‘We’ve got news,’ James blurted out the moment they were settled at a table. ‘We are leaving in the morning. You’ll never guess where we are going and what we shall be doing.’
‘Let me see.’ Ruth gazed into space. ‘France.’
‘No.’
Lillia drew in a silent breath of relief, but said nothing. They were dealing with casualties from the war and she feared that her twin might become one of them. The longer he stayed out of the front line the better.
Ruth continued with the guessing game. ‘You’re going into the cavalry?’
‘No,’ James was laughing with excitement. ‘You’ll never guess, so I’ll tell you. Tomorrow we are being posted to Hendon to train as pilots.’
‘What?’
Ruth’s cup crashed back into the saucer and Lillia grabbed her brother’s arm. ‘Tell me you are not doing this as well.’
He squeezed her hand. ‘Don’t worry. We went up today and it was exhilarating. The brigadier was my pilot, and he’s very good.’
‘I didn’t know he could fly a plane, did you?’ Ruth asked her cousin.
James shook his head. ‘He kept that quiet.’
‘He most certainly did. Just wait until I see him. I expect he’s responsible for dragging you two into this.’ Ruth began wiping up spilt tea, and then looked up. ‘Can you refuse the posting?’
‘Refuse!’ Both boys exclaimed in horror.
‘We can’t, and we wouldn’t want to,’ Lester told them.
‘You mean you want to do this?’ Lillia was horrified. ‘But it must be horribly dangerous.’
‘No more dangerous than being on the ground.’
‘I suppose so, but please be careful. I hate to think of you flying around up in the sky.’
He sat back and winked at his sister. ‘It’s wonderful. I’ll take you up when I’m a qualified pilot.’
Feeling his excitement she smiled. ‘We’ll see. It might not be as easy as you think to learn to fly.’
‘Oh, we’ll do it without any trouble,’ James told them confidently. ‘At least, without too much trouble – we hope.’
The boys looked at each other and burst into laughter.
‘What’s so funny?’ Ruth wanted to know. ‘Come on, tell us.’
‘The brigadier told us he ended up in a hedge when he was trying to land after a solo flight.’
‘That doesn’t fill me with confidence,’ she scolded her brother, then her expression softened and she grasped his hand across the table. ‘But I can see this is something you really want to do, so good luck. I know you’ll make a skilled and safe pilot. You both will.’
‘Wonder how long the training takes?’ Lillia said, as they made their way back to the ward.
‘No idea. Why?’
‘I’ve been thinking that this might not be a bad thing for the boys to do. It will keep them out of the fighting for a while longer, and I thought they would have been sent to France some time ago. They have obviously been holding on to them for this very reason.’
‘I had the same thought myself. When you are dealing with the injured all the time it’s difficult not to imagine how you’d feel if the person in the bed was someone you love.’
‘I know, but all we can do is help the poor devils as much as we can.’
‘And that is exactly what we are doing.’ Ruth held the door open. ‘Back to work and I’ll see you when our shift finishes. We can talk about this then.’
Chapter Fourteen
‘How do you feel about going solo?’
‘I would like to try,’ Lester answered calmly. ‘That is your decision, sir. In your opinion, am I becoming a good pilot?’
Alex studied the young man sitting at the other side of the desk. He had come to know him well during the training, and he was impressed not only with his sharp mind, but with the methodical way he had approached the task of learning to fly. He guessed that his musical training had a lot to do with that. His concentration was superb. He could make changes when necessary without being told. Two days ago the engine had cut out and Alex had been ready to take over, but it hadn’t been necessary. Lester had restarted the engine without fuss or panic. He sat back in his chair and said, ‘Yes, I do believe you will make a good pilot. We have been lucky to have fine weather to fly in. Winter is not the best time to train, but you have done well – you both have. You are going to be welcome additions to the RFC, and will be ready for active service by the spring. The moment we get a calm, clear day, you can make your first solo flight.’
‘Thank you, sir.’ Lester was elated. He was surprised just how much he loved flying and was eager to get up there by himself. Then he remembered the letter and pulled it out of his pocket. ‘Mother said she could only find the marriage certificate and has copied out the details for you. We hope this will be of some help to the captain.’
‘Ah, thank you. I’m going to see Captain Andrews tomorrow. He’ll be pleased with any information. The weather forecast is bad for the next few days so you might as well take some time off.’
‘Thank you, sir.’ Lester stood up, saluted and marched out of the office to find James waiting for him with a huge smile on his face.
‘How did you get on?’
‘Fine. The brigadier thinks I’m ready to go solo, and if we pass then we could be sent to France in the spring of next year.’
‘Me too. I say, that is going to be an exciting year.’
‘Going solo isn’t the end of our training,’ he pointed out to his excited friend. ‘We’ve got to learn how to navigate or we won’t know where we are. Once that is completed I suspect it could get even more exciting – and dangerous.’
‘And they want us to be able to take photographs from the air as well. Pictures could be very useful to the chaps on the ground.’
‘I imagine so,’ Lester agreed. ‘I’ve got some time off now, so I’m going to have another go at tuning that wreck of a piano in the mess, though I suspect it is beyond hope.’
‘It sounds all right to me.’ As his friend started to walk away, James called out, ‘You tuned it two days ago.’
‘And I’m going to have another go.’
‘Mrs Holdsworth could only find a marriage certificate and sent these details for us.’ Alex handed over the sheet of paper. ‘I’m only here for the day and have to return to Hendon by tonight. Will you be free for us to have lunch together?’
‘Of course. Thanks for this, now I’ve got some checking to do. See you for lunch.’
‘One o’clock all right? I’ve got a meeting to attend this morning. Those two boys are going to make first-class pilots and their transfers need to be made permanent.’
When his friend nodded agreement to meeting at one o’clock, Alex headed for the door. There was a lot to do while he was here.
The morning went smoothly and he found Bob already waiting for him. He sat down. ‘Have you ordered?’
‘No, I waited for you. Did you get your business settled?’
‘Yes, their transfers are going through. How did you get on? Was that information any use?’
‘Well, I’m not sure how to tell you this, but the details Mrs Holdsworth copied from the marriage certificate don’t make sense. I’m expert at tracing information, but in this case I would swear that no such person as General Gilbert Holdsworth exists.’
Alex sat bolt upright in the chair. ‘Are you saying that the details Sara sent you about her husband are false?’
‘That’s my opinion, but I can’t prove it, of course. I would love to get a close look at that certificate. I’ve had experts working on it and we have found a birth certificate for Sara Kirkby, as she was, but not for Gilbert Holdsworth.’
‘I really don’t know what to make of this. We should have been able to find something.’
‘I’m sorry, I know you are friends with the family, but we’ve always had a suspicion that something wasn’t right. There might be a perfectly good reason for this mess, though, so don’t give up. I exp
ect something will turn up and solve the mystery.’
He was stunned and didn’t know what to believe. Was the man using a false title, and they were looking in the wrong places for him? If Sara had any suspicion that there was something wrong with her husband’s name, she wouldn’t have sent them all the details from the certificate. ‘Let’s hope there is an explanation. Whatever has happened here she is innocent and so are her children. The question remains. Who the hell is he?’
‘Not an ex-army general, that’s for sure.’
‘I can’t tell his family that we suspect he’s a fraud.’
‘If I were you I would just thank her for giving us the information and that we appreciate her helpfulness.’
‘I’ll do that, but what are we going to do about the bogus general – for all the evidence is pointing that way?’
‘There isn’t much we can do. If he is masquerading under a false name and title, it will only cause the family trouble if we dig any deeper. I suggest this is no longer the army’s concern and we should cross him off the list of the men we are trying to contact.’
‘Just forget it, you mean?’
Bob nodded.
‘I hate to walk away from this, but you are right. We could destroy three lovely people if we continue with the investigation. And we don’t really know what the truth of the matter is, do we? This is all speculation. Right?’
‘There isn’t one piece of evidence that he is an impostor. It just appears that way, and for the sake of his family we keep our suspicions to ourselves.’
‘That’s for the best,’ Alex agreed. ‘You won’t mention this to anyone?’
‘You have my word, but if you ever meet him will you let me know? Just out of curiosity.’
‘I will. That is unlikely, though. He’s done a good job of avoiding us, hasn’t he?’
‘He certainly has, and we can’t waste more time on this – we have a war to win. I expect to be deployed soon and this office is being closed down. I’m not much of a sailor, so I hope the sea is calm.’
Alex knew exactly what his friend was saying. He was off to France. ‘You take care.’
‘And you. I’ll wave if you fly overhead any time.’
Alex laughed. ‘I’m an instructor, remember, but you might see the two youngsters.’
Three days later the weather was clear with little wind, and Lester and James waited anxiously to see if they would be given the chance to go solo. They had been up once already with the instructors who had disappeared the moment they had landed.
‘Do you think they are discussing us?’ James asked. ‘I’ll be devastated if they say I’m not suitable for the RFC. I really want to do this.’
‘We’re already in.’
‘What?’ James spun round to face his friend. ‘How do you know?’
‘The brigadier hinted that our transfer was already being processed.’
‘Both of us?’
‘Of course. Don’t get too excited,’ he warned. ‘When we go solo we will need a smooth take-off and landing.’
‘No problem.’ James slapped his friend on the back. ‘We’ll show them we can handle a plane like experts. After all, we have been taught by the best.’
‘Here they come, and they are smiling, so we might get our chance.’
‘Come on,’ the brigadier ordered Lester. ‘Let’s make the most of the good weather. You sit in the front.’
He settled in and waited while his harness was checked. Then instead of getting in the brigadier jumped down and stepped back. ‘Right, you are on your own. I want to see some good flying. Make two circuits of the field and a smooth landing.’
‘Yes, sir.’ He started the engine, feeling the thrill he always had as he taxied to the end of the field. He was going solo!
‘I’m going to let Anderson go solo if Holdsworth does well.’ Alan came and stood beside Alex, both men watching the plane closely as it gathered speed for take-off. ‘This is always an anxious moment.’
Alex jammed his hands in his pockets and held his breath as the plane left the ground and climbed smoothly. ‘Nicely done,’ he breathed softly.
‘He’s flying like a pilot with a good few hours logged,’ Alan remarked as he watched the plane fly round the field. ‘Let’s hope he can land without any mishaps. Here he comes.’
They waited, noting every move and then the captain laughed. ‘You can breathe again. That was a landing even I would have been proud of.’
‘And me.’ Alex removed his hands from his pockets and ran them through his short dark hair. ‘I knew he was going to make a good pilot, he has a feel for a plane and his concentration is superb, but allowing him up on his own was nerve-racking.’
‘You’ll get used to it.’ He watched James running out to greet his friend as the plane came to a halt. ‘Now it’s my turn to sweat. Anderson is more excitable so I wouldn’t expect his flight to be as smooth, but he’s got the ability to make a good pilot and loads of enthusiasm.’
‘Let’s hope we can find more young men as competent as these.’
‘There’s plenty eager to try, so we are going to be kept busy.’ The captain strode across the field to his pupil.
‘How did I do, sir?’ Lester asked the moment he reached Alex.
‘Very well. Now we have to teach you how to navigate over territory you have never seen before. You are now officially in the Royal Flying Corps.’
‘Thank you, sir.’ Lester smiled, pleased he had done so well. ‘Do you know if James is going solo today?’
Alex nodded. ‘Any minute now. Let’s watch and see how he does.’
‘He’ll be fine, sir,’ he said confidently. ‘Like me, he loves to fly.’
James didn’t disappoint those watching, and managed as smooth a landing as his friend.
Before Lester dashed off to congratulate him, Alex said, ‘I shall be in London this evening and will call in to see your mother and thank her personally for sending us the information we asked for. I’ll also give her the good news about your solo flight.’
‘That’s kind of you, sir. I am sure she will be pleased to see you. She misses us being around and making all that racket – as our father tells us. It’s just noise to him.’ He laughed. ‘Perhaps he will be at home this time you call.’
‘That would be good. Now, off you go and celebrate with James.’
Chapter Fifteen
The house was so quiet without the twins. She should be used to it after all this time – but she wasn’t. The book she had been reading held no interest so she closed it. From the moment the children had been born they had been the centre of her life, but they were grown up now and striking out on their own. It was not the route either of them had wanted, but it had seemed just a short delay in launching their careers, until this terrible war had put an end to their plans. No decisions could be made until the war was over. Her children, like thousands of others, were involved in the desperate fight. Her daughter should be safe enough in a military hospital, but she was sick with worry for her son. He was going to become a pilot, and she didn’t dare let herself dwell on the dangers he could face. If she lost them now her life would be empty, but she knew she wasn’t the only mother with these concerns. Right across the country families were worried about their loved ones.
There was a gentle knock on the door and Adams entered. ‘Brigadier Stansfield is here to see you, madam. Are you in for callers?’
‘Of course.’ The gloomy thoughts were pushed away and she relaxed. ‘Have refreshments sent in, please.’
‘At once, madam.’
‘Forgive me for this unexpected call,’ Alex said as soon as he walked in. ‘As I was coming this way I told your son I would call in and thank you for sending us those notes.’
‘You are always welcome. Was the information of any use?’
‘Captain Andrews has still not been able to trace your husband’s army records and has concluded that they must have been lost, but he appreciated your help.’
�
��So, the only one with all the details is my husband. Has he contacted you?’
‘Not yet. Is he at home now?’
‘No, I am sorry. He is away a great deal.’
‘I’m sure he is a very busy man,’ he replied politely.
The refreshments had arrived and Alex took a cup of tea from Sara. ‘I have good news about your son. He has successfully flown solo and is now attached to the Royal Flying Corps.’
‘So soon? I thought the training would take a long time.’
‘Not with your son or James. They have taken to flying with great skill and enthusiasm, and are going to be excellent pilots.’
Sara managed a smile. ‘I am pleased to hear that. However, the thought of him flying around in the sky does fill me with trepidation. Surely it is very dangerous?’
‘This war is full of dangers,’ he said quietly, ‘but I know where I would rather be – in the air, instead of the battlefield trenches.’
‘I had not considered it in that way. What happens now? Will they become involved in the war?’
‘Not yet. They still have more training before they are ready for active duty. It will probably be next year before that happens.’
Sara stifled a sigh. ‘How long is this dreadful war going to last?’
‘I fear it will be some time. There is no end in sight.’
Later that evening, Alex walked into the restaurant and sat at the table with Joshua. ‘Sorry I’m late.’
He glanced up from the menu he had been studying and smiled. ‘Are you late? I hadn’t noticed.’
‘I don’t suppose you did,’ he laughed. ‘The only thing you take any notice of is music.’
‘Is there anything else?’ His eyes gleamed with amusement. ‘So, what has delayed you?’
‘I called in to see Sara and stayed longer than intended. Her son flew solo and is now attached to the RFC. He’s going to be a fine pilot.’
At the mention of his favourite pupil Joshua immediately became serious. ‘You may consider that a cause for celebration, but I do not. He should be seated at a piano, not flying off to danger.’
When the Music Stopped Page 11