“I don’t know if I can,” he said.
“Let me persuade you,” she giggled, pushing him over onto his back so she could lie on top of him.
Bayer smiled as he looked up at her. He knew the time was just about right to suggest that she go away with him, but first he had to take care of her sexual needs.
*
“Are you serious?” Stella asked, propping herself up on one elbow to look at him.
Bayer gave her a pensive look. “Of course I am. I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it. Do you think you can get some time off at such short notice?”
Stella smiled. “I think I can manage that. It’s just a case of knowing the right person to ask, especially when that certain married person is having a discreet affair with one of the girls in the office.”
“That office of yours sounds a right den of iniquity. Does he know about your little indiscretions?” Bayer queried tactfully.
“I couldn’t care less if he does, I’ve never kept it a secret what I do. He has come on to me several times in the past but I always keep him at arm’s length… I just don’t fancy him.”
“Have you told him that?”
Stella threw her head back and laughed. “It serves my purpose to keep him dangling, if you know what I mean; it’s surprising what you can get out of a man if he thinks there’s something at the end of it.”
Bayer smirked inwardly to himself. If only she knew how he was using her and what her fate was going to be at the end, she wouldn’t be so complacent. “You certainly have a devious nature. It’s surprising you haven’t been recruited by the security services,” Bayer answered dryly.
Lowering herself back down so she could lie beside him she draped her arm across his chest and kissed him tenderly on the cheek. “Do you think I would make a good spy?” she purred softly.
“I’m sure you would,” he grinned.
Chapter Twenty-Five
WILL WAS THANKFUL for the warmth of his RAF greatcoat as he sat in the unheated transport for the short journey from the dockside back to camp, but it had been the first time since joining the RAF he had come back with mixed feelings. Saying goodbye to Aileen and Duncan Hamilton had been hard enough after the hospitality they had shown him during his stay with them and later the compassion when in hospital, but saying goodbye to Isobel had been particular heart-wrenching. He thought back to how quiet they had been with one another as she drove him across the island in her father’s car to catch the boat and the way they had held each other as they kissed, and the lump that came into his throat as he stood and watched her wave as they pulled away from the quay side, they had been emotions he had never felt before.
“The Officer’s Mess sir!” the driver announced, looking at Will in such a manner to suggest that he must be a new arrival to the base.
Will didn’t enlighten him that he was no stranger to the camp but just thanked him before heading for the warmth of the mess where he was immediately confronted by the Chief Steward, asking him if he would like to eat after his long journey.
“Yes please,” he said enthusiastically at the thought of some hot food
“Very good sir. Oh! By the way sir, you’ll find there is a Flight Lieutenant Bishop sharing the room with you now. It was awful news about the loss of Pilot Officer Dennison, wasn't it sir?”
Will looked at the man a few moments before speaking. “What do you mean, the loss of?”
“I'm sorry sir, I thought you knew. It happened while you were in hospital. We heard that Pilot Officer Dennison with his crew had been reported missing over the sea, while flying in a Sunderland aircraft. Very tragic, he was a nice gentleman, Mr Dennison.
“Yes, he was,” Will answered sadly. “Do you know what happened?”
“By all accounts the aircraft that Pilot Officer Dennison was flying in went out to relieve another that was on convoy duty but his aircraft never arrived to take over; they don’t know what happened to it. There was no radio communication from the aircraft so they don’t know where it’s gone down.”
“Okay! Thanks for telling me.”
The room was in darkness when Will pushed open the door. Switching the light on, he threw his bag on the bed and set about unpacking. He had just about finished when the door suddenly opened and he came face to face with his new roommate.
“Oh! Hello, they said you would be coming back today – I’m Clive Bishop,” he grinned holding out his hand to shake.
Will reciprocated the handshake. “Will Madden, nice to meet you Clive. So have you settled in okay?”
“Yes thanks, that’s apart from the ruddy weather up here. The wind cuts you in two when it’s blowing in from the sea, doesn’t it? I don’t know how them lads stick it working outside on the aircraft in this weather.”
After taking off his shoes and plumping up his pillow to make a head-rest, Will took up a comfortable position on his bed and looked at his slightly overweight roommate. “Yes, you’ve got to take your hat off to the ground crews, they are always hard at it whatever the weather. So what‘s your particular field of expertise?” Will asked, knowing it must be a ground trade as he wasn’t wearing a flying insignia.
“Engines. I replaced Flight Lieutenant Marsh a couple of week ago,” Bishop replied while taking up a similar position on his bed.
“So where were you before you came here?” Will enquired.
“RAF Henlow, in a training capacity. And you?”
“Thornton Spinney!”
“That’s in Lincolnshire, isn’t it?”
“Yes! 5 Group.”
“Was it operational?”
“Lancs.”
“When I put in for an operational drome I hoped it might be Lancasters.”
“You sound a bit disappointed?”
“I was actually. I’ve only been involved with fighters and the medium range stuff, but that was only for a short period.”
“Well, at least you’ve got on the heavies, albeit not on Lancs. But there’s nothing wrong with the old Halifax. I did my first tour on them and they are as reliable as the day is long and they can take a hell of a lot of punishment,” Will answered in a reassuring voice.
There was silence between the two men for a few moments, each with his own thoughts.
“I did hear through the grapevine that you have done a few sorties since you’ve been here?”
“Yes, I’ve done one or two, just to keep my hand in.”
“Like shooting down a German sea plane!” Bishop replied, grinning admiringly.
“Something like that.”
“And taking on a Ju 88 while on an Air Sea Rescue launch?”
“My, we are well informed!”
“Sorry. But it was all around the mess when it filtered back what you had done.”
“Yes, I suppose it would be,” Will replied, annoyed that his name had been bandied around the mess in his absence.
Bishop could see by the look on Will’s face that he had slightly overstepped the mark with his informative banter, so he decided in the future to take a more moderate approach with his new roommate.
*
A biting cold wind swept across the airfield as Will made his way to the armoury. He was not relishing his first morning back and his first encounter with Nelson the Armament’s Officer, they had never seen eye to eye up to him going on leave, then being hospitalised, so he was sure that nothing would have changed. Closing the door behind him he was immediately confronted by Flight Sergeant Milroyd who welcomed him back in his usual dry manner, then went on to introduce him to a new member of the team who had arrived during his absence. With the formalities done, he then took Will to one side.
“Our intrepid leader said he wants to see you as soon as you come in,” he said in a rather dubious voice.
“Thanks! I had an idea he might,” Will acknowledged, heading in the direction of Nelson’s office.
Knocking on the door he was told to enter, and coming smartly to attention he stood there waiting for t
he usual sarcastic remarks that Nelson was capable of.
“At ease Maddon, and please sit down.”
“Thank you sir.”
“So how are you feeling?” Nelson enquired.
“Fine sir,” Will responded, wondering what had brought about the change in his manner towards him.
“By all accounts you had rather a rough time of it while you were in hospital?”
“Yes, I did sir,” he said, not wanting to elaborate too much on his injuries.
“But you are feeling fit and well now?”
“Yes, I am!” Will replied, a little annoyed that he was repeating himself.
“Good! Well, I have some good news for you Warrant Officer,” Nelson said with the makings of a smile on his face.
“You have sir?”
Nelson sat back in his chair and clasped his hands together. “Yes, you’ve been awarded a bar to your D.F.M, and recommendation for promotion to Pilot Officer for your action against the German aircraft. Flight Lieutenant Fuller, the Captain of HSL 120, said in his report that you saved the boat with your constant fire from the Oerlikon.”
“Well, I thank Flight Lieutenant Fuller for what he said in his report sir. But I think our saviour was the Sunderland turning up,” Will answered modestly.
“Maybe so Warrant Officer, but by manning the Oerlikon like you did with its heavier hitting power, you were able to deter the enemy long enough until the Sunderland arrived, thus saving the boat from probably being sunk.”
Will just gave a silent acknowledgement with his head as he listened to what Nelson had to say.
“You don’t seem very enthusiastic about what was said in the report or your promotion, Madden. I know you’ve never been happy here in the armoury and that you would rather be on operations, but we all have to put up with things we don’t like from time to time, including me,” Nelson concluded in a poignant tone.
‘There’s nothing wrong with the armoury, it’s the person running it, that’s the problem,”’ Will thought, as he answered, “Yes sir.”
After leaving Nelson’s office he got hands on replacing the tail turret on a Halifax that was undergoing major repair in No 1 hangar after battle damage, and it was while doing the changeover of the turrets that Keith Stanbury came up to him, and took him to one side.
“I heard you were on your way back Will, when did you get in?” he asked.
“I got back late last night but I was a bit knackered for socialising, I was going to look you up this evening, so we could sink a few pints. I rang the squadron office at lunchtime to see if you were flying, and they said you weren’t.”
“So how are you feeling?”
“A lot better than I was Keith.”
“Yes, we heard the boat you were on had been badly shot up and that you and several of the crew had been hurt. It was a Sunderland turning up that saved your bacon, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah! Was I glad to see him, he drove the bastard off for us. If he hadn’t appeared on the scene I’m pretty sure I know what the outcome would have been.”
“Bottom of the drink by the sound of it,” Keith said quietly.
“Exactly!” Will agreed.
“Anyway, it’s good to see you back in one piece. So how are you getting on with our old girl here?”
Will looked at him in surprise. “This is your kite is it?”
“Yes! She took a bit of a hammering while I was on leave and that is why I wanted to see you Will. Our rear gunner, he has just finished his tour, so we are in need of a replacement, I wondered if you would be interested?”
“Normally I would jump at it, as you know. The trouble is I haven’t completed my six month rest period, so I don’t think they would let me go back flying yet. You know what Nelson’s like about me doing these little ‘jollies’ as he calls them, so he would soon turn down any request I put in to go back on ops again. I only got away with it last time because of the flu outbreak we had on the camp and he was told to release me for flying duties.”
“But given the opportunity Will, you would definitely like to fly again, even after your stay in hospital?”
“Too right I would!”
Keith Stanbury gave him a sly grin. “Leave it with me, you’ve got to know the right people to approach on matters like this, I’ll let you know the outcome later,” he said winking. “I’ll see you in the bar about eight. Oh! One thing before I go, what the hell were you doing on an Air Sea Rescue boat anyway?”
Will gave him a non-committal look. “I’ll give you all the gen on that later when I see you in the bar, okay?”
*
“So there you have it, the whole story from start to finish,” Will said, taking a drink of beer to alleviate the dryness in his mouth.
Keith sat back in his chair and looked at him with a grin on his face for a few moments. “So this female, what’s her name?… Isobel, are you going to see her again?”
Will put down his glass on the table and thought back to how Isobel had looked when he left her on the quayside. “I hope so. She said she would write to me, so I’m hoping it will lead to us meeting up again, I really like her Keith,” he replied quietly.
“Yes, I can see that. But what about Daphne?”
Will gave his friend a sheepish look. “Yes, Daphne. I’ve been thinking about her. I’m going to have to tell her I’ve met somebody else, it’s the only decent thing to do,” he answered sadly.
Keith Stanbury took a drink then sat forward so as not to be overheard. “Well, my old mate, I think you might be off the hook in that department.”
“Why’s that?” Will asked curiously.
“You know the navigator she was going out with, the one that was shot down?”
Will nodded.
“Well, he’s been ringing her up quite frequently. Got back home via the French Underground by all accounts. A WAAF I know that works with her told me that she has been wondering how she was going to tell you when you got back, especially with you being hurt and in hospital. Anyway it looks like you are going to have the opportunity to sort things out with her; she has just come into the bar with Joan, the one I know, and they are coming over.”
“Evening ladies,” Keith said enthusiastically.
“Evening! May we join you?” Joan asked, her eyes fixed firmly on Keith Stanbury.
“Certainly! What would you both like to drink?” he asked, pulling back two chairs for them to sit down.
“Well mine’s a small beer and Daphne’s on gin and tonic?”
Keith sensed that Will wanted to have a quiet word with Daphne so cajoled Joan into giving him a hand with the drinks to give the pair a little space and time to talk things over.
Sitting down next to him, Daphne gently laid her hand on his arm. “It’s so nice to see you back Will, I was so worried when Keith told me what had happened to you.”
“Thanks!” he answered, turning the empty glass slowly around on the table. There followed a few moments of uneasy silence between them which Will knew he had to end before Keith and Joan returned. “Keith told me the good news about your navigator friend doing a home run through enemy lines and he’s been ringing you up quite often. You must be very pleased?”
“Yes, I am.”
Will could see she was finding it difficult to end their brief relationship so decided to make things a little easier for her, but she was a little quicker off the mark than he had expected.
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about… About us, Will!”
“Don’t worry Daphne, I understand, I know you were very serious about him before he went missing,” he smiled squeezing her hand gently.
“Yes, I was. So you don’t mind if I resume my relationship with him?”
“No, not in the least. In fact I was in a bit of a dilemma myself and wasn’t sure how I was going to resolve it.”
“Let me guess? You’ve met somebody else. Am I right?”
Will looked at her. “You’re very shrewd Daphne, and yes, you are right, I
have met someone else while I was on leave.”
“I’m very glad for you. So who is the lady?”
“She is the sister of Dave Hamilton; he was the mid-upper gunner on my last crew, her name’s Isobel.”
“I can see she’s had quite an effect on you. Are you going to see her again?”
He gave a her a look of anticipation. “I very much hope so,” he answered.
With that, the conversation between them was brought to a close with the arrival of Keith and Joan with their drinks.
Will didn’t get a chance until later in the evening when Keith and he were at the bar together to ask whether he had said anything, ‘to the right person’ as he put it, about him going back flying. Keith had just given him a self-satisfied look, then winked. “It’s all in hand,” he said, putting two glasses in his hands.
*
Bayer had a smug look on his face as he looked through the porthole at the heavy coating of snow that lay across the dock. Not only had Stella been able to get two weeks leave, her influence with a certain individual had got them a cabin of a decent size, albeit with up and over bunks, but also she had been able to get them aboard the previous evening when there were no officials or passengers about. Sitting down on the bottom bunk he gave her backside a light smack which had the desired effect, making her turn over and look at him.
“Do you think anyone will bother us for a while?
Stella gave him a seductive grin. “I shouldn’t think so, why, have you something in mind?” she said sitting up.
“I think you know what I’ve got in mind,” he whispered in her ear.
It was activity outside the cabin and the starting of the engines that woke him. Supporting himself up on one elbow he could see shadows under the door as crew members moved along the corridor making for their respective stations.
“What’s the matter?” Stella asked sleepily, his movement having woken her.
Stracandra Island Page 23