Chapter Thirty-Four

“You’re early!” Nurse Grace declared, watching Lawrence hobble up to the waiting room.

“Too right I am,” he stated, grinning. “I can’t wait to get this thing off!” He rapped his stick against the cast. “This has been the longest week of my life.”

Taking off her cape, Grace hung it up and turned back to face him. “I reckon you’ve had worse.” She looked over his shoulder. “No one with you?”

He shook his head. “Didn’t even tell Mary. I told you, I want this to be a surprise for her.”

Grace stepped around the corner from him and reappeared brandishing what appeared to Lawrence to be an enormous pair of snips. Clashing them together in an unnecessarily forceful way, Grace, at seeing all the blood drain from Lawrence’s face, flashed him a smile and opened a door. “Shall we begin?” Snap, clash! “Let’s see what we can do about your wrist, as well.”

****

Jane was beside herself with happiness! She’d only been at work an hour when she received an unexpected phone call, and two hours afterward she was waiting outside the flight line hut. If she hadn’t had Bobby snoring away on her lap, she’d have been bouncing up and down with excitement. What was supposed to be a nice boring day was about to turn into her happiest for a while.

Though Doris was like a newly qualified pilot, excited to be back flying and reveling in being engaged, for the rest of the gang it was another story. Everyone else was treading around Ruth like they were on eggshells. The woman herself was back at work, though her mind was always with her son, or trying desperately to think of ways she could help him. She’d immediately written back to Joe, but had received no reply as yet. Letters to and from the camp often crossed in midair, so she was trying not to be surprised. At work she had Thelma’s help, with Jane’s permission. Thelma was virtually working from the newspaper office, so desperate was she to help Ruth. What better way to repay a friend who had been of great aid to her the previous year, she thought.

It meant Jane was wearing two hats, but she didn’t mind, as she too wished she could do something to aid Ruth’s distress. A letter had been dispatched to the Red Cross. The problem with letters was that you had to wait for a reply, and when you wanted an answer so badly, it wasn’t the quickest way to communicate. None of the phone calls Ruth had made had been returned. Knowing how busy every office was didn’t take away the frustration.

A part of her hated that she was so happy, yet a bigger part was…happy. Bobby turned over onto his back, and his legs began pinwheeling in the air. Probably chasing rabbits, she mused, and then, as if recalling his secondary duty to RAF Hamble as its early warning system, he began barking and whining in his sleep. To be on the safe side, Jane put to her eyes the binoculars hanging from around her neck and spent a couple of minutes scanning the sky. Once she’d satisfied herself there were no German aircraft around, she relaxed a little. Some of the nearby station staff, who’d heard the spaniel, had also been keeping a lookout, and when they noticed their commander put down her binoculars, they’d also relaxed their vigilance and gone back to work.

“I would say we should ask Ruth to train you not to bark in your sleep,” she mused, rubbing the sleeping dog’s stomach, “but on the whole, not only does she have enough on her plate, but I like you just as you are.”

In response, Bobby woke up, licked Jane on the cheek, and promptly went back to sleep next to her.

“Thought you might like a cup of tea, boss.”

Jane looked up. Standing next to her was Mary, holding out a steaming cup. “Take a seat,” Jane invited, picking up Bobby and putting the still sleeping dog back onto her lap.

Mary went around to the other side of Jane’s Jeep and climbed in, settling down upon the warm seat. “Mmm, I’ll say this, Bobby not only makes a good air raid alert, but he warms a seat up nicely.” She took a sip from her own cup before asking, “No sign yet?”

Jane looked at her watch. “He’s not actually due in for another ten minutes,” she admitted.

“Couldn’t stay in the office though, eh,” Mary rightly surmised.

Before replying, Jane moved Bobby’s right rear leg from where it had been kicking her in the ribs in his sleep. “It’s been a long time.”

Jane didn’t need to elaborate. Most of the station knew of her American boyfriend. Few had actually seen him, though those who paid a visit to her office couldn’t help but notice the prominent position of his photo.

Mary squeezed Jane’s hand after she’d put her cup down on the floor of the Jeep. “I know how you feel. With all this going on”—she waved a hand around in general—“it’s quite marvelous when love rears its head.”

“I’ve never asked,” Jane began and then had to stop to rub a rib as Bobby was chasing something in his sleep and had kicked her again. “What does your family think about Lawrence?”

For a second, she thought Mary was going to make her excuses and walk off. Of the three girls she’d met in July of 1942, not quite a year ago, Mary could be considered the quiet one. She had been a reluctant but important part of solving why Betty’s sister had been murdered, yet all Jane knew of Mary’s family was that they were upper class, and no one knew where she went on leave. For her next of kin, she’d refused to enter anyone’s name, and whatever reasons she had were her own, doubtless good ones. She was a friendly enough girl and would share when she felt the time was right. Asking just because of curiosity would not be the right thing.

Fortunately, the silence was filled by a squeal from her companion. Looking into the sky, she was disappointed to see there was still no air traffic. The Jeep bounced as Mary leapt out of her seat and ran off in the direction of the gate house. Holding up a hand over her eyes, she squinted to see what had Mary so excited. Walking—well, limping—toward her friend, who was making rapid strides, was Lawrence. It appeared he’d had his cast taken off.

The temptation to go and congratulate him vanished in an instant as the drone of an aircraft engine grabbed her attention. Her eyes were drawn to the shape of a single-engine monoplane appearing over the trees, turning gracefully downward toward the runway. Getting to her feet, she forgot about the spaniel. Bobby promptly fell to the floor beneath the steering wheel, where he sat up, appearing a little bewildered before scratching his ear with his rear foot.

“Sorry.” She bent down to stroke his head.

As the plane settled on the runway, Jane started the engine of her Jeep, gunned it once and then a second time before flooring the accelerator and heading off to meet the plane as it began its turn toward the flight line hut. She could have waited, but having seen the US Army Air Forces markings on its wings and fuselage, she couldn’t stop herself. Any other dog would have been thrown from the speeding Jeep. Bobby wasn’t any other dog. Jane didn’t even need to check he was still with her as, in the last month, he’d taken to hopping into the front seat of her Jeep whenever he had the chance. He had his very own method of wedging his rear paws into where the seat met the backrest, with his front paws jammed against the dashboard. The first time he’d done it, Jane had been so alarmed she’d nearly driven into a ditch, but when he did it the next day and then the next, she accepted he knew what he was doing.

Drawing alongside the Fairchild, she saw the pilot had taken off his flying helmet and goggles and was waving to her. Dismissing the errant thought she could get Bobby to take over the driving, she waved back as enthusiastically as she could with her free hand. At last, her Frank was back!

****

“I wasn’t expecting you to be here today. Shouldn’t you be out on deliveries?” Lawrence asked as he slowly strode arm in arm with Mary toward the ops hut.

Enjoying the feel of her boyfriend’s hand in hers without its dressing, Mary took her time in answering. Shaking her head in amazement, she watched Jane speeding off toward the landing Fairchild. The way Jane drove, she should either have had an accident by now or have caused one. She’d also never understand how Bobby could stay in his seat, what with the way her Jeep bumped from one rut to another.

“Betty insisted upon coming in today, even though she’s the best part of a week early. So, if we couldn’t persuade Betty to go home, then she should have an assistant.”

“Really? I expect she’s in a foul mood,” Lawrence decided.

Mary shook her head. “To put it mildly.”

“Who’s in a foul temper?”

They’d been so engrossed in enjoying their walk neither had noticed their route had taken them to the steps leading up to the hut. Standing before them, hands on her hips and her lips pursed, was none other than Betty.

“Ah,” Lawrence about managed to say, offering silent thanks he wasn’t under her command any more.

Mary not quickly enough stepped behind him.

“It’s no use hiding, Whitworth-Baines. If you’re really supposed to be my aide, then I’d say your break’s over.”

Peeking around Lawrence, Mary tried to see if Betty was joking or not. The trouble was, Betty hadn’t been in the best of moods since Jane had told her of her decision when they’d got in to work a while back. “Lawrence has had his cast off!” she said in as cheery a voice as she could muster.

“So I see,” Betty said, not needing to look down.

The beep of a car horn made everyone look up. Speeding toward them at a very decent rate of knots was Jane in her Jeep, waving frantically. The three of them shared looks, wondering if she was going to stop in time. Despite the speed, Jane screeched to a halt right beside the group.

“Lawrence! You’re mobile again!” she exclaimed, hopping out of the Jeep and giving the policeman an enthusiastic hug.

Joining her, a rather dashing American, resplendent in his Class A uniform, unfolded himself from the back seat. Bobby was still in the front, having refused to give up his choice seat.

Having released Lawrence, Jane took his outstretched hand. “Everyone, this is Colonel Frank Lowlan.”

Mary shook his hand first. “Very pleased to meet you, Frank. I’m Mary. It’s good to put a face to the name at last.” Frank raised a sandy eyebrow. “We thought Jane here was planning on keeping you to herself,” she told him.

“Not quite to myself,” Jane answered, shamelessly leaning in to accept his arm around her waist.

“We believe you,” Betty declared, also shaking his hand. “It’s good to meet you, Frank. You’re well, I trust?”

“Very well, thank you. Jane’s told me she couldn’t run this place without you,” he replied, a twinkle in his eye everyone but Jane saw.

“Can’t have been me,” Jane said, rewarding him with a playful swat on his upper arm.

As the man had to be over six feet tall and as broad as an open door, it’s doubtful he felt a thing. Either way, he merely leant down and kissed Jane on the top of her head. “Of course you didn’t.”

“I’m Lawrence. So, how long are you on leave for, Colonel?”

His smile displayed a set of flashing white teeth, and they all noticed how the arm he had around Jane tightened. “A glorious two weeks.”

Jane’s face lit up. “Which brings me to…Thelma!”

“Jane’s talking about me,” Thelma pointed out as she appeared behind them unexpectedly. “She can’t run this place without me.”

She didn’t get any further as Thelma matched Jane’s smile. Holding up a hand to stop her, Thelma ventured, “Don’t say another word. You’ve more than enough time off owed and knowing you as I do, I expect you’ve leave ready to go in.”

“May have.” Jane grinned.

“Well, don’t just stand there,” Thelma told her friend. “Go and put it in, and we’ll see you in a couple of weeks.”

“You’re certain?”

Thelma clutched her friend’s free hand. “Leave Betty and Mary to do my job, and I’ll be fine doing yours for a while.”

“Don’t I get a say in this?” Mary asked, obviously not happy at being taken off flying duties.

“No,” Jane, Thelma, and Betty said all at the same time.

“You’ll still get to fly,” Thelma told her, “if we get stretched.”

Lawrence could see Mary still wasn’t too happy, even with this qualification. “Come on, love. It’s only a couple of weeks, and”—he leaned in so only Mary could hear—“you can see how much these two want time together.”

Looking up from where her gaze had been directed at the ground, Mary could see how right her boyfriend was. Jane could order her to take on these duties, but she could see this was the last thing Jane wanted to do. This helped Mary to see Lawrence was right, and the last thing she wanted her boss to do was to give an order she was plainly striving to avoid giving.

Stepping in, she went on tiptoes to give Frank a kiss on the cheek. “You two go and have a great time. We’ll take care of your airfield. Don’t worry about a thing.”

By way of answering, Jane kissed her friends and pulled Frank back toward her Jeep. She started it up, pulled away, and screeched to a halt after going only a few feet. She backed it up. “Could someone take Bobby, please? I don’t think Ruth will be very pleased if we make off with her dog.”