”
She burst out laughing. “Oh Robbie, it’s so good to see you again!”
Her brother grinned and looked down at her fondly. “I’m glad to see you too, Evie,” he said. “I’m glad you finally made it. Did you miss the train?”
Evelyn shot Miles a glance over shoulder and he winked.
“Yes, as you well knew because you ratted me out to Miles,” she said. “But I’m here now.”
“Yes, and you’ll want to change and freshen up,” Mrs. Ainsworth said. “Bill and Marguerite are here as well. They’re just dressing for dinner.”
Evelyn looked at her watch and kissed her mother on the cheek. “I’ll be as quick as I can,” she said, turning towards the door. “Robbie, have a drink waiting, will you?”
She smiled at Miles as she passed him and ran lightly across the large, square hallway to the wide stairs. It was lovely to be home, even if it was only for a short time. The house she grew up in was like a welcoming port in choppy seas, and she truly felt as if the war couldn’t touch them here. It was absolute nonsense, of course. The effects of the war were already beginning show, even this far away from London. At the station, she’d noticed the increased number of military uniforms crowding the platform, and on the drive out to the Ainsworth Manor many of the homes were observing the blackout. Even in this remote part of Lancashire, the world was beginning to change.
Evelyn started up the stairs, her hand on the banister, and resolutely put thoughts of the war out of her head. For the next twenty-four hours, she didn’t have to think about it. She would simply enjoy her mother and brother and forget the shadows that she was beginning to accept as her new reality.
A small flash of excitement surged through her and she couldn’t stop the small smile that crossed across her face. And for the next twenty-four hours, she had Flying Officer Miles Lacey all to herself.
“Evelyn! My dear!”
A voice interrupted her thoughts and she looked up to see Bill and his wife, Marguerite, approaching the top of the stairs. Marguerite moved forward, her hands outstretched.
“Hallo Mrs. Buckley!” Evelyn said with a smile, running up the remainder of the steps and grasping her hands. “It’s wonderful to see you again!”
“You look so official in your uniform!” Marguerite said with a laugh, kissing her cheek. “Your father would be very proud. Did you just arrive?”
“Yes. I’m afraid I missed my train and had to catch a later one.” Evelyn turned to Bill with a smile and held out her hands to him. “It’s so nice to see you again! It’s been absolute ages!”
Bill grinned and took her hands, leaning down to kiss her cheek affectionately. As far as his wife, and indeed anyone else in the house, was concerned, he hadn’t seen her since the funeral.
“How are the WAAFs treating you, Evelyn?” he asked cheerfully, releasing her hands. “Not working you too hard, I hope?”
“Not in the slightest,” she assured him with a twinkle. “I spend most of my day trying to make sense of regulations that contradict each other.”
“And the rest of your day?”
“Spent stopping my girls from sneaking out to the pub with pilots,” she returned promptly, drawing a laugh from both of them. “I must go and get changed before Rob wastes away to nothing. You know he’s always starving.”
“Go, my dear. We’ll see you downstairs,” Marguerite said, waving her away.
With a final smile at both of them, Evelyn hurried down the carpeted hallway to her room. It was lovely to see Mar
guerite again, but trying to keep a straight face while pretending not to have seen Bill in months was a challenge. He hadn’t shown by even the slightest flicker that he had just seen her last week in London following the completion of a short, weekend training course in the city. Shaking her head, she reached for the handle of her bedroom door. It was easy to lie to strangers, but something entirely different to act a part in your own house. That might end up being her biggest challenge.
Evelyn went into her room quickly, startling the maid who was in the process of unpacking her bag. As she entered, the young woman turned in surprise.
“Oh, hello miss!”
“Hello, Fran,” Evelyn said, crossing over to the wardrobe. “How are you?”
“Doing well, miss, thank you,” she answered, flushing slightly in pleasure. “It’s nice to have you back.”
“Thank you! It’s nice to be back, even if it’s only for a few hours.” Evelyn threw open the wardrobe door and examined the evening gowns hanging there. “How’s your family? Everyone well?”
“Yes, thank you for asking, miss.” Fran watched as Evelyn selected a gown of mauve silk. “Would you like me to help you dress?”
“No, that’s all right, Fran,” Evelyn said, carrying the gown over to lay it across the coverlet on the bed. “I can manage. When I’ve finished, could you take this uniform and clean it? I’m afraid it has soot all down it from the train. I’ll need it again to travel on Boxing Day.”
“Of course, miss. I’ll just take this case away and store it for you.”
Fran closed the empty suitcase and lifted it off the chair, turning to go quietly out of the room. Evelyn watched her go, wondering how long the maid would remain at Ainsworth Manor. She’d been with them for a few years, but Evelyn knew that many servants were joining up to do their part in the war. It was inevitable that Fran would want to do the same. While she would miss her attention to detail, Evelyn wouldn’t be surprised to see her go.
She changed quickly, stepping into the elegant evening dress and pulling it up over her shoulders before reaching behind to do up the zipper. The dress was one she had purchased in Paris over the summer. She’d only worn it twice, but it was one of her favorites. On both occasions, Evelyn had received multiple compliments, which is precisely why she’d chosen it tonight. She wanted to look her best for Miles. If she only had a short time to make an impression, she had to start immediately.
Turning to look at herself critically in the full length mirror, Evelyn smoothed the shimmering fabric over her hips and tilted her head. The dress fell to the floor in graceful lines, clinging to her figure and transforming her from a WAAF into the wealthy heiress that she was. In an instant, she went from the intelligence agent posing as an Assistant Section Officer to a socialite about to join her family for dinner. Once she added her jewels and ran a brush through her hair, the image would be complete.
Her lips twisted as she surveyed herself for a moment. Which one was the real Evelyn Ainsworth? The woman in a false uniform? Or the heiress in a gown?
Turning away from the glass, she went over to the tall chest that held her jewelry. The question a silly one. She was both, but tonight she would embrace the heiress. That was what was expected of her, and it was who she was as soon as she stepped into her family home. As she selected a necklace, a brief and unusual flash of clarity sharpened that thought and made her pause.
She had to separate the two, the intelligence agent and the heiress, and keep them separate if she were to survive this war without losing herself completely. It really was that simple.
Evelyn lifted a diamond necklace from the jewelry chest and turned to cross over to her dressing table. She seated herself before the mirror and fastened the glittering strand around her neck. When she was in England, she would cling to the life she’d always known and set aside the stranger she’d become overseas. Perhaps then she would remember why she’d embarked on this road to begin with. For, though she couldn’t pretend to know what the future held for her, Evelyn was sure of one thing: it wasn’t going to be easy, and she knew without a doubt that she would need something to hold onto in the months to come.
And that something was going to have to be herself.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
––––––––
Evelyn sipped her tea in the bright sunlight, squinting as she looked out over the south lawn. It was brisk and cold, but the sun was beginning to share its warmth across the countryside as the new day stirred. Rob wasn’t down yet, and neither was her mother, leaving her to enjoy the start of Christmas in quiet solitude.
She shivered and burrowed deeper into her coat. The wind blew and whisked at her hair, pulling strands from her pins and causing her ears and nose to turn red with cold. She didn’t mind. She needed to feel the crisp cold air and listen to the wonderful silence. No sound of military trucks heading out to airfields, or chatter of enlisted men and women hurrying to the mess for breakfast, marred the peace as she sipped her tea. No sound of footsteps following her down a dark, city street as she made her way back to her lodgings.
Evelyn stared out over the frost covered lawns. Was she even strong enough to make it through this war? She had committed herself to her country, and thousands of young men and women were counting on her to bring back information that would help them defeat the enemy. Hundreds of pilots like Rob and Miles were depending on advance warning of attack to give them an edge in the inevitable air battle that would precede any invasion attempt by Hitler. They may not know it, but the intelligence she gathered could save their lives.
And it could make her forfeit hers if she was ever caught. And, if they failed and England lost this war, she would be one of the first ones executed by the Germans.
“Good morning,” a voice said behind her and Evelyn turned in surprise to watch Miles step out onto the terrace.
“Good morning!”
“You look surprised to see me,” he said with a grin, crossing the flagged stones towards her with a steaming cup of tea in his hands.
“I suppose I thought you’d sleep the morning away like Robbie,” she said with a sheepish laugh. “God knows you deserve to.”
“The training isn’t as stressful as you think,” he said with a shrug, joining her at the balustrade. “We’re used to it now. And I’ve always been an early riser.”
“So have I.” She smiled at him. “Happy Christmas.”
He looked down at her and smiled warmly, his eyes creasing at the edges and his green eyes glinting in the sunlight.
“Happy Christmas.”
They were quiet, sipping their tea and looking out over the morning in companionable silence.
“It hardly seems possible that it’s Christmas already,” he said suddenly. “I feel as though it was just yesterday that I crashed your dinner with Rob at the Savoy.”
Evelyn thought over the two months since that night and marveled herself at how quickly the time had gone by. It seemed like just yesterday that she was fleeing Herr Renner in Sweden, yet it had been over a month since she’d returned to England.
“And are you glad you crashed dinner?” she asked, glancing up at him with a grin.
His eyes met hers. “Every day.”
She laughed and his eyes dropped to the scarf tied carelessly around her throat. The sunlight caught a silver piece of metal in its folds and his lips curved into a smile.
“I see you got my present.”
Evelyn lifted her hand to touch the small brooch and smiled. The silver had been twisted into a reproduction of a Spitfire, creating a unique and charming piece of jewelry.
“I did, and I believe I wrote a very nice thank you letter at the time,” she said.
Miles grinned. “So you did. An air sergeant at the base makes those for all the pilot’s girls. He’s very talented. He did an exceptionally nice job on that one.”
“Yes, he did. It’s lovely.”
&nb
sp; “I’m glad you like it.”
Their eyes met and Evelyn felt something stir deep inside her, a feeling of contentment. She dropped her eyes away from his in consternation and swallowed the last bit of tea left in her cup.
“I think I’m off for a walk,” she said, turning towards the house with her empty cup.
“A walk?” he repeated, gulping down the last of his tea and following.
“Yes. There’s nothing better than a nice, brisk walk in the morning to start the day.”
Miles nodded wisely, his eyes twinkling.
“You sound just like my nanny when I was a boy. Only her walks consisted of near hikes around the countryside until I thought I should die.”
Evelyn laughed. “I don’t hike.”
“In that case, then I think I’ll join you,” he said as they went through the parlor. “If you don’t mind, of course.”
“I’d like that.”
They crossed the hall and left their cups in the dining room where breakfast would be set out, then went out the front door, walking in silence until they reached the west meadow. Finally, Evelyn glanced at Miles.
“How’s the Polish coming along?”
He burst out laughing. “HQ gave up on that venture, thank God. It really was a bit much.”
“I wouldn’t have known Swedish from Polish,” she admitted. “I’m surprised you did.”
He looked at her, surprised. “I thought you were a linguistic prodigy.” He grinned when she looked surprised. “Rob told me. He said you speak just about every language there is.”
“That’s a gross exaggeration. I only speak a handful, and Polish and Swedish are not among them.”
“What do you speak then?”
“Oh, the usual. French, Italian, German...some Russian.”
He choked. “The usual? Russian is usual?”
She twinkled up at him. “No. That was just for fun.”
“Oh, of course. For fun.” He was laughing at her, and she couldn’t help laughing with him. “But you don’t know Swedish from Polish?”