by Griff Hosker
The two ladies arrived together. Mary looked the same but Alice was not the little sister I had last seen when she had visited me in hospital in the summer. She had not only blossomed she had changed. It was as though she had become a butterfly. She was stunning. I knew it was not just me looking at her with a proud brother’s eyes; I saw officers turning to look as she rushed up to me. She dressed flamboyantly with a hat at a racy angle. I was not sure that mother would have approved of her make-up.
She flung her arms around me and planted a bright red kiss on my cheek. She suddenly seemed to notice my broken arm and she stepped back. “Oh Bill, wounded again! You must take care of yourself!”
I was aware that Mary and Gordy were locked in each other’s arms. “Alice, this is Ted and Charlie, they are pilots in my squadron. Ted, Charlie, this is my little sister, Alice.”
She squealed with delight, “How delicious! I had worried that when Beatrice came I should be the lemon but here I am with two handsome officers to escort me.” She linked Ted and Charlie. “Come on Mary, we have so much to do this morning!”
My sister had become a force of nature and both Ted and Charlie were not only taken aback they were under her spell from the moment she spoke and linked them. She led them off towards Piccadilly. I waited until Mary and Gordy had had some private time and then Mary linked Gordy and me and we followed them.
Mary leaned in and spoke confidentially to me. “Your little sister is a pip, Bill. She has designed and made my wedding dress and dresses for her and Beattie. I don’t know what I would have done without her.”
“Is she managing down here then?”
“She is already a huge success. Lady Burscough’s friend is more than pleased with her. She has had a pay rise already.” She paused to kiss me on the other cheek. “There you have two red marks now!” She laughed. I looked over and saw how happy Gordy was. It helped me to make my mind up, finally. I would speak with Beattie before the leave was over. I had delayed long enough. “Beattie’s shift finishes at seven so we are meeting her at the Ritz.”
“The Ritz? That sounds expensive.” Gordy looked worried.
“It is! But we are not having a honeymoon so this will have to do and the wedding breakfast is at my house so we have saved money on that.” She became serious. “Oh don’t spoil it. It is Alice and Beattie’s idea. They wanted to make it a special night. And we couldn’t have done it without Bill here.”
“Me?”
“Yes, when we tried to book it we were told they were full until Beattie said that you would be one of the guests. She even had the photograph of the King giving you your medal and so they said they could accommodate us and would be proud to do so for a British Ace.”
I shook my head. I was just a pilot who had been luckier than most. “I don’t like all this fuss.”
Gordy laughed, “If it gets us treated like royalty then I am happy enough!”
We had a wonderful day and managed to see just about everything from the Houses of Parliament to Buckingham Palace. Alice insisted on taking us along the expensive shops in Bond Street and Burlington Arcade and then took us to a very fashionable dress shop where she showed us two of her dress designs in the window.
“Of course, until the war is over then we have to think about cost and be less ambitious but when the war is over… just watch me big brother.”
Both Ted and Charlie hung on her every word but it was Charlie who was definitely smitten. I hoped that Alice would not hurt him. I would have to have a word with her later on. I felt responsible for Charlie; he was vulnerable.
Late in the afternoon we parted. “Should we dress in civilian clothes or evening dress tonight?”
“Don’t you dare, our Bill! Wear your uniform and try to wear your hat at a jaunty angle. You are a hero! Look the part!”
Alice kissed us all goodbye as she hurried off to her lodgings. Mary laughed as she kissed Gordy. “She is a peach, Bill!”
Charlie seemed in a dream world as we walked back to the hotel. Ted chuckled. “Your Mary is right, Gordy. She’s like a breath of fresh air. I’d forgotten what it was like to laugh.”
They went ahead while I lit my pipe. Charlie asked, “Do you know if your sister has a young man, Bill?”
I stopped, “I don’t think so why?”
“She’s lovely.”
“You have only just met her.”
He replied, earnestly, “Oh I know. I am just saying she ought to have a young man. Any boy would be honoured to walk out with her. I know I felt ten feet tall when she linked me.”
I didn’t know what to say. Our Alice just liked fun. Perhaps she had only been pleasant with my two friends because they were my friends. I know Ted hadn’t taken any of it seriously but then he was much older than Charlie. I could not do much about it. I would seek the advice of Beatrice; she would know what to say. As we entered the hotel I wondered about Mary’s use of ‘Beattie’. Did she want me to call her by a shortened form of her name? I had only ever used Beatrice and she had never corrected me. I tapped my pipe out in an ashtray. I was just like Charlie- I was out of my depth.
Bates was sitting in the lounge drinking a cup of tea and reading a paper when I returned. He folded his paper and stood. “A good day, sir?”
“Excellent and tonight we dine at the Ritz.”
He nodded as we went up the stairs to our room. “And they will want you in your uniform I daresay.”
“How did you know that?”
He smiled, “Ladies like to be on the arm of a smart and handsome officer. That is you, sir. I will clean you uniform. You really need a decent spare sir.”
“I’ll go tomorrow and order one then.”
“That’s the ticket!” We entered my room. “Now I shall draw you a bath and I will have the worst of the marks off this by the time you are finished.”
I didn’t know how I had managed before Bates. He shaved you so closely, your face felt like a lady’s hand. He had also persuaded me, some time ago, to grow a moustache. He had trimmed it when I returned to the squadron and he did so again.
He stood back to admire me like a painting he had just finished. “There you are sir. I hope your young lady approves.”
“You can ask her yourself at the wedding.”
He seemed shocked, “I am invited?”
“Of course, you are a member of the squadron are you not?”
He seemed genuinely touched, “Thank you sir. I am honoured.”
We reached the Ritz before the ladies and stood outside smoking and admiring all the well dressed bright people who went in. We noticed that, while the women were all young, many of the men were almost old men.
Ted said, “Well I am an ugly old bugger but some of these chaps look positively ancient.”
Gordy laughed at him, “You are too stuck in your ways and you are a miserable old man. You’ll end your days as a bachelor.”
He brightened, “Then I will keep most of my money then?”
When the three ladies arrived, they came by car. Beatrice and Mary got out first and Alice leaned back in to kiss the driver on the cheek. I saw Charlie and his face fell. I think his heart broke in that instant. And then I forgot about Charlie completely for Beatrice was in my arms. “Oh you look so handsome!” She kissed me full on the lips. She reached up and whispered in my ear. “I have a week’s leave starting tomorrow afternoon.”
“That is wonderful news.” We walked through the entrance past the liveried doorman. Alice had linked Ted and Charlie again. “What about going up to Lancashire for a visit to see my home?”
She gave me a mischievous look. “Why, what is up there that I might want to see?”
I was crestfallen, “Well my family live there and I thought…”
“You thought what?”
“Well you and I, you know, we have been walking out and …”
I knew that I was being teased but I just didn’t know how to handle it. “And what? What are your intentions Captain Harsker?”
I was suddenly aware that we were in the sumptuous lobby of the Ritz, all chandeliers and bright lights and the others had stopped to remove their coats. They were all looking intently at me. “Well… er, well I want to marry you.”
Alice burst out laughing and came to kiss me on the cheek. “Our Bill that is the worst proposal I have ever heard. If Beattie accepts it then you are the luckiest man in the world!”
When I looked at Beatrice I saw that there was a look of joy on her face. She said huskily, “Of course I will and I think it was a lovely proposal. It was just like you.” I used my good arm to help her take her coat off and handed it to the attendant. “And now let us go and have some fun!”
It was the most spectacular place I had ever seen. When the manager heard that we were celebrating a proposal of marriage and a wedding he insisted on providing us with Champagne. It delighted Alice. The evening started off really well. Then I noticed that Charlie was looking down in the mouth. I waited until Beatrice and Alice had gone to the cloakroom and I asked, “What’s up Charlie?”
“It’s your sister. She obviously has a chap. She came in his car!”
Mary had overheard for she was sat on the other inside of me. She leaned over and touched Charlie’s hand. “That chap is the husband of the woman who Alice works with. He is old enough to be her father.” She smiled, “And Alice likes you.”
The change was remarkable. The grin never left his face all night. We were all a little drunk by the time the evening ended. I would not see Beattie again until the day of the wedding and I hugged her and kissed her as though I would never see her again. We had money for a taxi for the ladies as some rich gentleman had recognised both my medal and my name and insisted on paying the bill at the Ritz. The Head Waiter told us that the old man’s only son had died at Ypres. Everywhere we went were reminders of the war and its effects. The war was striking everyone. We had even heard of bombing raids over London! This was a new kind of war. The Germans seemed to be inventing many new ways of killing and it was indiscriminate.
We strolled unsteadily back to our hotel. It was a chilly night but we didn’t care. Charlie walked with me. He talked incessantly of the evening and the fun but mainly he spoke of Alice. He was drunk on Alice rather than the Champagne we had consumed and he bombarded me with questions about her. He had fallen for her. This was not a Gunbus this was an infatuation with my little sister who was as unpredictable as the weather. I just hoped that he knew how to land! Otherwise he could crash and burn.
Chapter 4
There were just the three of us in our carriage as the train chugged north. Charlie had decided to stay on in London for the rest of his leave. It seems my sister had become more important than his family. Alice seemed quite happy to show Charlie around when she had time from work. Ted went home and we left the love birds in Mary’s lovely little house where, I dare say, they would make up for the months apart.
The wedding had been charming. The handful of guests did not detract from the joy on Mary and Gordy’s faces. Bates had fussed around them like a mother hen after the ceremony. We had all returned to Mary’s to celebrate. She and Beatrice had made huge amounts of food and Bates saw to our every need.
He was still looking after us now as we made our way north. We would only have six days there for the train took a day to reach Burscough and we had to allow two to three days to get back to the airfield and France. A delay would mean that our comrades would not get a full leave.
Beatrice leaned over, “Do you think your mother will like me?”
“She will love you. Why do you ask?”
“Mothers have a tendency to view any woman as a threat.”
“Don’t be daft. Mum isn’t like that. Besides I am sure our Alice has already told her about you.”
She seemed mollified by that and we watched the rain shrouded land as we sped through the factories of the Midlands. I knew that all of them would be churning out material for the war. What would they make once the war was over? It was a sobering thought that this war was costing a fortune. The Gunbus could not be cheap to build and the squadron had got through almost twenty of them with losses and damage.
“Penny for them.”
“Oh sorry, I was just thinking about the waste of money that this war is.”
“I think it is a greater tragedy that we have damaged and lost so many fine young men. Think of all the futures there will never be. They lie in the mud of Flanders and France.”
We both looked up at Bates. He was a thoughtful soul. He listened well and when he spoke his words were worth hearing. “Quite right, Bates, the money is nothing.”
He stood. “Now you two talk about something more cheerful. There is a buffet car on this train. I shall go and get us a cup of tea eh?”
Once again we had managed to get a compartment to ourselves. After he had gone we risked talking of a future after the war. Gordy and Mary had made that leap. It was a risk for one never knew where one would fall. But we planned anyway.
After changing trains at Liverpool we managed to get the tea time train to Burscough. We arrived after dark and, as we pulled into the dimly lit station, I wondered how we would get to the cottage. Bates and I could walk but I couldn’t ask Beatrice to do so.
I helped her from the carriage while Bates brought the bags. I saw that there were boxes being unloaded from the guard’s van and I recognised old Harry from the hall. “Wait here would you?”
I ran down the platform. “Harry!”
He grinned when he recognised me, “Little Billy Harsker! And aren’t you looking smart. Home on leave are you? Your mam and dad aren’t expecting you.”
I suddenly felt guilty but if I had sent a telegram it might have upset them. “Yes, this is a surprise. Listen, there are three of us. Any chance of a lift?”
He nodded, “Aye if you don’t mind sitting in the wagon.”
“Anything is better than Shanks’ pony.”
“Get your stuff on board. It’ll be nice to chat to you. We don’t have many young lads round here anymore.”
Bates had to sit in the back with the boxes but he didn’t seem to mind. “Your mam and dad will be glad to see you. When your mam got that telegram we all thought that you were dead.”
I had forgotten that when I went missing there would have been a telegram. I felt even guiltier now. I had been so caught up in the wedding and Beatrice that I had forgotten my family at home. “But they know I am alive now don’t they?”
“Oh aye, Lord Burscough rang home and her ladyship went to see your mam. But they were all upset for a couple of days. Everybody was. You are quite famous; picture in the paper, met the king.” Once again I had a fame I had not sought.
We pulled up outside the cottage which seemed so tiny now. When we had been growing up we thought that having three bedrooms was a luxury. I wondered what Bates and Beatrice would make of it.
As we pulled up my dad came out with a lantern. I saw him shield his eyes as he tried to see who it was. “Is that you Harry? Is there a problem with Jess?” That was typical of my father. He worried about his horses even though he was semi-retired. Jess was one of his favourites.
“No Jack, I picked your Bill from the station.”
I jumped down into the light and shook dad’s hand. “Mother, it’s our Bill. He’s here in the flesh.”
I helped Beatrice down. “And this is Beatrice Porter, dad.”
My dad was not often stuck for words but he was then. Beatrice gave him a smile and shook his hand. “I am very pleased to meet you.”
Bates appeared and stood quietly behind us. “This is Airman Bates from my squadron.”
Harry had placed the bag at the door. “I’ll tell your Kath and his lordship that you are back.”
“His lordship is home?”
“Aye.” He nodded at my arm. “He’s picked up a wound too.”
He clambered up and clicked his tongue. Jess took the wagon along the track to the main house. The door opened and bathed u
s in light. My mother stood there looking older and frailer than I remembered. She began to cry as she threw her arms around me and sobbed into my chest. “Our Bill! We thought you were dead! I am glad you are safe.”
“I’m too stubborn to die, our mum.” She stepped back to look at me. “Could we put up my young lady and my friend? I am sorry I couldn’t let you know but…”
My mother’s good manners took over, “Of course, come on in. Father, go and put a kettle on for the hot water bottles.”
Beatrice was ushered in and Bates, said, “Let me help you with that Mr Harsker” and he and dad disappeared to fill the kettle.
Mum was just taking Beatrice’s coat when my words registered with her. “Young lady?”
I took Beatrice’s coat from mum and put it on the hook behind the door. I went up to them both and put my arms around them. “Yes, mum, my young lady. We are going to get married.”
I glanced at Beatrice and saw the look of apprehension flicker in her eyes. There was a moment of awkward silence and them mum grabbed me and kissed me on both cheeks before doing the same to a surprised Beatrice. “I am so pleased! Oh why didn’t you warn me? We could have had food in and a nice meal waiting and… father!”
She screeched it so loud that dad and Bates rushed in. “Whatever is the matter?”
“Our Bill is going to marry this young lady, Beatrice.”
Bless dad, he hugged Beatrice so hard I worried that she would break in two. “Well that calls for a celebration!”
Mum looked crestfallen, “We’ve nowt in!”
“I’ll nip up to the big house and have a word with our Sarah.”
“Eeeh you can’t, our Bill, that’s proper cheeky.”
I grabbed my great coat, “Shy bairns get nowt. Besides, you two can chat.”
I ran to the house. I was ecstatic. I don’t know why I had been worried. I should have had more faith in mum and dad. I rang the bell and Cedric, our Sarah’s husband, answered it. He smiled when he saw me. “Harry said that you were home. Good to see you.” He saw my broken arm. “You’ve been in the wars I see.”