Some Lucky Day (39 page)

Seven days. It felt like a lifetime. ‘Thank you,’ she murmured. ‘I’ll be there.’

He closed the book and dropped it on his desk with a thud. ‘My clinic is to the left of the main doors and is always busy, so don’t be late.’

She shook her head, and before she could disgrace herself by bursting into tears, she grabbed her crutches and headed for the door which had seemed so far away only minutes before. She needed to get out of here – to find a quiet corner somewhere and curl up against her misery and bitter disappointment.

‘Hello, old thing. Matron said I’d find you here.’

Kitty saw Roger Makepeace’s cheerful face and bristling moustache, and burst into tears. As his sturdy arms wrapped round her and his big hand gently pressed her head against his broad chest, she dropped the crutches and clung to him as all the anguish she’d been holding back poured out of her.

‘There, there, old thing,’ he murmured. ‘No need for tears. I’ve only come to pick you up and take you back to Beach View.’

She made a determined effort to pull her emotions into some kind of order before she leaned back in his embrace and looked up at him. ‘There’s no news of Freddy? I thought . . . When I saw you, I thought . . .’

‘I’m so sorry, Kitty. I should have said straight away that I’m not here because of Freddy.’ His brown eyes were full of regret as he kept his arms about her and regarded her affectionately. ‘I just thought I’d pop in while I had the chance and give you a lift home. But by the expression on your face when you came out of that room, I’m guessing these tears aren’t all about Freddy.’

She nodded and scrabbled in her trouser pocket for a handkerchief. ‘It’s my leg,’ she said brokenly. ‘The doctor thinks it might have become infected, and . . . and . . . Oh, Roger, I couldn’t bear to lose any more of it,’ she sobbed.

He held her close, his big, gentle hand once more cradling her head to his chest. Kitty could hear the steady beat of his heart beneath the Air Force blue uniform jacket, and feel the sturdy strength of his arms as his fingers softly ran through her hair. She felt comforted and secure in his embrace, and her tears gradually came to an end and she was calm again.

‘I’m sorry, Roger.’ She drew back and put her weight on her good leg, keeping hold of his steadying arms. ‘I don’t usually let things get on top of me like that. But what with the worry over Freddy and now this – well, it was the last straw.’

‘Then I’m glad I came,’ he said rather gruffly. ‘At times like this we all need to have our friends about us.’ He quickly picked up the nearest crutch, and once he was assured that she was properly secure, he fetched the second one.

‘Let’s go and find a cup of tea – or coffee if they have it here. Then we can sit and talk for a while until you’re ready to go back to Beach View.’

‘That sounds like a good idea. I don’t want to turn up with a tear-streaked face and swollen eyelids because it will only worry Peggy, and I don’t think I could stand any fussing just at the moment.’

She looked up and gave him a watery smile. ‘We can get coffee in the canteen,’ she said. ‘The Americans and Canadians refuse to drink our tea, and as it isn’t rationed, there’s plenty to go round.’

‘Jolly good,’ he murmured. ‘Lead on, then.’

As they headed for the canteen, Kitty realised she wasn’t at all fazed by Roger’s unexpected appearance, or the fact that this was the first time he was seeing her having to get about on crutches. Even the empty trouser leg that she’d pinned up beneath her stump didn’t cause her a moment of silly hurt vanity. Roger was Roger. She’d known him ever since Freddy had joined the RAF, and he was as familiar and unthreatening as a big, cuddly second brother. It was wonderful to see him.

Roger paid for his coffee and Kitty’s tea and then carried them out to the terrace, where they found a quiet spot in the dappled shade of the nearby trees.

‘I have to say,’ he said after he’d tasted the coffee and given it his approval, ‘that this is a very fine spot.’ He regarded the lawn and the formal flower beds. ‘One wouldn’t have known this place existed if one hadn’t been told about it.’

‘They work miracles here,’ said Kitty quietly. ‘Or at least they try to. The doctors and nurses are so dedicated, and I feel rather ashamed of my outburst earlier. It’s my own fault, you see.’

His dark brown eyes regarded her steadily. ‘Why don’t you tell me about it? A trouble shared and all that.’

So Kitty told him of the long weeks she’d been struggling to get strong enough to learn to walk unaided with the prosthesis, and about the doctor’s warning that afternoon. She found it so easy to talk to him that she described the initial difficulties she’d encountered at Beach View, and the battle she’d had trying to stop people from fussing over her.

‘But if I lose more of my leg it will mean being readmitted here and starting all over again,’ she finished with a break in her voice.

Roger lit their cigarettes and leaned back in his chair. ‘It sounds to me as if you’re very down, Kitty,’ he said after a while. ‘But if you obey the doctor’s instructions, I’m sure you’ll be up and about again on that leg in no time.’

At the mention of time, Kitty gasped and looked at her watch. ‘Arthur will be waiting to take me home,’ she said frantically. ‘I must go and . . .’

‘No need, old thing,’ he interrupted. ‘I knew about the arrangement with the fire station, so I went there first and told them I would take you home this evening.’

‘Oh, Roger,’ she sighed in relief. ‘I can’t believe that I forgot about Arthur.’ She giggled. ‘He’s actually quite difficult to forget, because he’s taller and wider than you, with a voice that could give a cannon a good run for its money.’

He smiled at her warmly and patted her hand resting on the arm of the chair. ‘That’s more like my old Kitty,’ he said affectionately. ‘I like hearing that naughty giggle of yours.’

Kitty read something in his expression that suddenly made her feel very shy and a bit awkward. She hurriedly finished her cigarette and then drained her cup of tea. ‘We’d better get back to Beach View,’ she said. ‘Peggy will wonder where I’ve got to.’

‘There’s no rush,’ he said as he sipped his coffee. ‘I popped in to see her earlier too, so she knows where you are and so on.’

‘It seems you’ve thought of everything,’ she replied with a warm smile. ‘But I’m hungry after all the exercise I’ve had today and ready for my supper.’

‘Well, in that case, we’d better get a move on,’ he said cheerfully as he picked up his Air Force hat and slipped his cigarettes and lighter into his trouser pocket. ‘We don’t want you fainting away from starvation, now do we?’

Kitty was thankful he didn’t try and help her to her feet, or make a fuss by moving chairs and tables out of her way as she weaved round them and headed back indoors. ‘I just have to pick up my handbag and gas mask, and then I’m all yours,’ she said as he matched his pace with hers down the long corridor towards the bank of lockers.

‘Now there’s a thing,’ he said with wistful softness.

Kitty didn’t quite catch what he’d said, for she’d been busy opening her locker and reaching for her bag. She eyed him with a frown. ‘What was that?’

‘I’m on your wing, Kitty,’ he said hurriedly. ‘Now, have you got everything?’ At her nod, he beamed down at her. ‘Jolly good show. Chocks away.’

Kitty chuckled. ‘You really are the limit, Roger,’ she teased. ‘Do you have to equate
everything
with flying?’

He reddened slightly as he held the front door open for her. ‘It comes rather easily when one is surrounded by it all the time,’ he replied as they reached the gravel driveway. ‘Besides, flying’s the only thing I can do well.’

‘That isn’t true,’ she said softly. ‘You’re the most loyal, kindest man I know, so don’t sell yourself short.’

His face went scarlet and he cleared his throat rather purposefully as he opened the car door. ‘Just get in, Kitty. And stop teasing a poor chap when he can’t defend himself. It’s really not cricket.’

Kitty was still smiling as she climbed into his lovely car and settled on the soft leather seat. Dear Roger, he was just so very English. But that was his charm and what made him special, and she thanked her lucky stars that he’d come just at the right moment to bring her out of her doldrums.

The car purred along the country lanes and swept up and down the hills without the familiar groans and twangs of the fire station truck. They talked about the weather and Cliffehaven, and what life was like at Beach View. But the subject of Freddy’s fate lay between them, and neither of them seemed willing to be the first to mention him.

It wasn’t until they had reached the twitten behind Beach View that Kitty turned to Roger and said, ‘He will come home, you know. I’m certain of it.’

‘So am I,’ he replied firmly as he switched off the engine and quickly climbed out of the car.

Kitty ignored his proffered hand and slid out of the seat. With her handbag and gas-mask box swinging from their straps round her neck, she made her slow and rather unwieldy progress along the narrow alleyway.

‘Harvey will be all right,’ she said as they reached the gate and heard the dogs barking. ‘But Monty’s likely to trip me up, so if you could put your fielding skills into play, I’d be very grateful.’

‘You seem to forget, Kitty. I was in the first Eleven at Eton and won a blue at Cambridge. Monty will be no trouble at all.’

She didn’t like to say that Monty was nothing like a cricket ball – more of a darting, wriggling evasive missile – and Roger wasn’t as fast as he once was. She went through the gate and headed up the path just as Peggy opened the back door.

‘It’s all right, dear,’ she called. ‘Ron’s got both dogs upstairs and Monty’s on a lead, so you’re safe to come in.’

Kitty stepped over the threshold and saw immediately that Peggy’s eyes were bright, and there was a flush of excitement in her cheeks. ‘You look like the cat that got the cream,’ Kitty laughed. ‘Has Jim come home already?’

‘Oh, no dear,’ she said hastily. ‘He’s not due for another week or two. I’m just a bit flushed from standing over that oven.’ She turned to Roger. ‘Could you help Kitty up the stairs, please? The dogs have trampled dirt right the way through and I don’t want her getting her nice clean trousers all mucky.’

‘There’s really no need,’ Kitty protested.

But it was too late, for Roger had gathered her up, crutches, handbag, gas-mask box and all, and was holding her tightly to his chest.

Kitty gave in, for it was a rather pleasant experience, even though his moustache was tickling her forehead.

He carried her into the kitchen and gently deposited her on a chair. ‘There we are,’ he said. ‘Safe and sound, and all ready for take-off.’

Kitty smiled at him and was about to say hello to everyone when she realised they were all looking rather furtive. Her smile faltered. ‘What’s going on?’

‘I couldn’t possibly say,’ twittered Cordelia, and then collapsed into giggles.

Kitty looked at Rita for an explanation, but she dipped her chin so her face was hidden behind her curls. Jane tittered as she and Sarah pretended to read the newspaper, Fran’s sole attention was on Monty as she gave him a brush, and the other girls had their backs turned as they helped Ron with something at the sink. She knew it couldn’t be anything unpleasant, but there was definitely something going on here.

She looked at Harvey, who gave a single bark as he wagged his tail. ‘Well, you’re no use, are you?’ she laughed. ‘Even if you knew what all this is about you couldn’t tell me.’

Peggy chuckled as she placed a cup of weak tea in front of Roger, but before Kitty could question her, she heard footsteps crossing the hall. She looked towards the door and was surprised to see it was closed for once. Then, before she had time to question this, the door creaked open, and there – whole and handsome and very much alive – was Freddy.

IN TWO STRIDES
Freddy was across the room, and before she could speak he’d lifted her out of the chair into a bear hug. ‘You’ve no idea how good it is to see you again, Sis,’ he said in her ear. ‘But what on
earth
have you done to your hair? It looks as if rats have been chewing it.’

She thumped him hard on the shoulder with her fist and burst into tears. ‘I’ll give you rats,’ she sobbed as she clung to his neck and smothered his face in kisses. ‘Where the
hell
have you been?’

He hugged her tightly and swung her back and forth, which made the dogs bark and Peggy gasp in alarm. ‘I’ll tell you if you’ll stop soaking my shirt and slobbering all over my face,’ he said gruffly.

She sniffed back her tears and released some of her grip on his neck. ‘I thought you were dead,’ she breathed as she dangled from his embrace. ‘So did Charlotte. Oh, my God, Freddy, have you told Charlotte yet?’

He nodded and set her carefully back onto the chair before sitting opposite her and taking her hands. ‘I managed to get through to her before she left Hamble Ferry Pool this morning. She’s been given some compassionate leave and is flying down this weekend.’

‘You’ve been back since this morning?’ she gasped. ‘But why didn’t you let me know – or come to the hospital to see me?’

He glanced across at Roger before he spoke. ‘I actually got back very late last night,’ he confessed. ‘But I had to be debriefed, and that took most of today. I asked Roger if he’d do the honours by bringing you back here, but not to give the game away.’ He shot her his famous grin. ‘And it seems my special surprise worked brilliantly.’

‘Oooh,’ said Cordelia with a pleasurable shiver. ‘Isn’t it wonderful when things go right?’

There were appreciative murmurs from the girls and even Peggy was looking misty-eyed as she checked on Daisy, who was watching all this with wide-eyed curiosity from Rita’s lap.

Kitty laughed as she looked back at her brother, who was relaxed and basking in the admiration with all the aplomb of someone who was quite used to being the centre of attention. ‘You really are the absolute limit,’ she sighed as she drank in the sight of him. ‘You come swanning in here as if nothing had happened and make yourself right at home when I’ve been worried silly about you.’