Page 37 of The Spitfire Girls
‘She’s just powdering her nose. I said we’d meet her over there, where it’s not too busy.’
‘Let’s head over now,’ Jackson said. ‘Hopefully we’ll pass a waiter with drinks.’
Lizzie seemed to regain her composure, clutching her purse as she nodded and strode off ahead of him. May stifled a laugh as the crowd parted instantly.
‘Would you like my advice?’ Ben asked, leaning in so close that she could smell the woody scent of his cologne. ‘Because I can tell you’re chewing over that nugget of information like a dog worrying a bone.’
May nodded, wishing she weren’t so transparent. Or perhaps it was only because he knew her so well. ‘Of course.’
‘Just ask for it outright. Go for it – ask for what you deserve and don’t hold back.’ He caught her hand. ‘You deserve to be paid the same, May, because we can’t win this war without your pilots delivering those planes.’
May took a deep breath. ‘Thank you,’ she said. She felt lighter than she had in a long time. ‘I ... I hope you know how refreshing it is to have a man like you around.’
‘So you’ll ask for it?’
‘I promise I will. I’m not going to take this on the chin, that’s for sure.’
Ben tugged on her hand. ‘Come on, we need to get another drink before Churchill finally arrives and wants to talk your ear off for the rest of the evening with a bunch of boring old farts. I need to enjoy your company while I can!’
May burst out laughing, and realised she hadn’t laughed so hard since sitting around her parents’ table with Johnny and his friends before the war. The memory was sobering but she tried to push past it, clinging tighter to Ben’s arm as she fought to stay in the moment, to actually let herself have fun.
‘Thank you, Ben,’ she whispered. ‘I needed you here with me tonight.’
She couldn’t breathe when Ben’s eyes met hers, his body close as his gaze dipped to her lips then moved up again.
‘It’s nothing,’ he said, but she heard a huskiness in his voice that hadn’t been there before. ‘We’re friends, right? That’s what friends do for one another.’
May bit down on the inside of her mouth, relieved when he started walking again. ‘Yes,’ she murmured. ‘Friends.’
‘Is thatBen?’ May turned at Ruby’s shriek, and saw that her friend had joined Lizzie and Jackson. ‘Well I never!’
‘He’s mine,’ May quipped, clutching his arm. She meant it as a joke, but it came out sounding oddly serious and she wondered who she thought she was kidding.
Then Jackson gathered them all together in a conspiratorial sort of way. ‘Ladies and gents, I can’t speak on behalf of my president, but I have a little secret that you might be interested in,’ he said.
They all crowded around.
‘Tell us immediately,’ Lizzie demanded.
Ben exchanged glances with May. Jackson certainly was a fountain of information tonight!
‘The first lady is planning a visit, and after meeting with the prime minister’s wife, they’ll be coming to tour White Waltham,’ he said. ‘I expect you’ll all want to be there on the day.’
May watched as Lizzie gulped down her champagne.
‘It seems she wants to see exactly what women are doing here in Britain,’ Jackson carried on. ‘From the Women’s Land Army to the ATA and the women ferry pilots and everything in between.’
‘Captain Montgomery!’ Lizzie demanded, looking furious. ‘Exactly how long have you known this information? You shouldn’t be keeping secrets like that from me about our own country!’
Jackson raised an eyebrow. ‘Perhaps I should have shared this with your British sisters only? They seem far more grateful for confidential information I pass to them.’
‘Honestly, Montgomery, you’re such a bore sometimes.’
May followed the exchange, feeling sorry for Jackson. His behaviour tonight had shown that he was firmly on their side; what’s more, he had freely shared his knowledge of flying large aircraft and she respected him for that.
‘Perhaps I didn’t want to share classified information with the biggest loudmouth around?’ he said. ‘You haven’t exactly given me reason to confide in you, Elizabeth.’
‘The fact that Eleanor Roosevelt is coming here and no one told me about it until now is criminal!’ Lizzie hissed. ‘And I’m not aloudmouth!’
