‘Dad,’ Luke began as the family sat down to their supper. ‘I hope this won’t rebound on you, but I’m going down to London on Friday evening to stay with Aunty Pips and she’s invited Harry to go too.’
Harry, sitting opposite, stared at him, his mouth open. ‘Has she? Why?’
Luke grinned at him across the table. ‘Because she’s going to take us both to Brooklands to see a Spitfire flying.’
Harry’s eyes sparkled. ‘Really?’
‘Yes, really?’
‘What about Daisy?’
‘She’ll be there too. So will Gill. We’ll all be staying at Aunty Pips’s.’
‘What about him?’
‘Johnny? He’ll be at Brooklands with some of his RAF mates, but not at Aunty Pips’s.’
Harry pulled a face. ‘Well, I suppose we can’t stop him going there, can we?’
‘No, it’s a free country.’
Luke turned back to Sam. ‘So, do you mind, Dad? I wouldn’t want Granddad to take it out on you if we both go.’ When Sam and Peggy had first got married, Luke had always called Sam by his Christian name, but over the years it had come naturally to the boy to call him ‘Dad’.
Sam grinned. ‘Don’t even think about it, Luke. You go. Both of you. I half wish I could go with you.’
‘Well, perhaps—’
Sam held up his hand. ‘No, no, I’m only joking. I’ll hold the fort here. You two go and enjoy yourselves. How are you going to get there? By train?’
Luke grinned. ‘No, on my motorcycle. Harry will ride pillion.’
‘Oh,’ Peggy said. ‘Do be careful, it’s a long way.’
‘We’ll be fine, Mam. Don’t worry.’
There was really nothing Len could do to stop them, though he grumbled and groused and made his feelings abundantly clear. ‘Always wanting to go gallivanting.’
They set off after work on the Friday evening and sped down to London with Harry clinging onto Luke’s waist. It was late when they arrived but both Pips and George were waiting up for them.
‘The girls are here, but they’ve gone to bed,’ Pips said in a low voice. ‘They’ve both been working so hard, they’re shattered. Now, come into the kitchen. I’ve made sandwiches for you.’
Everyone was up early the following morning and Pips listened to the non-stop chatter between the four youngsters as she cooked breakfast for everyone.
‘Are we going down by train, Aunty Pips?’ Daisy asked.
‘No. George’s car is a big one. You four will easily be able to squash into the back seat.’
At Brooklands they were met by Milly and Paul, who took them to the best viewpoint to watch the display.
Harry gazed around him in wonderment and asked all sorts of questions about the car and motorcycle racing and about the various flying schools that operated there.
‘Uncle Mitch has a school here and Jeff Pointer works for him,’ Daisy explained. ‘He’s an instructor. He taught Aunty Pips to fly and then me.’
‘He took me up too,’ Luke said.
‘And me,’ Gill put in.
‘Can I get a flight whilst we’re here, d’you think?’
‘Don’t be cheeky, Harry,’ Luke said swiftly. ‘Aunty Pips is doing enough for us.’
‘Oh, she won’t mind,’ Daisy said airily. ‘Though I don’t think you’ll get one today with the display on. But I’ll ask Aunty Pips if we can come back tomorrow, if you like.’
‘No, you’d better not, Dais,’ Harry said. ‘I wasn’t thinking. I’d be in trouble back home if they knew I’d asked.’
‘Hello, you lot,’ a cheerful voice said behind them and Luke and Harry groaned inwardly, but they plastered smiles on their faces.
‘Hello, Johnny.’
‘It’s great to see you all here. Hi, Daisy – Gill. We’re in for a real treat. We’re definitely going to see the Spitfire fly and we might see a Wellington, though whether one will fly, I don’t know.’
‘What’s a Wellington?’ Harry said before he thought not to show his ignorance.
But Johnny was not one to embarrass anyone and he said kindly, ‘It’s a bomber being made by Vickers at their factory here. Now, where’s Aunty Pips? I’ve got a message for her from my uncle.’
‘She’s over there with Uncle George, Milly and Paul,’ Daisy said, pointing.
‘Ah, right. I must have a word. See you all later.’
‘Not if we can help it,’ Harry muttered, though only Luke heard him and cast him a warning glance.
They watched Johnny cross the grass to talk to Pips. They saw him gesticulating towards them and then Pips nodded. Johnny turned, grinned at them and gave them the thumbs-up sign.
‘What’s he up to?’ Harry muttered.
‘I don’t know,’ Luke murmured. ‘But we’re about to find out. Aunty Pips is coming over.’
Pips was smiling as she reached them. ‘You’re all in luck. Mitch has sent word that if we come back tomorrow, he’ll treat you all to a free flight. Jeff will take you up one by one.’
The four young people glanced at each other. ‘That’s very generous of him,’ Luke said. ‘Is he sure?’
‘There’s one thing about Mitch Hammond, Luke. If he didn’t mean it, he wouldn’t offer. And Milly’s also said that after the display today, her father has given permission for her to take us into the Vickers factory where you can see aeroplanes being built. Now, come along, let’s ensure we’ve a good place to watch the display. I think it’s about to start.’
The spectators were entranced by the Spitfire. They watched it performing amazing, acrobatic manoeuvres and listened to the sound of its engine.
‘It sounds like a huge cat purring,’ Harry said.
‘What a wonderful aeroplane,’ Luke muttered, his eyes shining. ‘It’d be magnificent in aerial combat. I hope I get to fly one of those one day.’
Daisy sighed. ‘Me too. Though I can’t see it happening for a girl.’
‘You never know. Maybe Uncle Mitch will buy one and let you have a go.’
Daisy chuckled. ‘I think a Spitfire would be out of the reach of even Uncle Mitch’s pocket.’
As the display ended, Milly rounded everyone up and led them towards the huge Vickers factory.
Stepping inside, they all gasped to see row upon row of the huge aircraft in various stages of production. They marvelled at the massive skeletal fuselages in the process of being covered with fabric.
‘Now, that’s what I call an aeroplane,’ Harry said. ‘That’s what I’d like to fly.’
‘But they’re bombers, Harry,’ Daisy said. ‘You wouldn’t want to drop bombs on people, would you?’
‘If we were attacked or we go to war, I’d do anything to defend our country. Anything at all.’ For once they could all see that Harry – the ebullient joker – was very serious.
‘Let’s hope that never happens,’ Pips said. ‘Now, come along, let’s find something to eat.’
As she shepherded them towards the clubhouse, George and Milly fell behind. ‘Does Pips realize how serious the situation is, George?’ Milly asked.
‘Of course she does, but, like the rest of the nation, we’re trying to get on with our lives until something happens.’
‘But behind the scenes we’re getting prepared, aren’t we?’
Solemnly, George nodded. ‘I’m very much afraid, Milly dear, that it’ll all become very necessary.’
Milly’s glance went to the two young men walking with Daisy and Gill in front of them.
‘And it’ll all fall on their shoulders, won’t it?’
Huskily, George said, ‘I’m afraid so and even the girls will be involved.’
Milly nodded. ‘I know, but at least the girls won’t have to fly those aeroplanes we’ve just been watching because, magnificent though they are, let’s be honest about it, in a war situation, they’re nothing more than killing machines.’
George nodded solemnly and, not for the first time, he marvelled at Milly’s intuition. As Pips had always said, there was a lot more to Milly than people gave her credit for.
‘So, did you both have a good time?’ Sam asked Harry and Luke when they returned home.
‘Dad – it was wonderful.’ Harry, his eyes shining, launched into a detailed account of all that they had seen and done. Smiling, Luke let him talk. It had all been so new and fascinating to Harry.
‘And did you enjoy the flying?’ Peggy asked.
‘It was superb. Now I know what Daisy and Luke have been rabbiting on about, but I’d like to fly in one of the big bombers we saw.’
Peggy shuddered and glanced at Sam, who said slowly, ‘I don’t want to sound mean, Harry, old chap, but I hope you never get the chance.’
Far from taking offence, Harry nodded, solemnly. ‘Yes, I know what you’re saying, Dad, because if I did, then it would mean that we’re at war.’