The Spitfire Girls(30)

‘What’s going on?’ Ruby’s soft voice warmed her.

‘It’s just you in the Halifax today, Ruby.’

‘Where’s Lizzie?’

‘Let’s just say that Lizzie has been seconded to Jackson Montgomery’s service for the day,’ May told her. ‘We can all pray that she returns in a more humble frame of mind than when she left.’

Ruby snorted with laughter and May laughed along with her, surprising herself.

‘Well, I appreciate the extra training, thank you,’ Ruby said. ‘But if you’d like me to do any other work today instead, or . . .’

‘You want the first solo flight, Ruby?’ May asked.

‘You know I do.’

‘Then don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. If Lizzie could get an extra day of hands-on training without you, she’d take it in a heartbeat. In fact, she’d knock you down and trample over you to get it.’

Ruby didn’t reply, no doubt because she knew it was true. Lizzie was ruthless, clearly used to getting everything and anything she wanted. It made her an incredible pilot because she was fearless, but it didn’t exactly make her an easy ally or friend to have on base.

‘The mail’s here!’ one of the girls squealed, and May saw Ruby’s face light up as Polly crossed the room with an envelope in her outstretched hand. She must have just arrived at Hamble on the mail plane, and May was pleased to see her again.

‘There’s one for you as well,’ Polly said, passing it to May.

Her hand shaking, May took the cream envelope, her mother’s familiar scrawl across the front. She held it tight, as if doing so would connect them, before opening a drawer and tucking it inside to read later. She sighed as it landed with two others that looked just like it. Or maybe I won’t read it at all.

Ruby had gone silent, and May looked up to see her rip her letter into tiny little pieces, shredding it until the paper fell all over the floor. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

‘He meet someone else?’ The American drawl was lazy and loud as Lizzie strolled into the room. ‘Don’t go getting your knickers in a twist over a man, sugar.’

‘Leave her alone, Lizzie!’ Polly shouted.

But Ruby didn’t even seem to hear them. ‘I hate him,’ she whispered, her voice low and full of anger. ‘He could meet someone else and I wouldn’t even care.’

May knew she was only venting; the letter might be in shreds and her heart might feel broken, but Ruby was fingering the ring hanging from her necklace as she spoke, and that told May everything she needed to know.

Lizzie breezed out as quickly as she’d breezed in, her flying hat and goggles tucked under her arm, and May stood, leaning forward.

‘Was it him or his mother?’ she asked quietly.

Ruby’s eyes met hers. ‘His mother.’

‘And she said?’

‘That her delightful son wholeheartedly agreed with her, and that I have four weeks to return home or our engagement will be off.’

Ruby’s voice was full of anger, but May wasn’t about to go easy on her just because she was hurting. This was the time to push her, to draw on that anger and stop her from holding back.

‘Are you going to go home?’

‘No.’ Ruby’s reply was quick, without a beat of hesitation. ‘I want to prove them wrong. Why is it fine for him to do his bit, but not me?’

‘You’re certain?’ May asked.

‘Part of me wants to give up – there’s a little voice telling me that I’m not good enough, that I shouldn’t have come in the first place.’

‘And the other voice?’

Now Ruby found a smile. ‘That voice is telling me that I can do it, that I’m capable of making a difference here, and to hell with what anyone thinks of me.’

‘I say we listen to that voice then,’ said May, ‘because that’s the Ruby I want to see on my base flying my planes.’

Ruby was looking down at the paper strewn in tiny pieces all around her feet, and as she bent to collect them, May moved around and squatted down beside her to help.

‘If you could fly into his base, once you’re cleared to fly a bomber, is that something you’d want to do?’ May whispered.

Ruby froze, then looked up, a strength shining through that May hadn’t seen before. ‘Yes.’

May nodded. ‘Then you have my word that I’ll try to make that happen, in exchange for you starting to believe in yourself and in your abilities.’ She paused. ‘Do we have a deal?’

Ruby held out her hand. ‘Deal.’

‘Then clean this mess up, Sanders, and meet me out front in thirty minutes, ready to show me what you’re made of.’

May returned to her desk to study her paperwork. She was always so good at giving advice to her girls, giving them pep talks and helping them to manage their personal and work lives. She glanced at the drawer where her mother’s letters were hidden, the pain of her words too much for May to deal with right now. Pity I’m not better at putting the broken pieces of my own life back together.



‘Did you get any mail yesterday?’ Ben’s question was friendly, his eyes lighting up as he reached into his pocket and took out a folded piece of paper. It was already smudged with grease. He waved it. ‘My little sister again, insisting that I go home to see her when I have leave. She’s relentless.’