Sam guided Ruth to the small vestibule where guests signed in and out. ‘I’m sorry to drag you away from your cocoa and biscuits but there’s something I need to say to you.’
He hadn’t intended to tell how he felt but she’d given him the perfect opportunity, admitting that she felt there was something special between them.
‘I feel the same way as you, I knew the moment I saw you beside the train you were going to be important to me. I know you don’t want to get engaged or anything like that and I respect your views. But I hope that one day you’ll be ready to hear me ask you that very important question.’
Ruth was facing him but in the gloom of the dimly lit space he couldn’t decide if she was dismayed or delighted by his words.
‘It’s too soon to think about anything permanent, Sam, but ask me that question next year and I’m pretty sure you’ll get the answer you want.’
He pulled her closer and kissed her, his mouth hard against hers. She responded so passionately that he almost lost control. His heart was hammering; he’d never felt like this about any girl and had never wanted to go all the way, but now things were different. She was as innocent as he and he wanted their first time to be something special.
Gently he untangled her arms from around his neck. ‘I’m sorry, I’ve just got to say it. I love you.’
‘I know you do, and I’m pretty sure that I feel the same. But I’m not quite ready to say those words as it will mean we have to make a commitment that might be difficult to hold to. I’m posted close to you at the moment, but that could change. When the invasion of France takes place, who knows where either of us will be.’
‘We’ll take it slowly, put our duty first and when the time’s right we’ll make this official.’
She reached out and touched his face. Her finger was smooth, the feel of it sent him wild with desire. He wanted to snatch her back and do more than just kiss her. He held his breath, not daring to move.
‘I promise you that if we’re still together in two years then I’ll be more than happy to marry you.’
A surge of joy almost made him shout out but he restrained the urge and was glad he’d done so when she continued.
‘A lot can happen in two years. We might have lost touch, met somebody else, one of us might be killed by a bomb – for the moment, let’s just enjoy each other’s company and the fact that we’re young, healthy and doing our bit in the army.’
He swallowed his disappointment and hoped she hadn’t seen his expression before he’d hidden it. ‘God, if you put it like that, love, I don’t know why we’re bothering to go out together at all.’
‘We’re going out as we like each other, because you’re the handsomest man I’ve ever met and also the kindest.’ She tilted her head on one side and pursed her lips. ‘I have had an occasional date but never a real boyfriend.’
‘So I’m the first bloke you’ve liked?’
‘Don’t make assumptions, Sergeant Johnson, I might have wanted to be a girlfriend to one of them and been ignored.’ She smiled and he chuckled.
‘Don’t fish for compliments, love. I hope to be your first and last too.’ He grinned and smoothed back his hair in what he hoped was a dashing manner. ‘After all, if I look like a film star, I doubt you’ll find anybody better looking than me.’
‘Looks aren’t everything. What if I meet a wealthy, aristocratic officer? I think a good bloodline and a large trust fund trumps looking like a film star.’
‘Don’t use the word trumps – I don’t want to be reminded of playing bridge,’ he scowled at her but his eyes were dancing.
‘Is that all you can say? I’ve just told you I might run off with a rich lord and you’re worried about my reference to yesterday’s debacle.’
‘I’m not worried about anything you said as it’s all complete balderdash. I can hear the others coming so we’d better get going if we want to use the bathroom first.’
He kissed her once more before she vanished into her tiny bedroom and then prowled about outside to make sure none of the other guests rattled the door or caused her any embarrassment. Whatever she thought about things, as far as he was concerned, she was his girl now and he was going to keep her safe.
* * *
They didn’t go down for breakfast until the guests who were going off to work had finished, which meant they had the dining room to themselves. The breakfast was just as good and the tea freshly made.
‘I’ve just got to pay the bill and then we can head to the station. What time did you arrange to meet Jill?’
‘I’ve already paid – don’t look so disapproving, Sam, you paid for everything yesterday and it’s only fair that I pay my share.’
‘The bloke has to pay. It’s how it’s done. I’ll reimburse you – how much was it?’ He tried not to sound cross, but he was. Ruth kept saying that she was an independent woman, but she didn’t seem to understand stepping on his toes was making him feel inadequate.
‘No, my aunt brought me up to—’
‘Be independent – I know that, you’ve told me often enough,’ he said and her smile slipped.
‘I’m sorry if you disapprove of my upbringing, Sam, but that’s how things are. If you don’t like it, then…’
He reached across the table so suddenly she recoiled and the precious piece of sausage she had just speared on her fork flew across the room.
‘God, I’m sorry.’ He was on his feet and collecting it before she could react.
She started to giggle. ‘Are you apologising to me, my sausage or the Almighty?’
He had the missing item on the end of his own fork and looked down at it solemnly. ‘The sausage, of course – he didn’t deserve to be tossed across the dining room.’
‘I’m not eating it after its unexpected adventure so I’m kindly donating it to you.’
He looked down at it – it hadn’t done more than fly across the table so wasn’t a health hazard. ‘Thank you, your generosity is noted and appreciated.’ He pulled it from the end of his fork and chewed noisily.
She was still laughing and he prayed she’d forgotten she’d been about to send him packing. He certainly wasn’t going to mention it.
When he was seated, she took his hand. ‘I wasn’t going to suggest that we stop seeing each other.’
‘That’s a relief.’
She raised an imperious hand and he raised both eyebrows, which made her laugh again.
‘Please don’t do that, I’m trying to be serious. I was going to say that if you don’t like the way I am then you’d better hurry up and get used to it because I’m not going to change.’
He closed the distance between them and kissed her thoroughly. They were interrupted by the landlady, who’d come in to collect the dirty crockery.
‘Well, what a palaver! I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen two people so much in love. Good for you – you deserve to be happy.’
Sam didn’t look at Ruth in case she decided to explain how things really were between them. ‘I’m sorry, ma’am, a bit much at the breakfast table. We’ve enjoyed our stay here, thank you for making us so welcome.’
‘I second that. We don’t get a lot of time together and staying here has been perfect.’
‘Ta ever so, it was lovely having you here for a couple of nights. Do you want any more toast or fresh tea?’
‘That’s kind of you but we’ve got to get to the station.’ Sam pushed his chair back and Ruth did the same.
They stood on the pavement holding hands, both sad that their leave was almost over.
‘The brilliant thing about today is that we’re going to travel together. I wish I’d made a firm arrangement with Jill but all we said was that we’d get the mid-morning train. I’m hoping she’ll be at the left luggage office as it might be difficult to find her otherwise. The trains seem to be a mile long nowadays.’
He insisted he was going to carry her kitbag and after some hesitation she agreed. ‘I don’t want you to feel awkward in front of your section, so obviously in public you must do whatever you think’s appropriate.’
‘Fair enough. It’s going to take a bit of getting used to, having a girlfriend with a mind of her own.’
She nudged him with her elbow and he stumbled sideways dramatically, which made her laugh again. He loved to see her happy.
* * *
Ruth handed in her ticket to the elderly man behind the counter and he produced her bag. ‘I’m hoping you can tell me if any other ATS girls have been to collect theirs recently?’
They couldn’t see Jill outside the office, and Ruth hoped she was already on the train that was due to leave in twenty minutes.
‘Half a dozen of them a few minutes ago. I reckon you’re all going on the same train.’
The station was full of uniforms, but most of them were the blue of the RAF and the WAAF, only a sprinkling of khaki.
‘I should have realised the other members of our section would probably catch this train. I’m not sure if I should go in search of them or travel with you.’
‘You’re not on duty until you reach the base so you can do what you want. I’ll understand if you want to find Jill and the other girls, but I hope you don’t.’
‘I don’t – I intend to spend every possible minute in your company. I’ve had such a lovely time, have you?’
His answer was to snatch her off her feet. The fact that he did this one-handed whilst holding her heavy bag in the other was almost as exciting as his kiss. Her hat was askew, her cheeks pink but her eyes were sparkling.
‘Come on, we’re going to be lucky to get a seat. We really should have got here a bit earlier.’ Sam shouldered her bag, took her hand and they jogged through the crowds, waved their travel warrants at the guard, and then started searching for a space.
This train had no corridors, just individual compartments that stretched the width of the train with a door on each side. Ruth much preferred to travel in the ones where you weren’t stuck with the seven other passengers for the entire journey.
Halfway down, Sam stopped. ‘Plenty of room in this one.’ There was only one adult passenger inside but there were also two screaming, very smelly toddlers.
Their arrival stopped the noise and the two of them – obviously twins – stared, round eyed. The mother, heavily pregnant, appeared to be asleep. No wonder the little ones were so unhappy.
‘I’m good with children; strangely this is the second time I’ve travelled with distressed kiddies.’ He was talking quietly, not wanting to wake the mother. ‘I’ve not delivered a baby before, though, so let’s hope that skill won’t be needed on this journey.’
Sam put his hand back on the door. He was looking down the platform.
Ruth had expected him to shake his head, close the door and offer to help too, but he dropped her bag on the floor and was gone. The door slammed behind him. The sudden noise scared the twins and they screamed, waking up their mother.
‘What? Please stop that noise, Lily, Iris, please give me a minute to rest?’ the poor young woman, her face grey with fatigue, her light brown hair limp and unkempt, said desperately.
‘Hello, I’m Ruth, shall I change them for you? Are there nappies in that bag?’
The woman jerked upright and stared at Ruth. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t realise you were in here. Yes, everything you need’s in that. There’s also biscuits and juice for them.’ She managed to sit a bit straighter, but it was an effort. ‘I’m Rose Drummond, this one’s due any day and I’m desperate to get home before it comes so my family can help out.’
Now wasn’t the time to ask why Rose had left it so late in the pregnancy. Neither could she dwell on Sam’s behaviour. There must be a reason why he’d deserted her and this family and she wasn’t going to make any hasty judgements until she’d spoken to him later.
Changing both children wasn’t pleasant but once they were dry and clean, had been given a drink and handed a biscuit, they were happy to sit on the bench seat quietly next to their mother.
‘Let me help you put your feet up, Rose, nobody else is going to get in with us and you’ll be so much more comfortable like that.’
‘You’re being so kind. I know you must think me completely mad to be travelling on my own so near to my delivery date, but it took me far longer than I’d expected to sort things out at home.’ She stopped and tried to hide her tears. There was more going on here than just a sudden move to join her mother.
Ruth picked up the twins and put them on the other seat. ‘Lily, Iris, I’m going to make you comfortable over here and you can have a nice nap. When you wake up, I’ll tell you a story – how’s that?’
The little girls, now comfortable, fed and no longer scared, made no objection. She tucked blankets she’d found in the bag around each of them. She was puzzled that they hadn’t got a rag doll or teddy – there was something odd going on here but it was none of her business.
‘I really do appreciate your help, Ruth, you obviously know a bit about babies.’
‘Not much, but enough to change a nappy. I’m getting out at Lincoln – what about you?’
‘Me too, my father is Dr Munson and still has petrol for his car so he’ll be meeting us. Let’s hope my daughters sleep for most of the journey.’
Ruth helped Rose get comfortable, pushing her own haversack under her head as a pillow. With a sigh, the young woman closed her eyes and fell asleep. Ruth wondered how long it had been since Rose had managed to do more than close her eyes for a few seconds.
If Sam had stayed, it would have been so much easier taking care of the babies and their exhausted mother. Although she hadn’t known him very long, she was still shocked and hurt that he’d not been prepared to help.
The train was picking up speed, the chuff-chuff of the engine soothing the girls and they fell asleep almost immediately.
Ruth wasn’t sure how far it was between stations but knew her journey would be around four hours so there was no need to worry at the moment. Her knowledge of this route was non-existent, she’d have to open the window later and lean out in the hope that the guard would shout out the name of the station. Sam was familiar with this line and would have known exactly when to get off and it was rather selfish of him to have abandoned her.
She’d positioned the twins with their backs to the wall so was confident they wouldn’t roll off unless the train stopped suddenly. Her kitbag was in the narrow gap between the seats so if they did fall before she could reach them, they would land on that and not the floor.
Although she had carefully wrapped the smelly nappies in the rubber sheet, she’d found the whiff was still quite noticeable. Should she have put this sheet underneath the twins? No – they had rubber pants over their nappies and that should stop any leakage.
Now everything was calm, her three companions sleeping peacefully, she had time to study them more closely. The babies were clean, their clothes looked expensive and they were definitely well-nourished. Rose was equally well dressed, and despite the pallor of her skin and her unwashed hair, Ruth could tell this wasn’t a family without funds.
Why were they travelling alone? Surely someone like Rose should have had a nanny or maid to accompany her. Also, wouldn’t they have been in first class where there was a dining car and waiters to take care of their every need? It didn’t make sense this family was travelling in third class.
They’d been steaming along for half an hour and the compartment remained peaceful when Ruth heard the brakes being applied and the train began to slow. They must be approaching a station but as Lincoln was still many hours away, there was no need for her to get up. The main problem was that fresh passengers might want to get in with them and that would mean waking Rose and the girls.
The train rocked to a halt. She’d been observing carefully and hadn’t noticed many passengers on the platform so didn’t bother to stand up. She could hear the guard shouting at someone and then the carriage door opened and Sam jumped in.
The guard slammed it behind him and they were in motion again. To her astonishment and relief, none of the sleepers woke. She wasn’t quite sure what to say to him so just sat silently, waiting for him to speak.
He wasn’t looking at her but busy opening a large cardboard box he’d somehow acquired. ‘God, that was close. I’d noticed there was WVS cart and wanted to get something for them to eat and drink. I just had time to get all this when the whistle went and had to jump in the nearest compartment. I wasn’t popular, I can tell you.’
Ruth was so glad she hadn’t said anything as she’d completely misjudged him and the situation. ‘I didn’t know where you’d gone and I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’re back and with supplies.’
He was perched on the end of the seat where Rose was stretched out. Like a conjurer getting a rabbit from a top hat, he held up two small knitted teddies. ‘Look what I managed to get! The ladies were reluctant to part with them until I told them who they were for. I hope the tiddlers like them. How did you get them all to sleep so peacefully?’
‘They’re exhausted, especially Rose. Once I’d made them comfortable, nature did the rest. They don’t have any personal possessions and only biscuits and juice.’
They’d been talking in whispers, her head close to his. Instead of replying, he cupped her chin and kissed her softly.
‘I didn’t have time to tell you what I was going to do. I bet you thought I’d abandoned you. I wouldn’t do that. This family needs our help – as I scrambled into the compartment, I noticed a man in a suit and two ruffians race to the platform. I think these three and those three could be connected.’
Ruth hadn’t been going to admit that she had doubted him but decided honesty was important. ‘I was very cross but then decided I’d wait until you explained what was going on before making a decision. How could you possibly know the man in the suit had anything to do with Rose and her daughters?’
‘Instinct. One glance at these was enough to see they were running from something – a well-dressed young woman wouldn’t travel without several suitcases and all she’s got is that bag. I bet it’s just things for the babies.’
She nodded. ‘You’re right. Gosh, I do hope those men didn’t manage to get on the train.’
‘Not a chance, they were arguing with the guard and wouldn’t have had time. That said, I reckon if I’m right they’ll be on the next one.’
Rose had woken up and had been listening to their conversation. ‘I’m so sorry, I should have been honest. Was the man in the suit tall with fair hair and the two men with him swarthy, like Italians?’
‘They were. There must be a good reason for you to be on this train and you don’t have to tell us. I promise we’ll keep you safe.’
Ruth interrupted. ‘Rose told me her father’s collecting them at Lincoln station. Those men can’t possibly get there before us, so I hope we’ve got nothing to worry about.’