Page 30 of The Spitfire Girls
‘Why, yes I am,’ Polly said. ‘And it just so happens that I’m dying to meet a fella to take my mind off this war!’
‘To hell with it, you’re right,’ said Ruby. ‘I’m an independent woman contributing to the war effort. He’d better not warm anyone else’s bed, but we all deserve some fun and he’s been an idiot lately anyway. He’s luckyIhaven’t called off the engagement!’
Lizzie could see how hard Ruby was trying to be brave; she’d heard the other girls talking about how difficult her fiancé had been. ‘He’s lucky to have you, Ruby,’ she said. ‘Honestly, he is.’
Ruby looked amazed for a second, before slowly smiling. ‘Thanks, Liz. That actually means a lot.’
‘Come on, let’s check in and get our party frocks on,’ Lizzie said, not wanting Ruby to think she’d gone all soft on her. She only had one dress, but after months of wearing her uniform day in, day out, it felt like she was about to put on the most special dress in the world – not to mention her beautiful brown silk stockings that she was so careful with. ‘All I can think about is what we’re going to be eating tonight, and it had better not include cabbage or Brussels sprouts!’
‘I need a big juicy piece of meat. And some jolly good gravy to go with it.’ Polly sighed. ‘Heaven on a plate.’
‘Don’t forget the gin,’ Lizzie added. ‘I’d go for one of your British gin and tonics right about now.’
‘May said she’d be here by early evening at the latest,’ Ruby told them. ‘I actually think she might be impressed by how well we’ve been getting along so far.’
‘I wouldn’t go getting too ahead of yourself,’ Polly teased.
Lizzie flashed Polly a smile, liking the smart-mouthed Australian.
‘Have you been elsewhere in London during an air raid?’ Ruby asked as they approached the reception desk. ‘When you first arrived, I mean?’
‘No, just that once. I probably didn’t take it seriously enough.’
‘Most of London is squashed into the underground during a raid, on cold damp floors, but the crowd here gets pampered even when we’re being bombed.’ Ruby shook her head. ‘Liz, it’s scary when the sirens go off, if you’ve been here when a bomb has actually hit. When you’ve got to race for cover, when you’re not staying somewhere fancy like this, it’s terrifying. It makes it all so real, that we’re only one bomb away from being a casualty.’
Lizzie squeezed Ruby’s hand. ‘I’m sorry, I was just trying to make light of it. You know me.’
Ruby’s smile was sad, and Lizzie wondered if she’d pushed too far.
‘Just don’t forget that this war is real,’ Ruby reminded her. ‘And we’ve all lost someone or something. It’s not a game to us.’
‘I promise you, it’s not a game to me either,’ Lizzie assured her.
‘Well, we’d better not have a bloody air raid tonight. I want to party for hours then sleep for longer than I’ve slept in months,’ Polly moaned, as Ruby laughed and gave their names to the front desk clerk.
Lizzie couldn’t agree more. ‘Let’s go to our room, take a nap, then get ourselves all dolled up so we’re ready when May gets here.’
‘I thought I’d find you ladies in here.’
‘May!’ Ruby and Polly chimed at the same time, as their commander walked into the bar.
‘When it started to get dark we thought you weren’t going to make it.’ Lizzie beckoned the waiter over as May settled into the seat next to her. ‘But you’re just in time. We’ve only had two drinks.’
‘I was called into a late meeting, but I wouldn’t have missed this for the world,’ May said.
‘What can I get you to drink, ma’am?’
Lizzie studied May as she ordered champagne, watching the confident way she held herself and the commanding way she spoke. Since they’d been transferred, Lizzie had noticed the change in her commander, the way she’d seemed to grow into her role and was more comfortable being in charge with every passing day. But it was clearly taking its toll on her – the lines around her eyes were more pronounced, the tiredness impossible not to notice. Also, she had the distinct feeling that May was holding back, that with her new-found confidence she was also somehow distancing herself from the others.
‘So what have I missed?’ May asked.
‘Lizzie’s had me looking for handsome fellas for her,’ Ruby said. ‘Haven’t seen one yet that’s she’s interested in, though.’
Lizzie laughed. ‘I think our young friend is a virgin, she’s so shy.’
‘Lizzie!’ Ruby gasped, swatting at her.
‘We can’t all be as experienced as you, Miss Dunlop,’ Polly quipped, taking a slow sip of her drink and winking, which sent them all into raucous laughter again.
