The Spitfire Girls(10)
‘Have you been flying for long?’ Polly asked.
Ruby turned to face her, liking her easy smile and bright blue gaze. ‘Quite a few years, but nothing like this. You?’
‘My father is mad on aircrafts, and I was the only child out of five that loved aviation as much as he did,’ Polly shared. ‘I’ve spent more time as a passenger than as the pilot, but I love being in the air.’
Ruby wondered if Polly was as uncertain as she was about making the grade, whether she was having the same flutter of nerves over climbing into a huge aircraft and knowing that the delivery of every plane could take them one step closer to winning the war. She shuddered at the thought, wishing she could clear her head and stop overthinking everything.
As the others in the car continued to chat, Ruby stared out of the window, her forehead touching the glass as they approached White Waltham. Would May change her mind and send some of them home before they’d even spent a day on base? What type of plane would she be flying? Would she have to undergo any formal tests or interviews?
‘You look nervous,’ Polly whispered in her ear as Ruby folded her hands tightly in her lap.
‘I am,’ she admitted. ‘It’s kind of hard to believe, you know, that we’re actually here, that this could actually be happening.’
‘Well, believe it,’ Polly said, patting her folded hands as they pulled in. ‘Because we are here and there’s no turning back now.’
‘Here we go, ladies,’ the driver announced as he pointed out of the window. ‘Head straight in there.’
Ruby pushed open her door and studied the flat-roofed, two-storey brick building that awaited them. She held up her hand to shield her eyes from the glare as the sun peeked from between the clouds, turning only when she heard a low wolf whistle.
She saw the men then, lounging outside another building, cigarettes in hand as they stared at the cars. And at her. She twirled the engagement ring on her finger, pleased she’d kept it there even though she didn’t expect she’d be allowed to wear it for long. Or perhaps even have a fiancé for long if she didn’t hear back from Tom soon. Clearly these men had been waiting to see the new recruits, and she knew that she’d never survive if she couldn’t deal with a whistle or two in the field.
Ruby forced a smile and stood straight, waving a hand in their direction. ‘Afternoon, fellas,’ she said, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt.
Some of them waved back; others looked down at their boots as if they were embarrassed. Serves them right, she thought as she walked as determinedly as she could towards the nondescript brick building.
‘I thought mechanics would be better-looking,’ Polly whispered with a giggle.
Ruby averted her eyes, smiling as they made their way inside. The room was bare, with desks and chairs lining the walls and little else; and there they all stood, a growing group of women quietly chatting, until a strong voice cut through the noise.
‘Welcome to our newest volunteers!’
Ruby turned as the room fell silent, and watched as May Jones herself walked towards the large desk in the corner. Her dark-blue dress uniform fitted her like a glove; the jacket was tailored to her frame and fit her perfectly and her tie was snug to her shirt. Something about seeing a woman so feminine yet so full of authority filled Ruby with both anticipation and fear, but the one thing she was certain about was that she wanted to wear that exact same uniform. And she’d do so brimming with pride.
‘We need to get the basics out of the way first, so you’ll all be having your medical check today, followed by an interview with me. I personally confirm with each new recruit that you’ve passed our tests, and our aim is to train you and get you in the air as soon as we possibly can.’ She paused and took a quick sip of water, but Ruby still couldn’t take her eyes off her. ‘Once all that is out of the way, you will commence with ground school, which will cover everything from meteorology, map-reading, mechanics, navigation and so forth, and then you will progress to dual and then solo flights in the good old Tiger Moth. From there, you’ll be required to fly a number of cross-country flights along fixed routes before being assigned to your ferry pool.’
May’s dark gaze was steady as she appeared to study the room, her manner as perfectly composed as her uniform. The hopeful candidates all stared back at her.
‘You’re all doing something amazing by being here today, and I’m proud of every single one of you for volunteering for this role. If you have any questions, please ask me at your interview, and I’ll be more than happy to discuss anything flying-related.’
Ruby expected someone else to take over now that the introduction was complete, but it was May herself who ushered a doctor into the room. She watched her check all the blinds were properly closed and then nod to the doctor, moving towards the front of the room to lock the door as they all looked on, wide-eyed like children who weren’t sure what to expect. Her dark hair was cropped shorter than Ruby had imagined it would be – much shorter than the original photos she’d seen of her – and she wore barely a scrap of make-up, so she was much more serious-looking in real life. But she was pretty in a classic kind of way, with eyes as dark as her hair, full arched brows and a wide mouth.
‘Ladies, this is Dr Arthur Barbour, the chief medic here at White Waltham, and you’ll come to know him as Doc.’