A few days later, Luke came home on a seventy-two-hour leave, but there was no sign of Harry.
‘D’you know what he’s doing, Luke?’ Sam asked. ‘Because we never hear a word from him.’
‘He’s training to fly bombers, as far as I know.’
‘Do you know where he is at the moment?’
Luke shook his head. ‘No, but I’ll try and find out for you, if I can.’ He paused and then said, ‘I’m being posted to the south coast. That’s why I’ve got leave to come home. It – it might be a while before I see you again.’
He watched his parents as they glanced at each other and then looked back at him. ‘You’re not daft, either of you, so I’m not going to hide anything from you. You went through the last war, so you know better than us young ones just what war is all about and I think we’re about to find out for ourselves. As you know, Italy declared war on the Allies in the middle of June and, a week later, Churchill announced that Britain fights on alone. It’s thought – and I suppose I’m asking you not to discuss this with anyone else – that Germany intends the Luftwaffe to get control of the skies as a prelude to invading England.’ He took a deep breath. ‘So, if that is the case, there’s only the RAF to stop them.’
Peggy gulped and covered her mouth with trembling fingers. She tried to stop her tears from flowing, but couldn’t. Luke crossed the space between them and put his arms around her. ‘You’d rather I was honest with you, wouldn’t you?’
She nodded against his shoulder, but could not speak.
‘I’m flying a Spitfire – the best little fighter aeroplane there is. I’m sure Daisy and her mates will soon be bringing them to us as they’re made – though they’re not allowed to fly Hurricanes and Spitfires yet. And all that’s thanks to the collecting that the civilian population is doing. And then there’s Harry waiting with his bomber. How can we possibly fail, Mam, with the Doddington gang out in force?’
Peggy tried to laugh, but it came out as a sob.
Sam gripped Luke’s shoulder and said huskily, ‘I’ll look after her, Luke. You just take care of yourself. That’s all we ask.’
Flying at the designated height above the ground, Daisy had no such worries. Her days were filled with delivering aircraft safely to their destination. Secretly, she was rather enjoying her war, but she would not have uttered such a thing to another soul, even though she was still flying the draughty Tiger Moths to wherever they were needed. But in a week or so’s time, she and Gill were to go to Upavon for further training. Maybe then . . .
She landed at Duxford, taxied to where she was directed and climbed out, taking the hand an RAF pilot held out to her. As she jumped to the ground, she looked up into his face.
‘Good Lord. You!’
Johnny grinned at her. ‘You’ve no idea how many ferry pilots I’ve greeted over the past fortnight hoping it would be you. Come on. I’ll take you to the mess and get you a slap-up meal.’
Daisy glanced at her watch. ‘Is the Fox Moth here yet? Gill’s piloting it today.’
The Fox Moth, still an open-cockpit aircraft, had an enclosed cabin below that could carry four passengers. It was used as a taxi to pick up pilots so that they could return to base all the more quickly to deliver more aircraft. Today, Gill was piloting the taxi.
Johnny glanced about him. ‘I don’t think so. I haven’t seen it. Anyway, aren’t there more pilots to come in yet, for it to collect?’
Daisy grinned. ‘Yes, at least two that I know of, so “Lead on, McDuff”.’
‘Oh my! Bacon, eggs, sausages, fried bread and mushrooms. You certainly know how to spoil a girl, Johnny Hammond.’
‘How’s the rationing affecting your family?’
‘Not too badly, I think. ’Course, living in the country, things are a little easier for us. Everyone in the village is digging up their flower borders and planting more vegetables.’
‘Ah yes, “Dig for Victory”. Is your grandmother coping without you?’
‘Granny will always cope, Johnny, but, yes, she’s doing fine. She’s got a lot more to do with all the Ministry of Agriculture directives coming through regularly, but she still finds time to lead the local branch of the WVS, though Mummy helps her a lot with that.’
‘And what about Luke? Do you hear from him?’
‘Now and again. Did you know Harry’s joined the RAF too?’
‘Really?’
Daisy nodded. ‘I’ve no idea where either of them are, though I do know Luke’s been posted down south somewhere.’
‘Right,’ Johnny said vaguely. He was quiet for a few moments, watching her eat. As she cleared the plate and laid down her knife and fork, he said, ‘Daisy, are you delivering a lot to airfields in the south?’
‘All over the country really, but, yes, now that you mention it, we do take a lot to southern aerodromes. Why do you ask?’
He leaned closer and lowered his voice. ‘We’re doing a lot of flying over France now – since the Dunkirk evacuation – and we can see for ourselves that the German Luftwaffe is gathering on the French coast. Everyone here is pretty sure they’re going to try to get control of the skies prior to a land invasion and there’re only us fighter pilots – and our bombers – to prevent an invasion because, despite all his posturing, I believe that’s what Hitler intends.’
‘I agree. I never did believe his “peace” moves. He wants to dominate the whole world.’ She was quiet for a moment before muttering, ‘God help us all, if he ever gets here.’
Johnny reached across the table and clasped her hand. ‘It’s up to us to stop it, Daisy. Me, Luke, Harry and the rest. And you too, Daisy. You and your fellow ferry pilots. You’ve got to keep bringing us the aircraft we need.’
‘We will – if only they’ll let us loose on the aircraft you really need. The Hurricanes and Spitfires.’
Johnny sighed. ‘I know – and they really ought to let you fly those too. But just think of it this way. At least by flying the other types of aircraft, you’re freeing up the men to fly the combat aircraft.’
Daisy pulled a face. ‘I suppose so,’ she agreed reluctantly.
‘Where are you based? Maybe I can come over to see you when I get leave?’
‘Still at Hatfield at the moment.’
His face lit up. ‘Why, that’s no distance. Not on my motorcycle. Look . . .’ He fished in his pocket for a scrap of paper and a stubby pencil. ‘Here’s a telephone number you can ring when you know you’re going to be off duty. I’ll do my best to wangle some leave.’
As Daisy tucked the paper into her pocket, Johnny said, ‘You look awfully smart in that uniform. It suits you.’
As they left the mess hall, Daisy looked up towards the noise of a Fox Moth coming in to land. ‘There’s my taxi.’
‘Have you any more deliveries today?’
‘Yes, one to Tangmere.’
As the Fox Moth’s pilot climbed out, took off her helmet and shook out her hair, Daisy said, ‘Here’s Gill.’
‘Hey, you two,’ Gill called out cheerily. ‘Was this planned?’
‘No,’ they chorused.
‘Well, it should have been,’ Gill chuckled.
‘I didn’t know he’d be here,’ Daisy protested, but she was laughing as she said it.
A little sheepishly, Johnny said, ‘But I’ve been watching out for weeks, hoping she’d make a delivery here.’
Gill stepped between them and linked arms. ‘Right, I’m gagging for a cuppa. Are the other two girls here yet?’
‘One is. Violet – but there’s no sign of Ivy,’ Johnny said.
‘I know Violet, but I don’t think I’ve met Ivy,’ Daisy added.
‘She’s new. Only arrived yesterday straight from training.’ Gill glanced worriedly at the sky. ‘I hope she’s all right.’
‘She’ll be fine. It’s not as if it’s bad weather for her first delivery, is it?’
‘Mm.’ Gill paused and then, with a final glance at the sky, said, ‘Right, let’s go and find that tea whilst we wait.’
Violet joined them at their table and the four chatted amiably for over an hour until Gill said, ‘I’d better ring our ops manager and ask what I ought to do. No good delaying any longer.’
‘I think that’d be a good idea,’ Daisy said. ‘I’ve got another delivery to make this afternoon and you know we have to land before dark. It’ll probably mean I’ll have to stay overnight.’
‘Go to the office, Gill. They’ll let you ring from there,’ Johnny said. He turned back to Daisy. ‘You’ll have to bring an aircraft here late one afternoon and stay the night, Daisy.’
‘We have to do as we’re told, don’t we, Violet?’ Daisy said primly, but her eyes were sparkling as she said it.
‘I haven’t known you and Gill long, but I get the distinct feeling that that’s not always the case.’ Violet got up. ‘I’m just going to powder my nose. Won’t be a minute.’
As the girl moved away, Daisy said, ‘By the way, I haven’t asked you how Uncle Mitch is?’
‘He’s fine. Got himself involved with fire watching in London. And – don’t tell a soul, Daisy – but he and Jeff have got involved in something highly secretive.’
‘Really? A bit like Aunty Pips, then. No one knows exactly where she is or what she’s doing.’ Daisy laughed. ‘She’s not allowed to tell anyone – not even George, by the sound of it, though I expect he knows more than he’s letting on.’ She paused and then added, ‘Has Uncle Mitch got a girlfriend?’
‘Dozens of them, I expect, knowing my uncle, but no one special.’ He put his head on one side. ‘I think you know why, don’t you?’
Daisy opened her mouth, about to say something, when Gill returned. Her face was white and her eyes wide. At once, Daisy said, ‘What is it?’
‘Ivy crashed on take-off.’
‘Oh no! Is she . . .?’
‘In hospital. Critically injured, but still alive. At the moment.’ Gill bit her lip. ‘They don’t think it was her fault, but something went wrong with the aircraft and, probably because of her inexperience, she didn’t know how to handle it.’
‘That’s awful.’
Violet returned at that moment. When they told her, her eyes filled with tears. ‘She’d become my closest friend. We joined on the same day, went through training together and then she followed me to Hatfield.’
‘Come on, we’d better get back. By the way, Daisy, someone else has done your second delivery.’
‘You all right to fly, Gill?’ Johnny asked.
Gill looked at him a little disdainfully. Her voice was tight as she said, ‘Perfectly, thank you. We’re professionals, just like you are. If one of your mates gets shot down, you don’t give up, do you?’
‘Gill, he didn’t mean . . .’
At once, her face softened. ‘Sorry, Johnny, I know you meant well, but we have to carry on – just like you do.’
‘I apologize, Gill. But don’t believe all you hear about us. One of our lads got shot down last week. His aircraft went down in flames. There was no hope and his closest mate, who saw it happen, hasn’t flown since. He’s on sick leave at the moment. So, we’re not as tough as they make out. As they have to make out. Come on, I’ll walk you to your aeroplane.’
As they neared the aircraft, Johnny took Daisy’s arm and held her back for a moment. He hugged her hard, not caring who might see, and whispered. ‘Do take care of yourself, Daisy Maitland.’
She hugged him in return and said, in a voice that shook a little, ‘You too, Johnny Hammond.’
Gill flew the aircraft perfectly and they landed safely back at base, but all three girls probably breathed a sigh of relief. Daisy certainly did. A pall of sadness and an unusual silence hung over the base and when Gill and Daisy returned to their billet, neither of them felt like talking, so they had supper and went to the room they shared.
They were soon in bed, but Daisy was sure neither of them was going to sleep well that night.
I just hope, she thought, that they don’t hear about the crash at home.