Isabella’s Airman

by Sofia Grey

  Despite the crush of people around us, sitting close and standing even closer, all crammed in together, I felt my world shrink. The only person that existed was Davy. He crooned to me, murmured reassurances in my ear, and stroked my hair, my back, down my arms, and across the shoulders. He soothed me like a frightened animal. I waited. Listened. Dreaded the bangs that I expected to hear at any second. Contemplated how quickly we could run back up to the surface if the roof started to collapse…and realized how impossible that would be.

  His calm, steady voice surrounded me, wrapped me in love, and I felt another fear, a fresh pain that clawed at my chest. No matter how severe the air raid, we would survive this, tonight, because Davy didn’t die here, not right now.

  He would die over Belgium later this year.

  Chapter Twelve

  Thunder roared overhead. I blinked and tried to process the noise. The skies are falling. My heart, already racing, hammered against my ribs so hard that it hurt. Lifting my head from Davy’s chest, I clenched my fingers around his jacket, and he wrapped his arms tight around me. He leaned forward to cover my head.

  “What’s happening?” I didn’t know if he’d hear me over the noise.

  He didn’t have time to reply.

  Boom. The crash was right overhead.

  I screamed, my ears hurting from the blast. Oh God, oh God, we’d been bombed. Common sense fled. I shrieked like a little girl and clung to Davy. My first thought had been correct—the sky was falling in. Dust and dirt rose in waves, filling my nostrils and caking my mouth, even as I faced into Davy. I felt him tense. Dear Lord, part of the ceiling had collapsed.

  The sudden quiet was only a fleeting relief. Had I gone deaf? My lungs were so tight I couldn’t draw breath. The dust that lined my throat made me want to retch. I’d fallen into hell. I didn’t want to look. I couldn’t avoid it. Peering sideways, we still had a little light. One of the lanterns had survived. Strange shapes shifted and moved. Monstrous shadows flickered against the walls.

  There was a shrill whistling noise in both ears and then my hearing roared back. Screams for help. Muffled shouts. A low whimpering sob somewhere nearby. I was overwhelmed by the cacophony. And then, even more frightening, a creaking, scraping noise that could only have come from what was left of the roof.

  People around me moved, rising slowly to emerge from the debris. Davy held me tight, and his fingers dug into me. I welcomed the discomfort. It meant I was still alive. I dragged in a shaky breath and tried to convince my aching lungs to work again. We had survived. We only had to stand up and find the exit. I stared at where the doorway used to be, now a tangled mass of concrete and metal.

  Why had I come here? Why not pick a safe period? Why had I let Juliet choose our field trip? She’d been fascinated by fighter pilots, by bold, dashing airmen. She craved danger and look where it got us. I screwed up my eyes as I thought of her. Please let Teddy keep her safe.

  Davy started to move, to stand up, while still covering my head. He was trying to protect me. I took as deep a breath as I dared and still ended up coughing.

  “Belle.” Davy spoke into my ear. I covered my mouth with dusty fingers and waited for him to continue. He fumbled for my free hand, but before I could move, there was another crash overhead. The ground shook beneath my feet. Something barged into my side, and I tumbled to my knees, losing my hold on Davy. In the same instant, the flickering lantern failed.

  Darkness. Complete and total. And a fear greater than anything I could imagine.

  Davy, where was Davy? I groped for his hand, but found only dust and something hard.

  I clawed wildly, my lungs burning with every breath and panic taking hold. I needed air. I needed Davy.

  Something rested across my back. I realized I lay on the ground, my knees beneath me, completely disoriented in the darkness. I kneeled in water. Yes, there had been a puddle. Coughing, I tried to cover my mouth, the dust so thick it felt like a blanket draped across me.

  Where was Davy? I stifled a sob and tried to move, searching for him with my hands. Other people moved and shifted around me, and someone fell against my shoulder. I had to get up before I was trampled.

  I hated the dark, always had. To be locked into this blackness, to die in this hole in the ground…I opened my mouth and screamed, my terror taking voice. Hyperventilating now, I couldn’t breathe. My lungs were tight and useless; tears poured down my face. I would die, I knew it.

  “Belle! Isabella!”

  Reaching deep inside me, I forced my lungs to inflate. It was a tiny intake of air, and I felt dizzy. Davy shouted to me again, “Isabella!”

  “Davy!” All I could manage was a squeak. Another miniscule breath, and my lungs filled with red hot pokers. Why couldn’t I see? Was I blind?

  There were people all jammed up around me. I kept touching arms and legs. I imagined we were all tangled together like toys thrown back into their box. Oh Jesus, no, they weren’t moving. I couldn’t be trapped here with dead people. My mind spun out of control. I wailed when something moved across my hand, but it grabbed my fingers.

  “Belle! Is that you?”

  Davy? Please let him be alive, let him rescue me, get me out of this pit, make my eyes work again.

  I blinked as a shaft of light pierced the gloom and broke through the dirt barrier. Davy’s hand was sticking through a hole, wrapped around my fingers, squeezing them for all he was worth.

  “Davy! Ohmygodpleasegetmeoutofhere.” My words all ran together, my relief so profound I couldn’t hope to articulate myself.

  “Breathe, cariad. Breathe for me. I’m coming to get you. Stay calm.”

  My teeth chattering now, I rubbed my eyes, instantly regretting it as I mashed the dust in further. I took in the horrible vision before me. The roof had collapsed. A wall of rubble lay between me and the exit, but the wall had a gap cleared in it, and Davy’s face was now visible. White teeth flashed in a sea of grime.

  “Soon get you out. Are you hurt?”

  Was I? I moved each arm and leg; they all seemed to work. Now there was some light, the people around me shifted too, and we all turned to face our new exit.

  Coughing, I tried to speak clearly. “I’m not hurt.” More tears flowed. “I’m scared.”

  His fingers squeezed again. “I know, but you’ll all be out soon. It was a single stray bomb. We took some damage, but it’s minor. Half an hour to move some of the concrete, that’s all.”

  I nodded and then realized he couldn’t see it. “Okay.” I couldn’t bear to let him go.

  “Keep your eyes on me, Belle.” Davy’s voice was calm. “I need to let go now, but I’m going to tell you what we’re doing tomorrow, and you’re going to focus on that.” I nodded again, working very hard to keep breathing. The temptation to start screaming was unbearable, but somehow Davy knew. His voice a constant reassurance, his litany of things to look forward to.

  “I’m going to borrow the pony and trap; we’re going to ride out to the woods beyond the village. I’ll ask Mrs. Latham to make us a picnic, and I’m going to whisk you away for the afternoon. You’ll wear a pretty dress and forget to put on your stockings. The sky will be a brilliant blue, and it will be a lovely, warm spring day. I’ll show you the bluebells and make you a garland of cherry blossoms to wear in your hair. We’ll sit by the stream and dip our toes in the water, watching the fish and looking out for the kingfishers. We’ll feast on sandwiches and fruit, I’ll cadge some bottles of beer for us to drink, and we’ll relax in the sunshine.”

  He paused. “You still with me, Belle?” I grunted, and he continued. “Where was I? Oh yes. We’ll make daisy chains to decorate the pony’s bridle, and I’ll find you a fairy ring of mushrooms; we can both make wishes there. I’ll hold your hand and tell you about my home, and you can tell me all about yours. I’ll kiss you. You’ll tell me how lovely I am, and we’ll make some promises to each other. And then, you’ll give me a keepsake to take in C-for-Charlie, a lock of hair maybe, something I can tuck i
nside my pocket so you’re always with me.”

  Piece by piece, the hole grew larger as he talked. By the time he reached in to haul me out, my lungs had settled, and I could breathe freely, the overwhelming panic subdued for the moment. I stood on shaky legs beside him and felt his strength as he held me, his lips warm on mine, his confidence flowing through me.

  I was safe. I’d escaped. He’d saved me.

  Those moments teetering on the edge of life and death had shown me something, a new reality to face up to.

  I was in love with Davy.

  I stumbled across the grass with him, our hands tightly meshed. I was so weary I could barely lift my head. There were so many things I had to say to him. Thank you didn’t even scrape the surface.

  I tried to rouse myself when we reached my building. I was desperate to kiss him good night, to make sure we didn’t waste a minute of our time together. He must have felt the same. Side-stepping me into a darkened corner, away from the people milling around the building entrance, he slipped his arms around my waist and nuzzled at my mouth.

  “Tomorrow afternoon?” His voice sounded tired and gravelly as he murmured in my ear. “Can you get the time off?”

  “I’ll make sure I do.” I’d be leaving soon enough, anyway, that it didn’t matter if I got into trouble for skipping work.

  It was another colossal reminder I would be leaving Davy. I pushed it to the back of my mind and kissed him, losing myself in him again. A soft, familiar voice interrupted.

  “Juliet.” I pulled back, relieved to see her, Teddy’s arm draped across her shoulders. She stepped over and hugged me briefly. “Where were you?”

  “Bella!” Her voice was shocked; her eyes raked my appearance. “What happened? Are you hurt?”

  There would be time later for my story. “I’m fine, thanks to Davy.” I moved back into the circle of his arms, reluctant to leave him for even a moment.

  “We just arrived back.” Juliet’s eyes flicked to Davy, back to me. In answer, Teddy lifted her face with a single finger under her chin and pressed his mouth to hers.

  Davy’s lips drifted across my own. “I’ll come and find you tomorrow. Go and get some sleep.” It would have to be enough.

  I managed to wash my face and hair, rinse my filthy clothes, and get into my pajamas before Juliet burst into our shared room. The horrors of the night were too awful to share right now. I played it down for her, unable to think about it, still too fresh in my memory. I feared that as soon as I closed my eyes, I’d wake to find myself back in that pit. Swallowing, I forced a smile and urged Juliet to tell me of her evening.

  Chapter Thirteen

  I lurked in the kitchen while I waited for Davy. I wiped my sweaty hands on my apron for the fourth or fifth time, and then fiddled with my hair again. Where was he? He’d disappeared after breakfast, after confirming there were no ops tonight and reminding me of our date this afternoon.

  “Here, let me help.” Juliet found me staring into the cloakroom mirror, trying my hair this way and that. No matter what I did, it fell forward with a mind of its own. Laughing, she shoved a handful of little bent clips into it and bullied the unruly locks into submission, my yellow ribbon incapable of holding it back on its own. She smiled at my reflection. “Gorgeous. He won’t know what’s hit him.”

  My familiar golden-brown eyes stared back at me, framed by ginger eyebrows and lashes a lighter shade of my coppery curls. I looked different, and not just because of the way I’d done my hair. Excitement coursed through me, painting spots of color in my cheeks and lending a brightness to my eyes.

  Juliet hugged me. “Teddy’s here, I have to go.”

  I watched as they roared off together on his motorbike, her skirt hitched high around her thighs as she cuddled against his back. Minutes later, Davy arrived.

  With a huge grin on his face, he swept off his cap and bowed low with a flourish before holding out his hand to me. “My lady, Isabella. Your carriage awaits.” I stepped out into the bright sunlight.

  He’d done exactly as promised and procured a horse and cart for our afternoon’s excursion. The wooden bench seat had been made more comfortable with a blanket and two pillows. A small wicker basket nestled beneath the overhang. It was perfect.

  Clip clopping along the country lanes, my mind skirted back over the horrors of the night before. I hadn’t slept well. I was scared of closing my eyes and finding myself back there. In the darkness.

  I mentally shook myself. Today was too nice to spoil fretting over something I couldn’t change. It had happened. It was over. I peeked at Davy while pretending to refasten my hair back.

  Even though he’d been bright and funny when he collected me, something was wrong with him too. His jaw looked tight, and his shoulders hunched. He gripped the reins fiercely, yet the horse seemed placid enough. If I were Juliet, I’d engage him in brilliant, witty conversation. Where should I begin?

  I glanced up, startled, when the cart stopped. Davy turned to me, swiveling on the bench seat and offering me a smile. “I’m sorry. I’ve been a bit preoccupied, and I’ve been neglecting you.” Holding his arms out to me, I couldn’t resist. I snuggled into his embrace, and a sigh escaped from him.

  I took a deep breath and summoned all my courage. “Davy, is something wrong?”

  “Our wireless operator, Jock, is unwell. Suspected appendicitis. So if we have ops tomorrow, he won’t be able to fly.”

  Surely that was good news. “Does that mean you’ll be grounded?”

  “God, no.” He nuzzled against my ear. “It means we fly with a substitute. And I hate doing that.” He eased back to look me in the face. I took the opportunity to caress his cheek, loving the way he pushed back into my hand, cat-like. “We spend months getting to know each other, working as a single unit. If one of us is missing, it’s like, well, wearing someone else’s shoes. It just doesn’t feel comfortable. It’s worse for Teddy. He’s the backup wireless op, and the new guy will be his responsibility.”

  He brushed a gentle kiss across my lips, pulling away far too soon. “Let me tether Rosie, and we’ll go and have our picnic. We’ve only got a few hours, and I don’t want to waste a minute of it.”

  An hour later, we lay sprawled across the blanket, the pillows by our side, Davy’s uniform jacket abandoned, and his shirtsleeves rolled up. True to his plans, we’d picked the bright pink cherry blossoms, and he’d showed me how to make a daisy chain for Rosie’s harness. The stream had been bitterly cold when we trailed our feet in the running water, but we’d seen the kingfisher—a vibrant flash of electric blue as it dived for a tiny fish. We’d feasted on freshly baked bread, strong cheese, and crisp sweet apples. There was more beer too, kept cool by immersing the bottles in the stream. Sensory overload again.

  Davy leaned over me, propped on one elbow, his dark eyes twinkling. There was a flash of dimples when he smiled. He held a yellow flower—a buttercup—beneath my chin, and it tickled. I giggled and tried to take it, but he kept whisking it out of reach.

  There was so much I needed to tell him. So much I wanted to know. Would you believe me if I told you where I’m from?

  “Is this like your home, Davy?”

  The buttercup brushed my chin again. “Naw, Wales has mountains. This landscape is too flat for my liking. I’m used to mountains and lakes and snow in winter. Whereas here? You can look for miles in any direction without even seeing a hill.” Inching closer, he stretched one finger to trace the edge of my jawline.

  Are you in love with me? “I was so frightened last night. You saved my life.”

  Dark eyes regarded me. The finger stilled on my chin. “Seeing you trapped in the shelter? God. I aged ten years last night.” We stared at each other. I saw love and trust in his eyes. And longing.

  “I’d rather not think about it.” I managed a smile and forced myself to push the bad memories to the back of my mind. They’d surface again later, but I refused to let them spoil our afternoon. I looked down at my cherry blossom garla
nd and fingered the velvety pink petals. Such a brilliant color, they looked as though they been dipped in blood, the edges lined in a dark scarlet color.

  Juliet said sex with Teddy had made her bleed.

  I shivered, and Davy frowned. “You have to let it go, cariad.” He thought I was still fretting about the air raid. “When you’re afraid of something, if you let it, the fear will eat you up. You have to move past it. Focus on what you can do.”

  I can have sex with Davy.

  Did I want to? Yes.

  Was it wise? Probably not.

  Did I care?

  I stretched up and claimed his lips, and he responded. Soft and gentle turned hot in an instant, and I had my answer.

  There was just over a week left before I had to return to my own time. I didn’t want to waste a minute of it.

  Today, this afternoon, was for me. For us. To hell with the consequences.

  We lay tangled together on the blanket, kissing until I had to stop for breath. I had to speak now, before I lost my nerve. “When we saw Juliet with Teddy in the barn, you said you wanted that. With me.”

  His eyes widened, and he pulled back a fraction. I still lay wrapped in his arms, one of his hands tracing a lazy circle on my spine. Every touch made me want him more.

  “Aye,” he said eventually. “I do. But I’m happy to wait. You mean more to me, Belle, than a quick tumble.”

  “Juliet said it was painful. I’ve never done this before.” I don’t want to disappoint you. I blurted it out, wishing immediately I could scoop the words back and lock them away. Davy’s hand closed over mine, warm and gentle.

  “You don’t have to be nervous, Belle. It’d be amazing if we made love, but we don’t have to.” Made love? “I don’t have any expectations from you this afternoon.” His fingers squeezed and released. I looked up to see his gorgeous smile. “Simply spending a few hours with you, away from the aerodrome. It’s all I want.”