Page 87 of The London Girls
‘I promised her I’d make sure it was delivered. I promised, I—’
It was George who stepped forward to take the satchel swiftly in one hand before putting his other arm around Florence and guiding her to a chair. Ava was frozen, still staring at the bag.
‘Where’s Olivia?’ she finally managed. ‘Florence, where is she!’
Florence’s face was ashen white as she looked up and met Ava’s gaze, her eyes like saucers. ‘There was an accident. She’s at the hospital. Jack’s with her.’
‘She’s alive?’ Ava asked, the words sticking in her throat.
Florence nodded. ‘Barely.’
Ava looked away, biting down hard on her lower lip, trying to keep her tears at bay.
‘I promised her that I’d get this delivered. I promised her she hadn’t given her life for nothing,’ Florence said.
‘Her life?’ Ava asked, hearing how hysterical she sounded. ‘You think she’s going to die?’
Florence didn’t say anything, she just nodded and then looked away, as George took out the memo and discarded the bloody satchel. Ava’s stomach turned at the sight of it, knowing the blood belonged to her friend.
‘This message needs to be delivered,’ George said, starting to pace. ‘Damn it! It should have been delivered hours ago!’
Ava felt like she’d just been punched in the stomach, George’s words hurting her like nothing in her life before. ‘My friend might be dead and you’re worried about the undelivered message?’ she cried.
‘Olivia, you –all of you– are like family to me, so don’t you dare think for a second that I won’t be grieving her like everyone else,’ George said. ‘But this memo? The message she was carrying? It was marked top secret, which means it’s of the utmost importance, and the fact that it was going to that particular outpost makes it even more important that it gets there. Florence is right; if she loses her life it can’t be for nothing.’
Ava’s heart was racing as she stood there, as she forced herself to comprehend what was happening.
‘She knew that?’ Ava asked. ‘That it was top secret?’
‘Yes,’ George said. ‘It’s why I gave it to her. Because the two of you are my best riders, and it had to be one of you.’
Ava listened to the sound of her own breath, clenching her fists as she shut her eyes for a beat. ‘Let me do it, George,’ she finally said. ‘Let me deliver the memo.’
‘You’re not ready to be back at work,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘You’re not ready to be riding again, we’ve already discussed this.’
‘George, please, you know I’ll be able to get there, and fast. I don’t see that you have a choice,’ she said, standing tall, refusing to buckle despite the sadness inside her. ‘How long will it take to call someone in? All your riders on this shift are already out; you’d have to wait for someone to return.’
‘I also know this route is where I could have lost you,’ George said, his voice gravelly, his eyes searching hers.
She stepped forward and took his hands, reaching for him for the very first time, as if touching him were the most natural thing in the world. ‘I can do this. Please let me do this, for Olivia.’
George didn’t say anything, but he did give her a brief nod, his eyes pulling away from hers as if he couldn’t believe that he’d given his blessing. But she didn’t let the moment pass, rising on her tiptoes and pressing a kiss to his cheek.
‘You deliver this to the Naval Commander-in-Chief,’ he said. ‘No one else has eyes on this, Ava, no one.’
‘I’ll get it to him as quickly as I can.’
She turned to Florence then, dropping to her knees as she reached for her hands, hands that were folded tightly in her lap.
‘I’m going to do this, for Olivia,’ Ava whispered. ‘This is not going to be for nothing, whatever happens. I need her to know that.’
Florence’s eyes met hers and they stared at one another a long moment before Ava stood, letting go of her hands even though her instinct was to stay and comfort her. Whatever she’d been through, whatever she’d seen, Ava knew it would leave scars on Florence forever.
‘Go to the hospital,’ she said. ‘I’ll meet you there when I’m finished.’
‘I can’t lose you too,’ Florence whispered.
Ava took a deep breath. ‘I’ll see you soon. I promise.’
