At the end of September, after a fortnight of solid flying operations, Luke was due leave and, deciding to use his precious petrol allowance, he travelled to Lincolnshire on his motorcycle. He needed to talk to Sam and his mother, if no one else at this point. They would keep his secret and he was sure they would understand too.
‘This is a lovely surprise,’ Peggy said, beaming, scuttling around her kitchen to get him something to eat.
‘Don’t go to any trouble, Mam.’
‘Trouble! It isn’t trouble to look after my boy. That’s what mothers do, Luke.’
He grinned sheepishly and allowed her to fuss over him. After all the weeks and months of worry, he knew it was what she needed to do.
‘Dad and Bernard will be home soon and then we can have a proper tea.’
‘How’s everyone?’
‘We’re all fine, really. Times are difficult – I don’t need to tell you that – but in general, we’re all faring pretty well.’ Her face sobered. ‘We hear that London is suffering dreadfully under the bombing.’
‘They are. It’s so tough for civilians. They just have to sit there and take it. They can’t do anything. At least we can get into our Spitfires and chase the buggers. Sorry, Mam.’
She smiled and gestured with her hand, indicating that she understood.
‘No – bad news yet?’ Luke asked. Several young men from the village were serving in the forces.
Peggy shook her head as if to put aside that question; it was something she didn’t like to think about when both her sons were flying.
‘Most of the men have joined the Local Defence Volunteers, only they’ve changed the name now to the Home Guard. Dr Everton is the captain and your dad is his sergeant. Dr Maitland, senior, that is, is just a member of the platoon. Evidently he didn’t want to take on any responsibility, but he’s enjoying being a part of it. And Mrs Maitland has got all us women working for the WVS.’ She laughed. ‘Even Granny Nuttall.’
Luke grinned. ‘Not taken to her bed this time, then?’
Clara Nuttall was a legend in the village for taking to her bed every time something catastrophic happened in her life. The first time had been when her only son, Sam, had enlisted in the Great War. On that occasion, it had been Henrietta and old Ma Dawson who had prised her out of her bed. The second time – that Luke knew of – was when Sam had married Peggy, when she was pregnant with his baby. Clara had not wanted him to marry a girl who already had one illegitimate child and was now expecting another. That time it had been Pips to the rescue.
‘Not even when Harry went?’ Luke asked with a chuckle. Harry was Clara’s blood grandson whereas Luke was not, though everyone always treated the boys equally, apart from Len Dawson, who never seemed to tire of pointing out that Harry was not his blood relative.
‘Surprisingly, no, but, yet again, I think Mrs Maitland helped there, either deliberately or inadvertently – I’m not sure which. She’d already signed Clara up to WVS work.’
‘Aunty Hetty’s a wonderful woman,’ Luke murmured, wondering how the Maitlands would react to his news when they eventually heard about it. The last thing he wanted was to lose their friendship and respect.
‘She’s been so good to your Aunty Betty, you know. She’s got a job there as personal maid to both Mrs Maitland and Alice for the rest of her life.’ Peggy’s face sobered. ‘She wouldn’t have much of a life if it wasn’t for them.’
Betty’s fiancé, Roy Dawson, had been killed on the Somme with his other two brothers, Bernard, and Luke’s father, Harold.
‘I’ve been so lucky to have Sam. There weren’t enough men to go round after we lost so many in the last war. There are a lot of spinsters from that generation and your Aunty Betty is one of them.’
Luke forbore to say that the very same thing might happen again this time round.
‘And he’s been a good dad to you, hasn’t he?’ Peggy went on, knowing nothing of Luke’s sober thoughts.
‘He has indeed. I couldn’t have asked for a better stepfather, Mam, so don’t you ever worry about that.’
‘I don’t, Luke. I can see with me own eyes just how fond you are of each other. He’ll be that pleased to see you home. It’s just a shame Harry’s not here too.’
‘Has he been home recently?’
‘A couple of weeks back. I think he’s still training to be a bomber pilot, though he doesn’t tell us a lot.’ She set a steaming cup of tea in front of him and two buttered scones. ‘There, that’ll tide you over till tea’s ready.’ She bent towards him, her eyes sparkling with fun. ‘He didn’t stay long. We reckon he’s got a girlfriend.’
Luke, with a piece of scone halfway to his mouth, paused and stared at her. ‘A – a girlfriend?’
Peggy nodded. ‘He couldn’t stop talking about a WAAF called Lucy, who works where he’s stationed. And he only stopped the one night with us, even though we knew he had three days’ leave.’
‘But – I thought . . .’
She sat down on the opposite side of the table. ‘Yes, I know what you’re going to say. Daisy. All that about him going to marry Daisy one day was obviously childish nonsense. I think it was to try to compete with you. After all, it’s always been you and Daisy, hasn’t it? And now, you must excuse me while I get the tea on. You sit by the fire and read the paper. Sam and Bernard will be home soon and then we can all have tea together and a nice chat.’
As Luke settled himself into one of the armchairs, he sighed. Chat they certainly would, but whether it was going to be ‘nice’ remained to be seen.
At Hatfield, the ferry pilots were busy. All types of aircraft were needed all over the country and, during the daylight hours, the men, and the girls too, felt as if they were flying non-stop. Daisy and Gill hardly saw each other, but Daisy still had the feeling that Gill was doing her best to avoid her.
‘D’you know what’s wrong with Gill?’ Daisy asked Violet, who had become their closest friend amongst the other ATA women, as they walked to the airfield. Violet rented a room in a house close to where Daisy and Gill lived and they often walked into work together. But this morning, Gill had risen and disappeared before Daisy had woken up.
‘Not a clue,’ Violet replied cheerily, ‘though, now you mention it, she does seem a bit glum. D’you want me to have a word?’
Daisy shook her head. ‘She’ll tell us in her own good time. I can’t think what it can be. If it was bad news from home, I’m sure she wouldn’t keep that from us.’
‘And she’d be asking for leave to go home on a visit, surely.’
‘You’d think so,’ Daisy murmured. ‘Ah well, we’d better go and get today’s chits.’
As the two girls neared the office, they saw Gill already walking across the grass towards her first delivery.
‘Lucky thing!’ Daisy said a few minutes later. ‘She’s got a Miles Master and I’ve got a Tiger Moth. The end of September is getting far too cold for open cockpits. Never mind. It’s to Tangmere. I might see my cousin, Luke.’ Silently, she thought, I hope so. There’s a very difficult conversation I have to have with him – and sooner rather than later.
She landed smoothly at Tangmere and taxied to a halt. She glanced around. No sign of Luke, but then he didn’t know she was coming. There was no shortage of willing young airmen to help her down and escort her to the office and then to the mess, where they plied her with cups of tea and cakes.
‘Is Luke around?’ she asked one of his friends.
‘No,’ Tommy said. ‘He’s on three days’ leave. Gone up north, I think. Isn’t that where his home is?’
Daisy nodded, disappointed that she would not have the chance to see him on this trip. If she had a problem to sort out, Daisy always liked to get it over and done with. But there was nothing she could do. He wasn’t here. Their conversation would have to wait.
‘Mrs Nuttall,’ Bernard said politely, as they finished eating, ‘may I go out for about an hour? Some of the lads are playing football.’
‘Of course, Bernard, but be sure to be home before it gets dark.’
After tea, when Peggy had washed the dishes and sat down in front of the fire where her menfolk were already toasting their toes, Luke took a deep breath, ‘There’s something I need to tell you and it’s not easy.’
Peggy and Sam exchanged a glance.
‘Best get it off your chest, then, Luke,’ Sam said gently.
‘It’s about Daisy – and me.’
Peggy gave a startled gasp and covered her mouth. ‘Oh Luke, no. She’s not – she’s not . . .’
He frowned. ‘What, Mam?’
‘You haven’t got her – in the family way, have you?’
His face cleared. ‘Heavens, no!’
‘You want to marry her, then?’ Sam put in.
Luke held on to his patience. He wished they wouldn’t keep interrupting with ideas of their own, but just let him get on with telling them what his dilemma really was.
‘Well, no, but I wondered if the family – hers as well as mine – are expecting us to marry one day.’ He looked towards Peggy. ‘You hinted at it earlier.’
‘Yes. You’ve always been so close, ever since you were little, and although you’re first cousins, it’s not against the law and the Maitlands have never said they’d be against it.’
‘Yes, we are close. She’s like my sister and I love her dearly, but not – as a wife.’
They stared at him, glanced at each other and then turned their gaze back to him. ‘Does Daisy know this?’
Luke bit his lip and shook his head. ‘No, but I need to talk to her. You see, I’ve fallen in love with someone else.’
On her return, Daisy had the opportunity to corner her friend.
‘Gill, what is the matter, because there’s obviously something. Have I done something to offend you?’
‘Of course not.’
‘Then what is it? We’re friends, aren’t we? The best of friends, I thought. Whatever it is, I won’t be shocked. I’ll stand by you.’
Gill stared at her and then her usual sense of humour reasserted itself for a brief moment. ‘I’m not pregnant, if that’s what you’re thinking.’
‘Actually, that never entered my mind. But something’s bothering you, I can see it is. Are your parents all right? You’ve not had bad news from home, have you?’
‘No, they’re fine. The land girls they’ve got are doing a superb job.’ She pulled a face. ‘They’re hardly noticing I’m not there.’
‘And you’re feeling these girls are usurping your position?’
Now Gill actually laughed, but it had a forced quality to it. ‘No, no one can replace a daughter, now can they?’
‘Knowing your parents, I wouldn’t have thought so.’ Daisy paused, but Gill was avoiding direct eye contact again. Daisy sighed. ‘If you don’t want to tell me, dearest Gill, so be it, but just remember I am always your friend and always here for you.’
Gill nodded and turned away, but not before Daisy had seen tears welling in her eyes.