Page 5 of The Spitfire Girls
‘How about you tell me more about your personal experience, Miss Dunlop,’ the president said. ‘I’d like to hear about how you won the Bendix Trophy Race. If I’m honest, that was the part of your resumé that intrigued me the most.’
Lizzie nodded in relief, feeling more at ease talking about her flying. ‘It was probably the most exciting moment of my flying career, sir. It certainly made my heart race!’
Everyone seated at the table laughed.
‘I’m well aware that you beat two men who are now general officers in the air force,’ commented the general. ‘Not to mention that you were also granted the world’s most outstanding pilot award by the International League of Aviators. It’s no mean feat to achieve such things.’ He paused. ‘And that, along with your determination over the past couple of years, means I will indeed be supporting the inclusion of women pilots, despite my inner conflicts about it, should the opportunity arise.’ He smiled. ‘Although something about you tells me I could live to regret that decision.’
Lizzie took a slow, deep breath. ‘Should?’ she asked. The word continued to echo through her mind. ‘Shouldthe opportunity arise?’ She’d been certain he was going to give her the go-ahead then and there.
He nodded, frowning slightly. ‘You heard correctly. We’re not at war yet, so I don’t see any need at this immediate stage to establish a squadron of women pilots to assist our military. But I do have a suggestion for you to ensure that we’re well prepared.’
Lizzie held her breath. Her heart started to pound again and she dug her fingernails back into her palm, fist tightly closed. ‘Oh?’ she said, trying not to sound as if she were about to burst.
‘Have you heard of the Air Transport Auxiliary in Britain? The ATA?’ asked the general, glancing at Eleanor and receiving a nod in response.
Lizzie nodded too – she knew that women were already assisting the military in England. It was one of the reasons she’d hoped she was one step closer to seeing her vision realised.
‘In short, it’s a civilian division. They ferry planes all over the place, for the same purpose you’ve suggested, and I would like you to consider travelling to England to join the women’s division for now – in an active role, of course. Primarily it will give you an understanding of their inner workings and experience of ferrying fighter planes and so forth. What do you say?’
Lizzie tried not to leap out of her skin with excitement, but it was impossible to suppress the smile that spread across her lips. ‘What do I say?’ she repeated, laughing as she traded looks with Eleanor. ‘I say that’s a brilliant idea! What plane shall I take to fly across the pond?’
‘How about I make the travel plans and you follow orders,’ he said gruffly. ‘We don’t want to send the army into collective heart failure over female pilots just yet.’
Lizzie beamed at the men seated in front of her.England, here I come!
CHAPTER TWO
LONDON,ENGLAND,JANUARY1942
RUBY
Ruby Sanders sat beside her mother and held out her cup for more tea, concentrating on keeping it perfectly balanced on the saucer. She reached for a cube of sugar and dropped it gently into the cup, cringing when she saw the look on her future mother-in-law’s face. Carolyn sighed and pointed at the tiny tongs on the tray. Ruby didn’t want a second sugar, but she smiled and reached for them anyway. The woman was a stickler for manners, and despite her best efforts, Ruby still managed to do the wrong thing almost every time she visited.
‘Darling, if there’s enough available, would you like silk and lace?’
Ruby nodded politely. ‘Of course. Although I’m more than happy to alter my mother’s dress if need be.’
‘There’s no need for hand-me-downs,’ Carolyn said, visibly shuddering. ‘I wouldn’t hear of it!’
‘Well, thank you,’ Ruby said, squirming in her seat as she sipped her too-sweet tea. ‘But only if it’s not too much to expect, after the war.’
‘If you want silk, we’ll find silk,’ Carolyn said with a curt nod. And Ruby believed her. She was certain this woman got everything she wanted in life, no matter how high the stakes. ‘We certainly don’t want this to be acommonwedding by anyone’s standards, now do we?’
‘Mmmm, of course not.’
‘But you wouldn’t want to show too much skin. Modest is best, don’t you think, dear?’
Ruby blinked away images of the pretty, deep V-neckline she’d been coveting, not about to disagree. ‘Yes. Of course.’
Tom. That’s why she was here. That was the reason she was even in this posh sitting room, pretending it was the most natural thing in the world to talk about silk and dresses and fancy cakes, despite the fact that her fiancé was away fighting, with his life on the line. The way Carolyn talked, it was like she expected the war to end and everything to go back to normal with a click of her fingers – almost as if they were pretending that Tom was away on business, and not part of a war!
‘And white? Or cream? I think your beautiful peachy skin tone will look stunning no matter what you wear.’
Ruby smiled. She couldn’t wait to marry Tom, but the finer details were lost on her. She just wanted him to make it home safely; however and wherever they got married wouldn’t matter.So long as I get my Tom back.
‘Ruby?’
She glanced up, realising how long she’d been in her own little world, daydreaming.
