Page 16 of The London Girls
Ava tried to keep calm as she accelerated a little more, not wanting to become overconfident even as she stopped wobbling, passing the fence that poor Florence had so spectacularly crashed into, not wanting to repeat her friend’s error as she bit down on her lower lip and turned slightly. She wobbled again but managed to correct herself, determined not to fall as she turned a little again, maintaining a big circle and passing the spot from where she’d started. She saw Theresa nod to her as she went by, but she barelyacknowledged her, and she dared not look at Commander Mac, not even for a second. And then, after riding round and round on the second circle, she slowed and then finally stopped. Her heart was racing and her jacket was hot and sticky against the back of her neck, but she’d never been so proud in all her life before. The only question was: had she ridden well enough to be given a chance?
‘Well, at least the motorcycle is in one piece,’ the commander called out. ‘Next!’
Ava’s legs were shaking as she passed Olivia, folding her arms over her chest as she stood back to watch her. She couldn’t hear what Theresa was saying, although she guessed it was the same instructions she’d received minutes earlier.
Was anyone going to tell her if she’d done well enough?
‘I think it’s fair to say you passed,’ Florence said.
Ava turned her head and smiled, taking a few steps backwards so they were standing together. ‘I hope so. It was a lot more difficult than I’d expected.’
‘You can say that again!’
They both laughed, although the moment the engine roared to life their attention turned firmly to Olivia. Ava was about to say something, but all thoughts left her mind as she watched the motorcycle speed effortlessly around the grass without so much as a wobble, going faster and faster, before slowing and then turning in the opposite direction and roaring off again. Olivia seemed to move with the bike, leaning low as she went into a tight corner of her own making and then coming to a fast stop beside Theresa. It had only lasted a few minutes, but even to Ava’s untrained eyes it had been a success – Olivia looked as effortless on the bike as Theresa had when she’d given her demonstration.
‘Do you think she’s ridden one before?’ Florence whispered.
‘Oh, I’d say she’s ridden onemanytimes before,’ Ava said tartly. ‘That was ...’
‘Excellent,’ Theresa cried, clapping as Olivia stepped off the bike and brushed escaped, windblown tendrils of hair from her face. ‘Well done! You’re an absolute natural!’
Olivia was smiling, but she looked almost embarrassed at how well she’d done when she looked over at them, and then mortified when the commander gave her a solid clap on the back which almost sent her flying. Ava thought she even saw him smile, which wasn’t something she’d expected after the way he’d addressed them all earlier. Olivia beating her so convincingly definitely wasn’t something she’d seen coming, either, although she was trying her best not to bristle.
Next it was one of the girls in dresses stepping forward, tying her skirt out of the way as she took her turn, which set some of the boys to whistling and clapping. But Ava was less interested in watching the stranger and more interested in finding out exactly how Olivia had managed to drive like that. Before she could open her mouth though, Florence beat her to it.
‘I have a feeling one of us may have withheld some vital information today,’ Florence said. ‘Olivia?’
Olivia’s face turned a dark shade of pink as she faced them, her arms wrapping around her body. ‘Honestly, it’s been so long since I last rode, I didn’t expect it to come back to me so quickly. I think I’m as surprised as anyone at how well I performed.’
‘Who taught you to ride?’ Ava asked.
‘I’d very much like to know the answer, too,’ Commander Mac said, walking towards them and clearly having overheard their conversation. ‘I have a feeling I’ve just found my next Theresa Wallach, which means today hasn’t been a total waste of time. Bravo young lady. Name?’
‘Wren Oliva Blakely.’
He noted her name on his clipboard and walked off to watch the other girl, who was still trying to kick-start the bike, looking asif she was about to cry. When she finally managed it, she accelerated too hard and the front wheel left the ground, which made her promptly burst into tears.
Ava turned back to Olivia. ‘Well?’
‘I grew up the youngest of four, the only girl in the family,’ Olivia explained. ‘My oldest brother, Pete, he’s the one who taught me. The others would have driven off and left me for the day, but not Pete.’ She smiled, and it lit up her entire face. ‘He’s my favourite, in case that wasn’t clear. He always said he wanted me to be able to do everything the boys could do, and motorcycle riding was one of them. My mother hated it, but she didn’t have a hope of curtailing my fun, not with Pete taking me under his wing and sneaking me out of the house at every opportunity.’
‘So, let me get this straight,’ Ava said. ‘You grew up riding motorcycles for fun, and yet you didn’t think to mention it to us?’
‘I didn’t want to oversell myself! Or make you think I was bragging when I hadn’t ridden in so long.’ Olivia sighed. ‘Sorry, it seems silly now, but I honestly just wanted you to like me, I suppose, and I didn’t want you to think I’d be better than you.’
‘Oh, I think we know that you’re better than us. It’s no contest, at least where I’m concerned!’ Florence laughed, and her amusement was contagious because suddenly Ava couldn’t stop smiling and Olivia was chuckling, too.
‘Florence, stop!’ Ava ordered. ‘I’m trying to make her feel guilty here!’
‘Honestly, I would have liked some pointers from you before I went and made a fool of myself, but ...’ Florence said, shaking her head. ‘It was so embarrassing!’
‘Sorry,’ Olivia murmured. ‘Although I don’t know how I could have helped. It was as if you were hell-bent on going over that fencewithoutthe motorcycle if I’m completely honest.’
They all burst into laughter again, and Ava watched as Florence covered her face with her hands, clearly mortified. She would have been too, if it had happened to her – it had been a spectacular dismount, but at least they could laugh about it now.
‘Ladies!’ The bark caught their attention. Ava immediately stood ramrod-straight and she heard Olivia’s quick, shallow breathing beside her as they waited for Commander Mac to address them.
But it was another man who commanded their attention now. They’d been so busy giggling and chatting that they’d completely missed the arrival of someone else.
