Daisy flew low over the lights and felt the wheels touch the ground and bump along the grass field. When she knew there was enough length for take-off she turned the aircraft and then stopped to wait . . .
They were all running towards her. Waldo was the first to reach the aircraft. He shone a torch. ‘My God! A woman.’
Daisy grinned down at him. ‘Hello. Waldo, isn’t it?’
He gasped. ‘You – you know me?’
Before she could answer, William and Luke arrived beside him, gaping up at her.
‘Good Lord,’ Luke said. ‘Daisy!’
‘Sorry, no time for chat. Get in, Luke. We must go.’
As he climbed aboard, Daisy looked down at William. ‘Thanks, Uncle William. I hope this doesn’t cause you trouble.’
‘We’re fine, Daisy. Give them all my love at home, won’t you? Take care . . .’
As Luke strapped himself into the passenger seat, Daisy revved the engine and the plane began to move down the field. It gathered speed and lifted into the air. The whole operation had taken only minutes.
For a moment, William, Waldo and their helpers watched the aircraft fly away.
‘Come on,’ Waldo said, ‘we’d better get out of here. Father—’ Briefly he gripped William’s arm. ‘I’m going to disappear for a while – just in case. I’m going to join Pascal in the south. You and Mother take care of yourselves.’ And then he and his fellow Resistance workers were gone, melting into the darkness.
In the air, Luke shouted from the passenger seat. ‘It’s so good to see you, Daisy. But why you?’
‘It’s a long story,’ she shouted back. ‘I’ll explain when we get home.’
Now Luke fell silent. He knew, more than anyone, how Daisy would need to concentrate to get them both home safely.
As they approached the French coast, in the moonlight they could see shell bursts ahead, black puffs of smoke.
‘I didn’t get any of this when I came,’ Daisy said.
‘We’re trained to change our course frequently, then their guns can’t keep you in their sights.’
‘I’ll try it,’ Daisy said, as a shell burst quite close to the aircraft. After a few seconds, she altered course again, but this time she felt a jolt as a shell burst very close. The aircraft shuddered, but Daisy managed to steady it. It was a frightening few minutes until they were out of the range of the guns.
‘Well done, Dais,’ Luke said. They both heaved a sigh of relief as they saw the Channel shining in the moonlight below them. The sky was lightening as they crossed the English coast and Daisy turned towards Brooklands.
Mitch, Johnny and Jeff were outside again now, scanning the sky worriedly.
‘They should be back by now, shouldn’t they?’ Johnny muttered, but the dawn was silent; only the sound of birdsong disturbed the stillness.
‘Give it time,’ Jeff murmured. ‘We’re all anxious, I know, but—’
‘Listen!’ Mitch said suddenly.
They were all still, straining to hear.
‘Yes, they’re coming. I can hear an aircraft coming in from the south-east.’
‘That should be them.’
The noise grew louder and then they could see the Lysander coming in. Wordlessly, the three men grasped each other’s shoulders and when Daisy landed the aircraft smoothly, they ran across the grass. As she switched off and she and Luke climbed out, open arms were waiting to catch them as they jumped down.
‘Oh Daisy, Daisy.’ Johnny held her tightly, his voice breaking with emotion. ‘Thank God you’re safe. Luke, old chap . . .’ He reached out and grasped Luke’s hand. ‘It’s good to see you.’
‘Come on, let’s get you something to eat,’ Mitch said, but they could all hear the relief in his voice.
‘I can’t believe it was Daisy who came.’ Luke shook his head. ‘I still haven’t heard the whole story.’
‘It shouldn’t have been her at all and I just hope she’s not going to expect to make a habit of it. I’ll probably get a right royal rollicking all round for this,’ Jeff said ruefully, ‘but it’s good to see you safe and sound. And we really had no choice. Our contact over there said you were in imminent danger.’
‘Your contact,’ Luke said, ‘is our cousin, Waldo. He and Pascal are both members of the Resistance. Pascal is in the south of France and Waldo is going down to join him for a while just in case there are any repercussions from this.’
‘What about Uncle William and Aunt Brigitta?’ Daisy asked as they all climbed into Mitch’s car and headed to his home. ‘Could they be in trouble?’
‘I think they’ll be OK, but you’re right. If I hadn’t got out today, I would probably have been arrested.’
Mitch’s housekeeper Mrs Pearson was waiting for them, ready to cook them all a huge breakfast.
‘You shouldn’t have come this early, Mrs Pearson,’ Mitch admonished her gently.
‘Oh, you know me, Mr Hammond. I’m always up with the lark and I knew your visitors would want a good breakfast. You sit down and leave it all to me.’
Now the fear and the anxiety were over, they all ate hungrily whilst Luke told them all about what had happened to him since he’d bailed out of his aircraft.
‘I was sorry to lose a Spit, but it was on fire. I hadn’t any choice.’
‘Of course you didn’t,’ Jeff said. ‘Go on.’
He ended his tale by saying, ‘I had a helluva lot of luck, really, when you think about it, starting with the fact that the very first farmer who found me was friendly. If he hadn’t been, it might have been a very different story. But the Belgians are very helpful towards the Brits. They haven’t forgotten the last war yet and then there was the fact of it being Hans who was there.’
‘That was a lucky coincidence, wasn’t it?’
Luke shook his head. ‘Actually, it wasn’t a coincidence at all. Hans can’t be on active service because of his injury, but he’d asked for a posting to Ypres. He just wanted to go back, though he hadn’t expected to find Uncle William there – or me! Anyway, he’s certainly repaid his debt now.’
‘Will he be in trouble, do you think?’
‘I hope not, but he did take an enormous risk to help us, though I don’t think anyone can trace my escape back to him. He would only be in trouble, perhaps, because he wasn’t vigilant enough. He’ll be leaving today, which is probably for the best. But to be honest, I don’t think Daisy’s arrival and departure was noticed. I just hope all those who helped me – Waldo and the three Resistance workers – got back to safety all right.’
‘Will Waldo let us know?’
Luke shook his head and Jeff agreed. ‘I don’t think so. They try to keep messages to an absolute minimum.’
‘The more radio contact they have,’ Jeff explained, ‘the more vulnerable they are to being located.’
‘Does Gill know about all this?’ Luke asked suddenly. ‘And what about the folks at home?’
Daisy shook her head. ‘They all know you’re alive, but not exactly safe and, no, only we know about tonight. Johnny was on sick leave anyway and Jeff organized with my boss for me to have leave.’ She glanced at him. ‘How much did you have to tell her?’
‘Not much. She understands the need for secrecy.’ He grinned. ‘She knows what I do.’
‘What about Pips?’
They all laughed. ‘She was the one who understood what Waldo’s first message meant, but she doesn’t know what’s happened since.’
‘I expect she’ll find out – eventually,’ Mitch said dolefully. ‘And then I’d better keep my head down.’
Daisy laughed. ‘Don’t you worry about Aunty Pips. She’d have done exactly what I’ve done.’
Mitch chuckled. ‘I don’t doubt it for a minute, but letting you do it is a bit different.’
Quite serious now, Jeff said, ‘I don’t think I need to tell you that you mustn’t say a word about this to anyone at home – apart from Pips and maybe Gill – not until the war is finally over. I know it’ll be tempt
ing to tell them about Daisy’s daring rescue, but it could compromise William’s position and certainly Waldo’s. Just tell them some vague story. I’m sure you’ll think of something plausible.’
They all nodded solemnly and Daisy said, ‘My folks are pretty good. They know not to ask for details about anything. I’m not really sure they know exactly what I do and they certainly don’t know what Pips is doing. Even I don’t.’
‘Well, as soon as I’ve reported back and been debriefed, I’ll be asking for some leave to go home,’ Luke said and glanced at Daisy. ‘Why don’t you and Gill see if you can get some time off and come home too? You too, Johnny, if you can. It’d be wonderful to all be together.’
‘That’s a great idea. Why don’t we get in touch with Harry? See if he can make it too.’ Daisy looked at Mitch. ‘And why don’t you get in touch with Pips and you both come up? Granny would love to have a houseful.’
‘Oh, I don’t know.’ Mitch seemed strangely reticent.
Daisy chuckled. ‘You’ll have to face her some time. Why not get it over with?’
‘It’s not just that. I – I haven’t seen her since – George’s funeral.’
‘Then,’ Daisy said firmly, ‘it’s high time you did.’
Fifty-Two
When Daisy first told her what had been happening, Gill was a little put out. ‘You might have told me.’
‘The fewer people who knew about it, the better. Besides, there were enough people worrying about it.’
‘I’m amazed they let you go.’
‘They didn’t want to, but in the end they had no choice. It was that or leave Luke there.’
‘Oh Daisy, how brave you are.’
‘You’d have done just the same – for Luke – now wouldn’t you?’
‘I’d like to think so, but – oh Daisy . . .’ She flung her arms round her dearest friend as tears of relief flooded down her face. ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you. I can’t wait to see him.’
It was then that Daisy told her about her idea for them all to try to get leave at the same time and go to Lincolnshire. ‘If only it works.’
Miraculously, it seemed to all of them, it did. They all got leave together for a whole week. Even Pips was able to get leave from Bletchley Park. She went to stay for the first night with Milly from where Mitch picked her up in his car. He was nervous about seeing her and when she opened the door to him and they stood staring at each other for a moment, he found he was holding his breath.
‘I don’t know whether to slap you or kiss you,’ she said with a sudden grin.
‘I’d prefer the latter,’ he said, still holding her gaze.
As she invited him in, she said, ‘I suppose I should be angry with you for allowing such an escapade, and in your Lysander too, but I can’t be. She got Luke home – and only just in time, by the sound of it. Oh Mitch, thank goodness they’re both safe.’
‘And so say all of us,’ he said wryly. ‘I was so afraid you’d never forgive me, especially if something had gone dreadfully wrong.’
Pips shrugged. ‘It’s wartime, Mitch. We all do things we shouldn’t when push comes to shove.’
He touched her cheek with gentle fingers as he said huskily, ‘You certainly did last time. I wouldn’t be here now, if it hadn’t been for you.’
‘Oh phooey,’ she said and they both laughed.
‘Come on in. Milly’s got lunch ready for us before we set off north.’
It was the best way the week could have started for Pips and Mitch. With Milly’s delightful manner and constant chatter, they were soon both at ease with each other, and by the time they set off in Mitch’s car, it was as if any constraint between them had never happened.
It was an idyllic week for all of them in Doddington. Luke and Harry naturally stayed with Sam and Peggy whilst Pips, Johnny, Mitch and Gill and, of course, Daisy stayed at the hall, but they met up all the time.
‘We must have a party,’ Henrietta said happily. ‘I’ll invite the Dawsons, the Coopers and the Nuttalls, just like we do on Boxing Day. We must take advantage of us all being together.’ She did not say the words aloud, but it was in her mind that an occasion like this might never happen again. Whilst they were all safely home just now, the war was still raging over much of the world and Luke being posted missing had shaken them all.
Gill spent a lot of the time at the Nuttalls’ house and the more they saw of her, the more Peggy and Sam liked her. They took to Johnny too, but eyed Harry warily to see if he had any problem with the young man who was now so obviously Daisy’s boyfriend.
But Harry was his usual self, flirting with the girls in the village and every day sending off a letter addressed to a different WAAF.
‘Just how many girlfriends have you got, Harry?’ his mother asked.
‘Lost count,’ he said cheerfully. ‘Safety in numbers and all that.’
‘Is there no one special?’ Peggy persisted.
For a brief moment, a shadow crossed his face but it was gone in a flash. ‘They’re all special, Mam. Each and every one of them.’
‘Kitty Page from the village is always on my doorstep, asking after you. She’s such a nice girl – and pretty too.’
Harry pretended to give his mother’s words serious thought. ‘You’re right, Mam, she is. I’ll take her out one evening. Make her day.’
‘Oh you!’ Peggy laughed.
They all went riding, taking it in turns to use the horses in the stables at the hall. Jake was in his element showing Pips and Daisy all that he’d been doing in the grounds to help the war effort.
‘I see you’ve ploughed up the croquet lawn and the front lawn is being used for grazing,’ Pips said evenly. Jake glanced at her. ‘We’ll soon get it right again, Miss Pips, when all this is over.’
‘I know,’ she said gently. ‘I’m just sad to see it, that’s all, but it has to be done.’
On the first morning after their arrival, Luke took Gill to the Dawsons’ cottage. Norah flung her arms around him and wept against his shoulder. ‘Oh Luke, I thought we’d never see you again.’
‘Be a good job when all this nonsense is over and you can come back and take up your work again,’ Len said gruffly, but as he gripped his grandson’s shoulder, there were tears in his eyes. ‘You and Harry,’ he added, almost as an afterthought.
As they walked home, Luke was unusually quiet until he suddenly burst out, ‘Gill, will you marry me?’
Gill gasped and then stopped walking as they turned to face each other. ‘Yes, I will, Luke, but not until all this is over.’
‘But we can get engaged, can’t we?’
‘Of course.’
‘Ought I to speak to your father?’
Gill burst out laughing. ‘Only as a matter of courtesy. I’m a grown girl and you don’t have to ask his permission.’
Luke grinned. ‘I know, but he’d expect it, wouldn’t he?’
‘I don’t know about “expect”, but I’m sure he’d like it.’
‘We’ll go into Lincoln tomorrow and I’ll buy you a ring. Then we’ll announce it at Aunty Hetty’s party on Saturday.’
Gill laughed. ‘You certainly know how to sweep a girl off her feet.’
In the quiet stillness of the lane, Luke pulled her towards him to kiss her.
A little later as they walked on, Gill said, ‘Of course, there’ll be the problem of where we’re to live. That’s one thing my father will expect; that I go back and help run the farm. One day it will be mine.’
‘And one day my grandfather’s business will be mine,’ Luke murmured. He laughed. ‘But let’s not worry about all that yet. Let’s just enjoy now.’
Johnny did not actually propose to Daisy, but there was a tacit understanding between them. It was as if they didn’t dare speak about the future in case it tempted fate. They, too, were living – and loving – for the moment.
At Henrietta’s party on the Saturday night before they were all due to leave the following morning, Luke tapped a glass t
o attract everyone’s attention. When there was silence, he cleared his throat. ‘I have an announcement to make.’ He took Gill’s hand as he added, ‘Gill and I are engaged to be married. I hope you’ll be happy for us.’
After a moment’s surprised silence, everyone clapped and cheered but Len’s harsh voice rose above the excited chatter.
‘What on earth d’you want to go and do a damned fool thing like that for?’
Len’s outburst had put a dampener on what had been a wonderful occasion for all the families whose young ones were away fighting the war, each in their own way, and Gill was still worrying about it the following morning when they were preparing to leave.
‘I’m so sorry your grandfather took it like that.’
Luke didn’t seem to be worried. ‘When the war started, he told me that if I joined the RAF he would disown me. Now, it seems, he’s changed his mind.’
‘But . . .’
Luke silenced her with his lips, murmuring, ‘No “buts”, my darling, it will all work out. You’ll see.’
As they all departed in a flurry of ‘goodbyes’, Mitch took Henrietta’s hand and raised it to his lips. ‘Thank you for your hospitality, Mrs Maitland.’
Her eyes twinkled mischievously at him. ‘It’s good to see you again, Mitch. You’re welcome here any time.’
‘That’s very kind of you,’ he said. ‘I might very well take you up on that.’
‘I’m sure you will,’ Henrietta said dryly. Their eyes met and they exchanged a look that spoke volumes but neither said another word.
Mitch drove Pips back to London, leaving her at Milly’s apartment to spend the night there before she had to return to Bletchley Park. As they said ‘goodbye’, Mitch was strangely hesitant. ‘When might we meet again?’
Pips wrinkled her forehead, reading nothing more into his question than a casual enquiry between two friends. ‘I really can’t say, Mitch. We don’t get a lot of leave. I’ve been extraordinarily lucky to get a whole week just now.’ She chuckled. ‘I’ll have to keep my head down for a while. Tell you what, I’ll telephone you if I get any time off. That’s if you don’t mind driving down to meet me.’
The Spitfire Sisters Page 32