The Spitfire Girls(39)
Lizzie shrugged. ‘I don’t mean to ruffle your feathers. I’m just saying I can understand why they wouldn’t want an American to be the first. I can be the first at home. My time will come, so I’m happy for you.’
Ruby snorted. ‘You’re bloody unbelievable sometimes, Lizzie. But you’re wrong. You heard May. They’re deciding tomorrow – the best pilot will be chosen, and that’s that.’ She actually wanted it more than anything now, wanted to stick it to Lizzie and to Tom, show them that she was capable. But even thinking like that made her feel shallow. Thinking like that makes me as bad as Lizzie, acting like our personal competition is even important, given the state of the country right now.
As they prepared for take-off, the girls all shuffled forward, helping the twin-engine aircraft by transferring their weight. It easily took up to twelve passengers, but they’d learned fast to move up the front to help with weight distribution.
Ruby ignored Lizzie as the plane finally lifted, glancing across at June, who was holding a hot water bottle to her stomach. She felt sorry for her. They all resorted to them when they had their period; at least being in an all-female ferry pool they had nothing to hide from one another.
‘I’m sorry,’ Lizzie finally said, reaching out her hand to Ruby’s. ‘I know we’re supposed to be trying to get along, and you’re right, you’re a good pilot and I need to learn to shut my mouth.’
‘You’re only sorry because you’ve realised you haven’t lost yet,’ Ruby huffed. She had a mind to slap Lizzie’s hand away, but she didn’t have it in her to be rude.
‘Not true!’ protested Lizzie. But she withdrew her hand and busied herself with her ferry notebook. When she looked up, she changed the subject. ‘What’s on your chit today?’
‘I’m to fly an Oxford on the first leg of my return,’ Ruby replied. ‘Then a Hurricane back to White Waltham.’
Lizzie gave her a surprised look. ‘Me too. Well, not the first one, but I’m heading back to White Waltham at the end of the day as well.’
Ruby didn’t think anything of it until she opened her notebook to read up on the Hurricane she’d be bringing back, wanting to use her time wisely. She’d flown them before, but she still remembered having less than an hour to prepare for her first ever flight in one. It had always amused her that they were given these perfect little 4x6 cards bound on two rings that supposedly contained everything they needed to know about an aircraft, from flying speeds to cruising, landing and stalling speeds. The men who flew them had direct training in each aircraft, but they seemed to think a quick read on the way to collect a plane was enough for the ferry pilots.
‘Oh,’ she said, puzzled as a note fell out.
There will be a car waiting to take you to London to attend an event tonight. I need both you and Lizzie there with me. I’ll tell you more when I see you. Your uniforms will be waiting in your room at the Savoy. Fly safe. MJ
‘I just . . .’ Ruby started, as Lizzie held up an identical note.
‘Seems our commander has been keeping secrets from us, but I’m not about to complain about another night out in London.’
‘Me neither.’ Ruby touched her small bag, pleased she always took her powder and lipstick with her on every flight. The last thing she wanted was to spend all day flying and then look dowdy come nightfall. ‘Especially if we get to stay the night in a comfortable bed with a feather pillow ahead of our big flight tomorrow.’
CHAPTER NINE
LONDON, JUNE 1942
MAY
May took a deep breath as she surveyed the crowd she was about to plunge into. Compared to flying, it was akin to navigating a minefield.
She straightened her shoulders and self-consciously touched her hair. It had been a long time since she’d had to worry about her appearance – usually brushing her hair and teeth and ensuring her uniform was immaculate were all she had to be concerned about. But today she was wearing make-up, her pink lipstick applied with a shaky hand as she’d wondered who the woman in the mirror really was. She’d started out with the ATA feeling so young and so terribly inexperienced, but the face looking back at her had a maturity far beyond what she felt. She looked capable of being a senior commander now. Inside, she yearned to turn back the clock, to be her old self again: the fun, inquisitive, ready-for-anything girl. Sometimes she wondered if that version of herself was even in there any longer.
I also wonder what that girl would think about trying to impress a roomful of dignitaries, politicians and wealthy Londoners.
On paper she could convey anything she needed to get across, and on base, she never doubted herself or her decisions. But the room she was standing in made her feel way out of her depth. And her brother was lurking in her mind today, perhaps as a result of the letter she’d received from her mother. She could have made the hour-long drive to see her, or she could even have told her to come to London to meet her; but just imagining the sadness in her mother’s gaze was enough to stop her. She couldn’t deal with that, or going home knowing she was never going to see Johnny there again, that she’d never laugh with him and share a meal at their kitchen table, or tease him about one of his many girlfriends.
‘I didn’t think I was going to make it, but here I am.’
May turned and found herself staring at Ben. Her jaw dropped as she took in his black suit and bow tie, his freshly shaved cheeks and his hair brushed back from his face.