The Fleethaven Trilogy (92 page)

‘You – you don’t believe he’s dead, do you?’

Kate shook her head. ‘No, I—’ she began and then corrected herself, conscious of Rosie’s feelings. ‘We’d know. We’d feel it.’

Rosie shifted the baby in her arms. ‘Do – do you want to hold him, Kate?’

Kate smiled and held out her arms. ‘Yes, please, Rosie.’

Sitting holding Danny’s son in her arms was the strangest feeling. Danny’s child; a child that might – had circumstances been different – so easily have been hers. She felt a protectiveness towards the tiny baby boy, a closeness and a flood of love.

‘What are you going to call him?’ Kate asked.

‘Robert – after Danny’s father.’

Kate nodded and said softly, ‘Beth will like that.’ Although she knew the facts, Rosie didn’t seem to remember so readily that Robert Eland had not been Danny’s natural father. But then, she was that much younger than Danny and Kate and had not even the haziest memory of Matthew Hilton. It was quite natural that Rosie should always think of Robert Eland as Danny’s father.

Tears glistened in Kate’s own eyes as she looked up at Rosie again. ‘I’ve just realized – I’m his aunt.’

Rosie’s eyes widened as now she, too, remembered. ‘Of course you are – I was forgetting. Yes – his
only
aunt.’

She was, Kate thought. Although Rosie was the eldest of five children, all the others were boys.

‘Kate – er—’ Rosie twisted the sheet in her fingers. ‘Can I ask you something?’

‘Mmm,’ Kate said absently, her attention back on the baby who was beginning to stir. He whimpered and Rosie took him back into her arms and offered him her breast.

‘Would you – I’d love it if you – and I know it’s what Danny would – want . . .’

Kate looked up and grinned. ‘Yes, of course I will.’

Rosie’s eyes widened. ‘Will what? I haven’t asked you yet?’

‘Be his godmother.’

‘How did you know that was what I was going to ask?’

‘Well, you were, weren’t you?’

Rosie nodded and the tiny room was suddenly filled with their laughter.

For the first time, Kate was reluctant to return to Suddaby, and yet she was anxious to see Philip again. She had so much to tell him. She could talk to Philip for he knew all about her. She longed to tell him how she had made up with Rosie and how the birth of their baby had, in a strange way, helped her.

As she stepped off the train, she saw him waiting on the platform, standing tall and dignified in his uniform, a slight frown creasing his forehead. It gave her a shock to see him there. Yet a thrill of pleasure ran through her seeing him unexpectedly; it was as if her own eagerness to see him had brought him there.

As she walked towards him, she reasoned with herself. His being here is nothing to do with you, she told herself sharply. He’ll have come to catch a train . . .

‘Kate!’ He was coming towards her, his hands outstretched, and, oblivious of onlookers, he took her in his arms and held her close. ‘Oh, Kate, how I’ve missed you.’

She clung to him, feeling the warmth and the strength of him.

They drew apart reluctantly. She was embarrassed by his public display, but he was grinning with happiness at seeing her again and obviously didn’t care what anyone else was thinking.

‘Are you catching a train?’

‘Eh? Oh no, just meeting one.’

‘You – you mean, you came to meet me?’ she gasped.

‘Yes. I’ve missed you so much. I couldn’t wait any longer. I was even rash enough to ask Mavis what train you might be on. I’ve only been waiting on this draughty station for two hours!’

Lost for words, Kate just stared at him, her mouth half-open.

‘You don’t mind, do you?’ It was the same question he’d asked her when he’d engineered her posting as his driver.

‘Well, of course not, but . . .’

‘Then stop dithering, woman,’ the grin was back, ‘and let’s get to the car and into the countryside where I can kiss you properly.’

They hurried out of the station and Kate drove recklessly up the hill out of the city. A few miles from Suddaby she turned the car down a bumpy track leading deep into a wooded area that had become their secret hideaway. They were hungry for each other, desperate with desire that their separation had fuelled . . .

Afterwards they sat together in the back seat of the car, cool beneath the shadows of the trees with only the sounds of the breeze whispering through the leaves and of birdsong from the high branches.

Philip glanced at his watch. ‘We’d better be making a move soon.’

‘Is there an operation on tonight?’ she asked.

‘No, we’ve been stood down. Widespread fog is forecast. But I have been away from the station rather a long time on unofficial business,’ he chuckled. ‘I ought to be getting back.’

‘Has everything been all right?’ she asked. ‘No more air raids?’

‘No – we’ve had a very quiet time. Some might say too quiet.’ He paused and then asked, gently, ‘How were things at home?’

Kate sighed. ‘Poor Rosie. She was hysterical. She went into labour and I stayed with her all the time.’

His arms tightened around her. ‘It must have been very difficult for you.’

‘No,’ she said, and there was still surprise in her voice. ‘It helped – really it did. Funny, isn’t it, after all the fuss I made? Although maybe it’s also because I have you now,’ she added realistically.

‘Oh, Kate.’ His voice was hoarse and he buried his face against her hair.

‘There hasn’t—’ she began hesitantly. ‘You haven’t heard anything about – about Danny’s aircraft?’ She felt compelled to ask and yet she knew the answer. Philip would have told her at once if there had been news of any sort.

He held her close and said softly, ‘No, my dear. I’m so sorry, but we’ve heard nothing.’

They sat quietly together in the peace of the woodland for a few moments longer, then Philip kissed her gently and sighed regretfully. ‘I’m sorry, darling, but we really must go.’

Kate reached for her jacket and got out of the back seat of the car.

‘Oh no!’ she groaned as she noticed that the car was lurching drunkenly to one side. ‘We’ve got a puncture.’

Philip got out of the car and stood looking down at the flat tyre. He ran his hand distractedly through his short hair. ‘Oh, hell! We can hardly explain away being stuck in the middle of the wood. Now what are we going to do?’

‘Do? Change the wheel, of course.’

He looked at her blankly for a moment and then shook his head and frowned. ‘I’m sorry, but I can’t . . .’

Mischievously, she gave him a mock salute. ‘Oh, but I can – sir! What
do
you think they taught us in MT training?’

His worried expression cleared a little. ‘Can you really . . .?’

‘Just stand back – and watch!’

In what seemed an incredibly short space of time, Kate had whipped off the huge wheel and replaced it with the spare.

‘Well, well,’ Philip grinned as they got back into the car. ‘You really are a young lady full of surprises. Mind you, if I’d stopped to think for a moment, I should have realized it would have been part of your training,’ and he added with endearing honesty, ‘I suppose part of me can’t get used to the idea of a woman being able to change a huge wheel like that a darn sight quicker than I could.’

As they bounced over the rough track through the trees back towards the road, Kate giggled as he muttered, ‘But thank goodness you could, else we might have had some awkward explaining to do.’

When they drove through the gates into the station, with Philip sitting circumspectly in the back seat, she could feel him taking on the mantle of Commanding Officer once more. He seemed to be two people; the serious, dedicated Group Captain who carried the awesome responsibility for the station with strength and yet compassion. And then there was the man she knew when they were alone; the man who loved her and needed her to love him.

Two days later, he called her into his office. ‘Come in – close the door.’

She stood before his desk. His face was tired, the lines of weariness etched deeply. ‘I’ve done all I can to find out about Danny.’ He shook his head sadly. ‘But there’s nothing. His plane hasn’t been found and there’s no report of him being a prisoner.’

‘Is there anything about any other member of the same crew? Something that might give a clue as to what happened to their plane?’

Philip shook his head. ‘Nothing. It’s as if they’ve disappeared completely. Still, at least there’s hope. Usually when this happens, it’s that their aircraft has crashed in enemy territory and they’re hiding out with resistance workers. I don’t want you to build up false hopes, though, and I’d advise you not to say anything to his family. Living amongst it, I know you understand better.’

Kate nodded. ‘Yes, you’re right. And I hope you’re right about Danny too.’

Philip looked at her solemnly. ‘So do I, Kate. So do I.’

They spent every possible moment they could together, but it became more difficult as Philip’s responsibilities increased. Now he had three squadrons under his overall command on a station purpose-built for two. Although it was only a temporary measure that one of the East Markham squadrons be housed at Suddaby, nevertheless it threw a strain on the smaller station. Frequently, Philip slept in the little room behind his office, rather than go to his official quarters. He was so committed, Kate thought. He was there at every takeoff and waiting through the long night until every aircraft was back, or at least until those who had not returned were posted ‘missing’. And then he would hunch his shoulders into his coat and return alone to his office to write those awful letters to the families of the missing crews.

‘We have a free afternoon off, Kate,’ he whispered from the back seat of the car as they drove out of the gate one morning for a routine visit to Group HQ. ‘A whole four hours with nothing to do. Where shall we go?’

‘I don’t know. Where do you want to go?’

‘How about you take me to your home? I’d love to see where you live.’

Kate gasped. ‘Home! But – but do you think we should?’

Philip shrugged. ‘Why not? We’ll be careful. I won’t hug and kiss you in front of them, though I’d like to.’

She laughed. ‘But it’s not quite the thing for the Commanding Officer to spend the afternoon with his driver, is it?’

‘No, I suppose not.’ He was thoughtful for a moment. ‘Isn’t Fleethaven Point a restricted area?’

‘Ye-es. The Army’s got men posted at the Point. There’s a gun emplacement there.’

‘Well, then, that’s it. I’ve come to inspect the site officially. Something to do with balloons, if anyone asks. Yes, that’s it.’ The decision made, he sat back in his seat, a self-satisfied look on his face.

The rule-book out the window once more, Kate thought, and laughing, told him, ‘You’re impossible!’

In the rear-view mirror she saw him grinning at her.

‘Mam, Dad – this is Group Captain Trent. He’s the CO.’

Philip held out his hand. ‘Pleased to meet you, Mrs Godfrey – Mr Godfrey. Please call me Philip. When we’re away from camp, Kate and I call each other by our Christian names, but we have to be very official on duty.’

Kate sensed her mother’s eyes upon her and felt the flush of embarrassment creeping up her neck. ‘Careful,’ Kate’s glance said silently to Philip, ‘me mam’s no fool.’ Aloud, she said, ‘Please sit down, sir – I mean, Philip. I’ll just go and see me grandad. Is he up, Mam?’

‘Oh aye, he’s up. Fighting fit, he is. He’ll outlive the lot of us.’ Esther busied herself laying cups and saucers on the table.

Kate turned to leave the living room to go through to the front room, but at that moment the door opened and Will Benson came in. ‘Ah thought I ’eard voices,’ he said, as Kate kissed the white stubble on his chin.

The introductions were made again and soon Kate began to relax as Philip chatted comfortably with her stepfather and grandfather.

‘Well,’ he said at last, standing up, ‘we’d better take a look at the Point, Kate.’

‘Ya’ll spoil yar shoes, young feller, traipsing across the sand. Lend him yar boots, Jonathan.’

When Philip had squeezed his size nine feet into Jonathan’s size eight boots, and Kate had put on her own pair of Wellingtons, they set off down the lane towards the Point. The moment they were out of sight of the farmhouse, Philip pulled her into his arms.

‘No,’ she gasped. ‘Someone might come along the lane . . .’ But she found herself returning his kiss, unable to resist him. Once over the Hump, they walked apart again.

‘Oh Kate,’ he murmured. ‘All this secrecy, it’s driving me mad. How I wish . . .’

‘Kate – Kate!’

They both looked up to see Rosie hurrying towards them. ‘Have you heard something about Danny?’

Kate shook her head. ‘Oh, Rosie, I’m sorry, no. This is my commanding officer. We – he’s here on official business.’

Rosie’s eyes widened fearfully. ‘Not – about Danny?’

Philip smiled, reassuring her quickly. ‘No, no. We’ve heard nothing. I’m sorry,’ he added, gently sympathetic.

Rosie’s mouth quivered, but she tried to smile bravely. ‘Oh well, I suppose no news is good news. Have you time to see the baby, Kate?’

Kate glanced up at Philip, who nodded. ‘May I come too?’

Shyly, Rosie nodded and led the way into Beth Eland’s cottage.

As she held Danny’s son, Kate felt Philip looking at her and glanced up to meet his gaze, There was a strange mixture of emotions on his face, but suddenly his jaw hardened and he turned away. ‘I’m sorry, Kate, we must go. Goodbye, Mrs Eland – Rosie,’ he said, courteous as ever although it was evident he wished to be gone from the cottage.

Swiftly, Kate placed the baby back in Rosie’s arms, kissed her and Beth and followed Philip.

He was striding ahead of her and she had to run to catch up with him. He walked fast with long, angry strides so that every so often she was obliged to take a little running step to stay by his side.

Philip neither glanced at her nor spoke to her.

Whatever is the matter, Kate thought.

He stood on the sand-dunes, his gaze scanning the coastline and out to sea, then without a word he marched back towards the Hump. They said a brief goodbye to Esther, Jonathan and her grandfather.