Rising Summer (23 page)

‘A sick what?’

‘Good as,’ said Min.

‘Min, you’d better tell your mum and dad and stop them worrying.’

‘Not goin’ to,’ said Min with a hoity-toity toss of her head. ‘I can’t ’ardly believe me own mum an’ dad can believe I’d let ’em down like that. I wouldn’t have, not even with—’ She stopped. She went on. ‘Except – oh, I don’t know what I’d ’ave done.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘Tim, I’ve got real lovin’ feelings for you an’ they’re never goin’ to go away.’

Oh, hell, poor young Min, she’d got a crush that was heavy even for a schoolgirl and she was taking it seriously. I’d had crushes when I was at school, I’d had a crush on a nurse and on a young woman who ran the local Girl Guides and I’d thought them lifelong crushes. I’d taken them seriously too.

‘Well, in a couple of years, Min, when you’re really grown up, when you’re a young woman, let’s see how we both feel then.’

‘But I—’

‘That’s fair, Min, you know it is. I’m being fair to you because you’re only sixteen, so be fair to yourself and give yourself time.’

‘Oh, I hate you!’ cried Min and turned on her heel and ran. She ran away from me, back up the lane to the village.

I didn’t feel very happy about that, but I did feel enormous relief that she wasn’t pregnant.

Two days later, I had the old Austin utility out, taking a late delivery of mail round the sites. Usually it was delivered by the rations lorry, but the lorry had left before it arrived. Driving through the village, I saw Missus at her gate. I stopped. Up she came.

‘Just thinkin’ about you, Tim, I was,’ she said. ‘There’s some spare eggs.’

Irresistible, her fresh eggs were. I got out. Missus, overflowing with country health and natural goodness, took me round to the back of her cottage and into the chicken shed. Chickens squawked and fled. On the table where Jim sorted his eggs was a box containing six. She gave me the box.

‘There, Tim love,’ she said. ‘Jim says you’re thinkin’ very sympathetic about our Min.’

‘Hasn’t Min told you?’

‘Told me what?’

‘That she’s not pregnant.’

‘Oh, me gawd,’ said Missus and put a fluttery hand to her bosom. ‘She went walkin’ with you, but when she come back she wasn’t very talkative. Jim said ’e’d ask you what she said to you.’

‘She told me quite definitely she’s not pregnant.’

‘Bless me upset heart, what a relief,’ said Missus. ‘But why hasn’t she told me an’ Jim?’

‘Well, Missus, the fact is she’s cross with you for believing she could do a silly thing like getting herself in the family way.’

‘But she acted like she was, she kept not bein’ very
well
and I just know I ’eard her bein’ sick once or twice in the mornings. Jim said he never saw her more broody.’

‘Well, she’s been cross with me too, Missus,’ I said. ‘She complained I made her sick because of Kit, the American sergeant. And she’s ratty with me now. Well, I told her to wait a couple of years and to see what her feelings were then.’

‘Oh, me poor Min,’ sighed Missus. ‘I never did know any girl more gone on a young man. I’ll ’ave to talk to her, or get her Aunt Flossie to.’

‘Leave off, Missus, don’t let that naughty old bird get near Minnie.’

‘I ’ope you’re not speakin’ ill of Aunt Flossie,’ said Missus.

‘Just tie her up and put her in your attic with the rocking-horse,’ I said.

‘We don’t have no rockin’-horse,’ said Missus, a trifle indignant.

‘Well, stuff her up the chimney, then,’ I said. ‘Still, ta for the eggs, you’re a lovely chicken, Missus. Got to push off now.’

I went on my way, I motored out of the village and dropped mail in at three sites. I motored on. I slowed approaching a crossroads. Two American military personnel were thumbing, one male, one female. Giving lifts to civilians was forbidden and giving lifts to the military was discouraged. They might be disguised German parachutists. But camaraderie counted for more than piffle typed in triplicate. And besides, I knew the female. So I stopped and put my head out.

‘Watcher, Cass,’ I said.

Cass, the blonde Wac, was with a lanky GI. She gave a happy little yelp at seeing me. ‘Oh, you dog,’ she said, ‘long time no see, but see good now. Number one Limey guy. You go all alongee Uncle Sammy’s base?’

‘I’m not that kind of Chinaman,’ I said. ‘Your base is ten miles from here.’

‘Ten miles is right,’ said Cass, ‘so it’s great to see you and your old mousetrap. Legs – this is Legs – was driving me to Ipswich to pick up a Wac there, but our jeep caught a cold or something. Anyway, it coughed itself sick and died.’

‘OK, love,’ I said, ‘hop in, you and Johnny.’

‘Pardon me, bud,’ said the GI. ‘How do I get myself in without a can opener?’

‘Through the back curtains,’ I said, ‘and would you mind chucking yourself in sharpish? I’m supposed to be delivering mail and I’ll get shot out of a cannon if I’m late back.’

‘OK,’ he said.

‘Don’t read the mail,’ I said. ‘It’s private.’

He got himself aboard and Cass tucked herself in beside me. I drove at a lick for Chackford. I didn’t want any more trouble than I already had. If I got back late to BHQ, Staff-Sergeant Dix was going to ask questions about time, distance and petrol. The Austin utility rattled along gamely through the winding roads.

‘All right, Cass?’ I asked.

‘You bet,’ she said. ‘The lift I mean and seeing you. I guess I got to like your homely base. Ours is a concrete dump. No rating. When it’s all over I’ll settle for homeliness if I can’t catch me a millionaire.’

Try for a millionaire, Cass, you’ll both get a bargain.’

‘Well, thanks,’ said Cass, ‘but I guess it’s Cecily who’s really suffering. She’s crying her eyes out for a one-way ticket back to your coconut palms.’

‘Not really, is she?’ I said.

We were making good time. A great spread of American bombers appeared in the sky ahead of us. Up they came from the west, flying east towards occupied Europe and the thunder of their engines drowned us for long minutes.

‘Cecily’s hooked,’ said Cass when she could make herself heard.

‘On Claud?’

‘On the buttercups and daisies as well.’ Cass laughed.

‘Still, no more mental turmoil?’

‘Claud did a great job. Say, would you ever think a guy by the name of Claud could have done that for Cecily?’

‘There’s a first time for everything, I suppose.’

‘I guess so,’ said Cass and chatted on in her chummy way, while her GI friend made what he could of the mousetrap. I did a very fast ten miles without anything falling off and the American Army base outside Chackford came up at us out of the cloudy summer day. It was new and vast. I turned in at the gate on Cass’s instructions. Two Snowdrops pushed me back to a white line. The Austin quivered.

‘Hold it, bud,’ said one, ‘what’s your hurry?’

‘Is this a can?’ asked the other, eyeing the Austin in disbelief.

‘Can?’ I said.

‘Yeah, d’you make water in it?’

‘Better not,’ I said, ‘you’ll swamp the mail. And the passenger. I’m delivering.’

‘Papers, bud,’ said the first Snowdrop, extending an enormous mitt.

‘Give over, I’m delivering American personnel, one male, one female.’

‘OK, you guys,’ said Cass, putting her head out, ‘move over. He’s doing us a favour. Straight on, Tim honey.’

‘Well, it’s your say-so,’ said the Snowdrop, ‘but I ain’t sure it’ll make it.’

‘Make room,’ said Cass, ‘it’s an old and dear friend of mine.’

They grinned at her. Cass was a character. I hoped she’d catch herself a millionaire. I drove along a clean concrete road that seemed endless with intersections and with camp buildings erected in square complexes on either side. Horrible, it was. It made me feel sentimental about the bits and pieces that made up BHQ.

‘Big,’ I said.

‘Painful,’ said Cass. ‘Turn left, lover.’

I turned left, entering another long stretch. They must have had fifty thousand Yanks packaged in this place. Hitler wouldn’t have liked it, since it was only one of many similar American bases in the country. Cass told me to pull up outside a long admin block, so that she could go in and report the demise of a jeep. The long GI unfolded himself and climbed out.

Cass gave my knee a pat. ‘Many thanks, Tim, you’re every girl’s best friend,’ she said.

‘You’re welcome, Cass, shan’t forget you.’

‘Me too.’ She planted a kiss on my cheek. ‘Take care, old buddy, the war’s coming.’ She got out.

The GI showed his face. ‘Yeah, well, thanks, Limey,’ he said.

They went off and Cass disappeared into the admin block. I was in a hurry, but I stayed a moment for another look around. Barrack blocks. Clusters of GIs and Wacs. Stars and stripes. Colossal, it was. Had to be, with Uncle Sam behind it all. It was Kit’s place. She was welcome to it. I started up and began a three-point turn. I heard quick footsteps on the concrete and then a voice.

‘Stop!’ It was Kit.

‘Hello, lovey,’ I said, ‘can’t stop, must dash, only came to drop Cass off.’

‘So she’s just told me.’ Kit’s hair was rippling in the breeze and her face looked slightly flushed. There were sparks about. ‘Were you going without seeing me?’

‘I’m short of time and what difference would it have made?’

She disappeared. The next thing I knew the passenger door was open and she was climbing to sit beside me. Angrily, she reached and switched off the engine. ‘You stinker,’ she said.

‘Oh, is that a fact?’ I was fed up with fate and fortune. ‘Well, let me tell you, mister, I’ve just come a hundred miles out of my way to bring Cass back to you.’

‘Mister? Mister?’ Kit looked furious. ‘You cheap comic, is that supposed to be funny? Are you trying to prove something petty by coming here to drop Cass off without looking me up?’

The concrete complexes must have done something to her head. ‘What’s your problem?’ I asked.

‘Listen, you earthworm,’ said Kit, ‘you dropped Cassidy off right outside admin. You must know I work in there. Why didn’t you come in and see me?’

‘I didn’t have time. I haven’t got time now. Honest. I’m late enough already.’

She gave me a look full of rage. She got out. She slammed the door. The Austin shuddered. She walked away. I put my head out and called to her. She turned.

‘First sergeant I ever loved, you were,’ I said, then started up again and drove off. She watched me go, but she didn’t wave.

When I finally got back to BHQ and returned the Austin to the vehicle stand, Staff-Sergeant Dix checked the petrol gauge and the spare can. And the mileage. And the condition of the vehicle.

‘I make you a bit up on mileage,’ he said.

‘Thought you would, Staff,’ I said. ‘I hit a diversion outside Long Melford.’

‘You would,’ he said. ‘All right,’ he said. He wasn’t a bad old lump.

In the orderly room, Sergeant Johnson, checking the time I’d taken, asked me whose war it was, Churchill’s or mine.

‘Well, we’re both in it together, sarge. Actually, I hit a diversion—’

‘Don’t give me a load of rockcakes,’ he said, ‘you’ve been gone long enough to organize your own second front.’

‘I’ve kept a place for you, sarge. First landing party.’

Bombardier Wilkins grinned. Deborah and Deirdre giggled. Frisby winked.

‘And where will you be?’ asked Sergeant Johnson.

‘Right behind you, sarge.’

‘What a comfort,’ said Bombardier Wilkins.

‘Yes, not everyone’s like me,’ I said.

‘Hoo-bloody-ray,’ said Sergeant Johnson.

I called on Jim and Missus. Minnie was out with a girlfriend, but Missus said she’d come out with it at last. She’d admitted she wasn’t in the family way. Not that she seemed pleased she wasn’t. She was still having upset moods.

‘Like you said, Tim, she’s ratty with you all right. Hates you, she said, but she don’t, of course.’ Missus looked a little sad. ‘Shame she’s too young for you, love.’

‘Maybe Tim’s right, though,’ said Jim, puffing on his pipe. ‘Girls of our Min’s age don’t get lastin’ feelings, Missus. Little Turk she was, though, lettin’ us think she was in the club.’

‘She didn’t know where she was with Tim, that’s why,’ said Missus. ‘A girl’s emotions an’ feelings can make her do funny things. Be different if she’d been old enough for Tim and they’d been ’itting it off, she’d ’ave been singing all day.’

‘Yes, well, when she’s eighteen, Missus, I’ll pop in if I’m around,’ I said.

‘Now don’t say things like that, Tim,’ said Missus, ‘you know it don’t make sense. Still, I’ll make a pot of tea, there’s always sense in that.’

So she made a pot of tea and we all chatted, mostly about Suffolk. Cockneys born and bred though they were, Jim and Missus had long decided this was where they were going to spend the rest of their lives. And Minnie liked it too. Minnie didn’t want to go back to the smoke.

Dusk was just about giving way to dark night when I left. I stood at the gate to let my eyes adjust. Minnie, I thought, should have been home by now. She emerged from the dusk then. A little way behind her was a man. I made him out after a moment as a GI. Her head was turned and she was speaking in a vexed way, over her shoulder.

‘Go away, stop followin’ me, d’you hear?’

I heard him say, ‘Honey, you sure are being difficult.’

‘Hello, Min,’ I said.

She jumped. She stopped. ‘Oh, you Tim, I didn’t know you were there,’ she said.

‘Hi,’ said the GI and came to a halt a little distance away.

‘Looking for someone?’ I asked.

‘Yeah, well,’ he said uncertainly. ‘Guess it’s kinda crowded now. See you, maybe,’ he said to Min.

‘Not if I see you first,’ said Min and off he went. ‘Tim, you made me jump, but crikey, nice you bein’ here, ’e was tryin’ it on with me.’

‘I’m not surprised. Young girls out in the dark are asking for it in this kind of war.’

‘I’ll hit you,’ said Minnie.

‘Now, Minnie—’

‘Don’t you now Minnie me. I’ve been out with Jane
Goodwin,
me best friend, to the pictures in Sudbury and I’ve just walked ’ome from the bus stop. That Yank started comin’ after me when I passed the pub, so don’t you try an’ make out I’ve been walkin’ around askin’ for it.’