Page 6 of The London Girls
Her eyes travelled around the room, settling on a piece of paper pinned to the wall. She walked over and tugged it down, scanning the memo, her eyes widening as she read the call to action.Experienced motorcycle riders preferred.Her pulse quickened.I could do this.
‘Can I take this?’ she asked no one in particular.
Olivia forgot all about her much-yearned-for cup of tea and hurried out of the room, leaving the gossiping Wrens behind as she strode down the hall to her superior’s office.I need to do this, before I lose my nerve. Just do it, just walk in there and ask him outright.How many other Wrens would have as much experience on a motorcycle as me?
She paused outside his office, taking a moment to consider what she might say. As she was preparing herself, a petite brunette walked out, her smile so wide Olivia couldn’t help but notice it. She looked familiar, but then so did a lot of the girls – there were so many of them working in the building now, but it was only the Wrens she’d been through training with or sat beside that she knew by name. The woman passed with a wink, and Olivia was left wondering if she’d also applied for the position.
‘Can I help you?’
Olivia looked up and saw the admiral’s secretary watching her, and she squared her shoulders, quickly smiling and forgetting the girl in the hall.
‘Yes, I’d like a moment of the admiral’s time if he’s available?’
She received a curt nod in response. ‘He has five minutes. Keep it brief.’
Olivia walked in, clearing her throat as she tapped on his door. ‘Sir?’
He looked up and waved her in. ‘How can I help you?’
‘Sir, I’d like to apply for leave,’ she said.
‘Leave for?’
Olivia squeezed her hands together, hating how nervous she sounded. ‘Leave to apply for the position of motorcycle dispatch rider.’
She held out the memo, half wondering from the puzzled expression on his face if he even knew what she was referring to.
‘You’re the second young lady to ask me that question in the past ten minutes,’ he said, stroking his thick grey moustache. ‘Please tell me I’m not about to lose all my Wrens to this new’ – he paused – ‘enterprise?’
She shook her head as she realised that the brunette must have been the one the others had all been talking about. What was her name. Anna? No,Ava.‘No sir, I don’t believe there’s many women wanting to apply. In fact, I think it’s the exact opposite.’
He nodded. ‘Well then, permission granted. I don’t want to lose any of you, truth be told, but I suspect it’ll be much harder to fill the dispatch positions than find willing new Wrens to work here.’ He sat back, appearing to study her. ‘You know how to ride a motorcycle?’
‘Yes, sir, I certainly do.’
‘Well then, I wish you all the best. It sounds like you’re exactly the type of young lady they’re looking for.’
He went back to his work then, dismissing her as his gaze returned to his papers, and she turned to leave, her hand flying to her mouth in an attempt to mask her excitement. But as she didso, she came face to face with another young woman, sending her files flying as they collided.
‘Oh, I’m so sorry!’ Olivia gasped, grabbing hold of the woman’s arm to steady her, before dropping down to collect what she’d knocked to the ground.
The woman dropped down too, looking mortified as she scrambled to collect her fallen papers. They’d managed to flutter all around them, scattering in every which direction.
‘It’s fine, I shouldn’t have been waiting so close to the door,’ the woman murmured.
‘You’re here to apply too?’ Olivia asked.
‘For the dispatch position? I don’t know about applying yet, I thought I’d try to find out more information perhaps, but ...’
Olivia touched her hand, smiling as she stared into her eyes. ‘You go straight in there and ask for leave to apply,’ she said encouragingly. ‘I’ve just done it, and there’s another one of us too, a Wren named Ava– she’s applied as well. It’ll be great fun if we all get in, but if you’re anything like me, you’ll need to act quickly before you lose your nerve.’
‘You really think I should?’
‘I really think you should,’ Olivia said firmly as they faced one another. ‘I’m Olivia, by the way.’
‘Florence,’ the other woman said, holding out her hand.
‘Well, good luck, if you decide to do it,’ Olivia said. She needed to go and find this Ava, to see if she knew any more about what they were getting themselves into. ‘I think we’d have a heck of a great time if we got in.’
