The Spitfire Sisters

by Margaret Dickinson

  Each day during her time at home, Daisy had watched out for the postman. The family surmised she was waiting for letters from Johnny, but they were wrong. She was anxious to receive a reply to the letter she had written some weeks earlier when she’d first arrived home; a letter she didn’t want any of her family to see.

  Two days before her departure, it came. She slipped it into her pocket and then gave the rest of the mail to Wainwright. There were always quite a lot of letters received at the hall for various members of the family.

  When she read the letter in the privacy of her bedroom, she smiled. It was the answer she’d hoped for.

  Sixty-Four

  The CO at Hamble was very understanding towards both girls’ requests, when they asked to see her together. ‘Officially, the ATA isn’t disbanding until November,’ she told them, ‘but I see no reason to keep the two of you any longer. You both have such good reasons for wanting to get home.’ She smiled at Daisy. ‘And you have such an exciting event to plan, so I will put the necessary paperwork through as quickly as possible and you should both be able to leave by the end of August at the latest. This ferry pool will probably close in August anyway.’

  As it turned out, they were on their way home in the middle of August on the very day that Japan finally surrendered.

  ‘It’s over. It’s really over,’ Daisy said as the clattering train carried them home.

  ‘We’re back for good,’ she announced as she and Gill arrived at the hall. Gill was to stay for a few days so that Alice could fit her bridesmaid’s dress and then travel home to Yorkshire. ‘And Johnny and Luke are coming for the weekend, so we’ll all be together.’

  ‘My dears,’ Henrietta greeted them. ‘You are all most welcome. We’ll have a party on Sunday to celebrate’ – she laughed – ‘well, everything.’

  ‘You really shouldn’t do so much, Granny. There’s my wedding coming in just over a month . . .’

  ‘Of course I should. Besides, it’s really our wonderful staff who do all the work and it’ll only be a small get-together – like our Boxing Day gatherings. Just us, the Dawsons, Coopers and the Nuttalls. Oh, and Philippa will be home too, so it will be just perfect.’

  ‘Is she coming home for good?’

  ‘My dear Daisy, I have no idea what your aunt plans to do either now or in the future.’

  ‘Is Uncle Mitch coming too?’

  Henrietta blinked. ‘I really have no idea. Philippa hasn’t said.’

  ‘He’ll be coming to the wedding, of course. He’s the only relative that Johnny will have there.’

  Henrietta chuckled. ‘He’s a rapscallion, but I’m really quite fond of Mitch Hammond, though don’t tell him I said so.’

  The weekend was a glorious celebration for them all. The weather was perfect and their guests spilled out onto the front lawn.

  ‘Jake has been working so hard to remove the traces the horses left behind. They’ve gone back to grazing in the pastures now. Daisy, we must sit down together tomorrow and start planning the future of the estate. Once the wedding and your honeymoon are over, I want you to take over more responsibility.’

  ‘I’m looking forward to it, Granny.’

  ‘Where are you going to live?’ Bess, overhearing the conversation, asked. ‘Here, at the hall?’

  ‘They’d be welcome too, but I don’t believe young married couples should live with in-laws, even though there’s plenty of room. There’s a nice house on the far side of the village I want Daisy and Johnny to take a look at. If they like it, we can have it refurbished for them.’

  ‘You’re very lucky, Daisy. Not all young couples get such a good start. I expect Harry and Kitty will have to live with Peggy and Sam for a while. Or with the Pages.’

  ‘Actually, Bess . . .’ For once, Henrietta couldn’t hide her smile. ‘They don’t need to. There’s a cottage two doors away from you becoming vacant in a few weeks’ time. They’re welcome to have that, if they’d like it.’

  Bess’s eyes widened and her mouth formed a round ‘o’.

  ‘Goodness me, Bess,’ Henrietta said impishly. ‘Don’t tell me that bit of news had escaped your notice.’

  Bess roared loudly with laughter. ‘It had, Mrs Maitland. I must be losing me touch.’ Then she sobered. ‘You know, you’re so good to the folks in this village. I don’t know what we’d do without you.’

  ‘You’ll have to one day, Bess. We’re all only human, but I have every confidence that Daisy will carry on the tradition. She will care for the estate and everyone on it, just as I have done.’

  They both turned towards Daisy, who, as if making a solemn promise, said, ‘Of course I will.’

  Two days before the wedding, one of the guests arrived at the hall earlier than expected.

  ‘I’m sorry to arrive unannounced, Mrs Maitland.’

  ‘You’re always welcome, Mitch. There’s nothing wrong, is there?’

  Mitch grinned. ‘I hope not, but I am hoping you will help me in springing a little surprise on Pips on Daisy’s wedding day, and I really should ask for Daisy’s blessing too, seeing as it is her day.’

  Henrietta and Daisy were delighted to join in the intrigue. ‘You can hide it in the stables,’ Henrietta said. ‘Jake will make room for it.’

  ‘What a wonderful surprise, Mitch,’ Daisy said. ‘She’ll be thrilled.’

  ‘I’m bringing her up in my car the night before the wedding, so I don’t think she’ll go riding the next morning and see it by accident, do you?’

  Daisy chuckled. ‘I’ll make sure she’s kept busy helping me all morning so that she doesn’t have time.’

  Sixty-Five

  The day before the wedding was a flurry of activity. Gill, as Daisy’s only bridesmaid, arrived to stay at the hall whilst Johnny was to stay overnight with Peggy, Sam, Luke and Harry.

  ‘We don’t want you running into the bride on the landing on the morning of the wedding,’ Henrietta told him.

  Pips and Mitch arrived in Mitch’s car with their suitcases piled on the back seat.

  Just after dinner, as they all retired to the parlour, Daisy drew Henrietta to one side. ‘Granny, can I have a word?’

  ‘Of course, Daisy, what is it?’

  ‘I know you’ve worked very hard on the seating plan in the marquee, but could you squeeze in four more without too much trouble?’

  ‘I expect so, my dear. Who are they?’

  ‘Top secret, Granny. Please don’t ask, because I’m not telling anyone. Even my husband-to-be doesn’t know. Just – trust me, will you?’

  ‘Of course, but—’

  Daisy kissed her cheek. ‘You’re a darling . . .’ And then she hurried away.

  With a smile and a fond shake of her head, Henrietta went to tell Cook that there would be four more guests the next day.

  ‘That’ll not be a problem, Mrs Maitland,’ said a beaming cook, who was in her element. ‘There’s enough food to feed the whole village and half of Skellingthorpe as well. Everyone’s been very generous with their coupons.’

  Excitement reached fever pitch at the hall on the morning of the wedding. The only calm person amongst them all appeared to be the bride. Even the normally placid Alice was in a fluster just in case one of the dresses she had made so lovingly over the past few months didn’t fit. Only she, Pips and Gill were allowed into Daisy’s bedroom to help her dress. Even Henrietta could be seen hurrying between the house and the marquee on the lawn and back again, checking that everything was as she had arranged.

  ‘At least the weather’s fine. Oh here, let me do your tie for you, Robert. Alice is rather busy. Oh, there’s the front door bell. Who can that be?’

  ‘Wainwright will answer it, Mother.’

  ‘I’m not sure he will. I’ve never seen Wainwright in such a flap as he is this morning.’

  But even as she spoke, Wainwright hurried past them and opened the front door.

  ‘Good morning, Mr Wainwright. I hope we’re not too early.’

  Henri
etta and Robert stared at each other.

  ‘I know that voice,’ Robert began. ‘Surely . . .’

  Henrietta began to laugh as they both turned towards the front door to greet the new arrivals. ‘So, that’s who Daisy’s surprise guests are.’

  As she reached the front door, she held out her hands. ‘William! How wonderful to see you. Come in, come in, do. And this must be Brigitta – oh and your sons too. How perfectly marvellous.’

  ‘I hope we’re not imposing, Mrs Maitland, but Daisy said we were to come here this morning.’

  ‘Of course, of course. We must get some bedrooms ready . . .’

  ‘That’s very kind of you, but we’re staying in Lincoln for a week.’

  ‘Well, if you decide you want to stay longer, you must come here when all the excitement has died down a little.’ Henrietta smiled. ‘It’s so lovely to meet you all. You must certainly come to dinner one evening whilst you’re here. Please say you’ll at least do that?’

  ‘That would be grand, thank you.’

  ‘Now come into the parlour. Edwin is already there. Trying to get a bit of peace, I shouldn’t wonder, but we’ll soon put a stop to that. He’ll be so glad to see you all. Wainwright, please would you ask Sarah to bring us coffee?’

  Robert now shook hands with William, Brigitta, Pascal and Waldo. ‘It’s good to see you all again. My, you two have grown a bit since I last saw you and I’m glad you’ve all survived the war.’

  There was so much to say to one another that it was soon time for them all to leave for the church – all except Robert and Daisy.

  ‘It’s so nice that she’ll be able to walk to the church,’ Henrietta said, as she put on her hat. ‘We were all so afraid it would rain, but the weather is just perfect. Now, we must go. William, you must all sit with us.’

  The church was already crowded, but the sidesmen had valiantly kept the front pews vacant for the family. Moments before the bride was due, Alice slipped into her place and Pips took a seat next to Mitch, who had Milly, Paul and Jeff Pointer sitting with him. William sat beside Henrietta, grateful for her staunch support, and kept his gaze firmly fixed on the altar. He did not turn around even when the bridal march began and several heads turned to see Daisy walk up the aisle on her father’s arm.

  Johnny stood, tall and proud, at the altar steps with a smiling Luke beside him. They both turned to watch Daisy floating towards them. As she reached Johnny’s side, he took her hand and kissed it. ‘You look beautiful,’ he whispered.

  The service proceeded, the vows were made, the register signed and they were man and wife, walking triumphantly out of the church to the marquee where they stood to welcome all their guests. Robert, Alice, Henrietta and Edwin stood alongside them.

  ‘Mitch,’ Henrietta beckoned him as he entered the marquee, ‘you must stand with us as Johnny’s closest relative.’

  ‘His only relative here,’ Mitch murmured. ‘How my sister-in-law would have loved today. I did everything I could to try to persuade her to make the trip, but . . .’ He shrugged, signifying that his efforts had failed.

  Henrietta squeezed his hand. ‘Stand next to me and I will introduce you to everyone.’

  ‘I’ll never remember all the names,’ he laughed as the family, followed by all the residents of Doddington village, filed into the marquee.

  ‘No matter. They’ll remember you.’

  ‘That’s what I’m afraid of,’ he chuckled.

  Henrietta had spent a week sorting out the seating plan only to have it thrown into disarray by the arrival of William and his family. Luckily, she had been able to move the places on one side of the long tables placed at right angles to the top table down four places and to slot the new arrivals in. She had also tactfully avoided putting William anywhere near his parents, though she couldn’t help noticing, whilst they were all eating, that Norah’s gaze hardly ever left William and his family.

  As Johnny ended his bridegroom’s speech, he said, ‘There is just one other thing we’d like to tell you today.’ He glanced down at Daisy and took her hand. ‘As you know, Daisy is coming back to help her grandmother run the estate, as she always promised . . .’

  ‘Thank goodness for that,’ Robert said, and everyone laughed.

  ‘What you are perhaps all wondering about is what I am going to do. Well, in the immediate future, I shall still be in the RAF. Originally, I signed on for six years, but, of course, that became longer because of the war. I’ve no intention of staying on any longer than I have to now, but I don’t want to give up flying and nor does Daisy, so’ – a broad grin lit his face – ‘with my uncle Mitch’s help and guidance, we’re going to set up a flying school here in Lincolnshire. I’m sure that before long there will be quite a few disused airfields in the county that could be put to good use.’

  There was a ripple of surprise around the gathering, but approval too. Henrietta was beaming. ‘What a wonderful idea,’ she said.

  Luke’s Best Man’s speech was littered with funny anecdotes from Johnny’s experiences in the RAF, and then, suddenly, his voice became less light-hearted.

  ‘I would just crave your indulgence to tell you a little story. I do have Daisy’s permission.’ He glanced down at her and then, taking a deep breath, went on, ‘Most of you probably know – or have guessed by now – that when my Spitfire was damaged, I bailed out over enemy territory near a place called Dranouter, just inside the Belgian border. I was very lucky to meet a sympathetic farmer, who arranged for a fellow member of the local Resistance to take me to Ypres, where I made my way to my Uncle William’s farm, nearby. He and Aunt Brigitta hid me . . .’ He glanced at his grandfather, Len, as he said quietly, ‘They – and their son, Waldo, a member of the Resistance – saved my life at great risk to their own.’

  Len’s face displayed no emotion. Only Norah dabbed at her eyes with her handkerchief.

  ‘But luck was with us,’ Luke went on. ‘The German officer in charge of patrolling the area was called Hans. Aunty Alice – Uncle Robert – do you remember treating a young German boy at Christmas in 1914 during the unofficial truce? When both sides climbed out of their trenches and played football?’

  Alice and Robert glanced at each other and then nodded.

  ‘He was that officer and he remembered that it had been William who’d carried him from the trenches to your first-aid post where his foot had to be amputated to save his life. Of course, he then became a prisoner-of-war and was taken to the coast – by William again – and brought to England where, I’m happy to say, he said he was treated with great kindness, even though he was a POW.

  ‘He never forgot that you’ – Luke waved his hand towards William, Pips, Robert and Alice – ‘saved his life, and in return, he helped to save mine. He told William that I had to get away by a certain date when he was to be replaced by someone who would most certainly not be as lenient. Waldo, through his Resistance contacts, sent a coded message to England.’ He grinned suddenly. ‘One that I devised.’ He glanced at Pips again. ‘I knew from what Waldo told me about how the system worked that there was a good chance it would reach someone who would understand it. Luckily, it found its way to Aunty Pips and she knew at once that I was safe and, better still, exactly where I was. Arrangements were then made for me to be picked up by a member of the team who picked up our escapees or agents from enemy-occupied territory. Everything was in place and then the pilot who was coming broke his leg. At such short notice, there was no other official pilot available. There was only one person who could carry out such a dangerous mission; the one person who had advised them on the layout of Uncle William’s farm and had helped to plot the course.’ He turned to Daisy and his voice broke a little as he said, ‘My wonderful, courageous cousin, Daisy.’

  Daisy dropped her gaze and began to blush as a gasp of surprise flowed around the marquee.

  ‘Daisy?’ Henrietta said. ‘Daisy flew across to Belgium in the dead of night? Was she allowed to do that?’

  Luke smiled agai
n. ‘Officially, Aunty Hetty, no, but you know Daisy. Everyone’s always said she’s just like her Aunty Pips and that is exactly what Pips would have done.’ He turned to her. ‘Isn’t it, Aunty Pips?’

  Pips wriggled her shoulders. ‘Well, yes, I suppose it is.’

  Robert laughed. ‘No “suppose” about it. Of course she would have done and I would expect no less from Daisy. I’m very proud of you, my darling. Did you ever have to undertake another such rescue mission?’

  ‘No, but I would have done if I’d been asked.’

  ‘Would you have come to rescue me, Daisy?’ Harry piped up.

  Daisy chuckled. ‘Ah well, now, I’d’ve had to think about that one.’

  There was laughter around the marquee. As it died away Luke went on, ‘Flying Uncle Mitch’s Lysander, she defied all the rules and regulations, put herself in obvious danger from flak and enemy aircraft as well as landing in enemy-occupied territory. But she came. She came and picked me up and flew me back home.’ His voice broke again as he ended, ‘I owe my life to William and his family and to Daisy, and I can never repay them.’

  As he sat down, the applause was thunderous, but as it faded away, there was a murmur of surprise as Daisy stood up. ‘I know it’s not usual for the bride to say anything, but then I’m not usual, am I?’

  ‘Most definitely not,’ Robert said and laughter rippled again.

  Daisy turned to Luke. ‘You have repaid me, Luke. You and Johnny – and Gill – came to look for me when I bailed out of my unserviceable Spitfire on the last day of the war. But for the three of you, I would have died on that mountainside if I’d stayed there another night. So,’ she held out her hand towards him, ‘debt repaid in full.’

  Luke rose and came to her, but instead of taking her hand he kissed her on both cheeks.

  There was more applause, but now there were several folk wiping tears from their eyes. They had known very little of the danger their loved ones had been in – they could only guess at it at the time – but now they were hearing about it, they realized how close they had come to losing them.