Page 75 of The London Girls
She met Florence’s gaze when she looked at her. ‘Not really, he’s a man of few words. But I feel like I finally know all his secrets now. Or at least I hope so!’
The children commandeered their attention then, and it wasn’t until they rose to leave an hour later that they had a chance to talk again.
‘Florence, I have to confess that I had an ulterior motive in bringing you here.’
Florence linked arms with her as they walked out on to the street. The day was gloomy, but their moods were anything but. ‘And what is that? If you’re looking for donations to keep this place running, I’m afraid to say I don’t have any money.’
Olivia slowed her walk. ‘It’s not your money I want, Flo. It’s your time.’
‘Oh, that’s a given! I’ll volunteer here as much as I can,’ Florence said.
Olivia stopped walking and let go of her. ‘I want you to open a school with me, or perhaps even a home for children who’ve lost their parents or been displaced during the war,’ she said. ‘I need someone with compassion and love to work alongside me – once the war is over of course – and I can see how happy this kind of work makes you.’
Florence was smiling, but she looked surprised. ‘I don’t know how good I’d be as a teacher, but I do love children.’
‘Just promise me you’ll think about it,’ Olivia said, linking their arms again as they continued to walk.
‘I will,’ Florence said.
‘Think about it?’ Olivia asked.
‘No, I mean I’ll do it. Once the war is over, once all this is behind us, I’m in, boots and all. I don’t need to think about it.’
‘Truly?’
Florence held her arm and leaned into her. ‘Truly.’
Olivia smiled to herself as they walked. Her life had changed in ways she never could have imagined, but being with her friends, doing work that truly meant something to her, it was all making her realise that she did have a future; just not the one she’d expected. She’d mourned Leo with all her heart and she couldn’t ever imagine being with another man, but she had a life to live, and she knew now that she could live it while still honouring his memory every single day.
‘Good to see you back,’ George boomed from across the garage as Olivia walked in.
‘It’s good tobeback,’ she said, surprised that he’d heard her enter.
‘You’re feeling up to the task?’ he asked. ‘I’m grateful to have you here, but I don’t want you back if you’re not ready.’
She nodded. ‘I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t. Where to today?’
George took her satchel from where it was resting on her motorcycle and placed a memo inside, securing the buckle and passing it to her.
‘You’ll be delivering this to Norfolk House, your old place of work. It’s a good short ride for your first dispatch.’
‘Thank you. I appreciate it,’ she said. ‘I’ll be fine once I get out there.’
He looked like he was about to say something else, so before it became awkward she spoke instead.
‘I thought you’d like to know that Ava is recovering well, and she said she’d happily receive you, if you still want to visit, that is?’ She watched him closely but he didn’t give anything away. Part of her had always wondered if perhaps George and Ava would be theperfect fit; there weren’t many men who could handle her friend, but George seemed more than capable of the task.
‘Thank you, I appreciate you checking with her,’ George said. ‘Now ride safely, I can’t go losing one of my best dispatchers again. I’ll be seeing you soon.’
‘See you soon,’ she replied.
With a smile she turned and sat astride her motorcycle, rolling backwards and then firing up her engine and driving out of the garage.
As she eased into her first ride back, accelerating slowly to begin with, she had the most overwhelming feeling of being free. Olivia went faster, finding the speed she was most comfortable travelling at, eyes on the road as she leaned into bends and turned corners, as she passed blackened, broken buildings and houses with the sides ripped off, like doll’s houses that were waiting for a giant arm to reach in and move all the furniture around. But despite the devastation around her, Olivia felt the happiest she’d felt in ... She sighed, wishing she could tip her face up to the sun.
This is the happiest I’ve been since the day I was married. Since Leo held me in his arms and made me his wife, since we lay together in bed, in the hotel, our heads sharing the same pillow as we looked into each other’s eyes.
Olivia blinked away tears, but they didn’t steal her smile. Nothing could steal her smile, not now that she was back on her motorcycle, with a classified message against her hip in her satchel, ready to do the work she felt she was born to do.
