Craig took the lead without hesitation. ‘Not at all.’ He turned to Cadi. ‘Make sure you take care on those roads.’

  Cadi smiled. ‘I will, and I promise not to hit any more dogs!’

  Cadi and Jez walked the short distance back to her car, where Cadi retrieved the crank handle from under her seat. ‘What a palaver,’ she said, as she pushed it into the slot. ‘Trust me to choose the wrong road.’

  Jez was shaking his head. ‘If you’d gone the other way, it could’ve been hours before someone came across Phil, and who knows whether he’d still have been alive.’

  Cadi spun the handle round until the car roared into life. ‘Do you realise that our lives have been full of grey clouds with silver linings?’

  ‘It certainly seems that way,’ admitted Jez, as he slipped his arms around his wife’s waist. ‘Take good care of yourself, Mrs Thomas. You’re a precious commodity.’ He kissed her softly before drawing back. ‘I’ll let you know how Annie is when you call to tell me you’ve arrived safely.’

  She glanced back at Craig, who was only just visible within the group of people that had gathered to fuss Annie. ‘Annie’s going to be just fine.’

  Jez followed his wife’s gaze. ‘She wins the heart of all those who meet her, same as the woman who rescued her.’ His eyes twinkled as he gazed down at her. ‘When’s your next bit of leave?’

  ‘I’m due four days on the twenty-eighth,’ said Cadi promptly.

  He pulled out a pencil along with a piece of scrap paper from his pocket and jotted the date down. ‘On the assumption that I can get the same dates, where would you like to go?’

  ‘How about the Belmont? I’ve not been back to Liverpool in ages,’ she suggested.

  ‘The Belmont it is.’ Jez took his wife in his arms and kissed her tenderly.

  As their lips parted, Cadi rested her forehead against his chest. ‘I can’t wait.’

  He tightened his arms around her. ‘Ditto.’ He kissed her again, softly at first, but with growing passion until Cadi reluctantly broke free from their embrace.

  ‘I’d best get a move on. It’s going to be dark by the time I reach my destination, and I hate driving in the dark.’

  ‘Of course.’ Jez kissed her on the forehead then pushed his hands into his pockets whilst Cadi got into the car. ‘Make sure you telephone as soon as you arrive.’

  Winding the window down, she nodded. ‘I always do.’

  ‘I love you, Mrs Thomas.’

  Cadi called out ‘I love you too’ before driving away. She hated saying goodbye to her husband, and she was finding it harder each time she had to do so.

  After what seemed like an eternity behind the wheel, Cadi finally arrived at RAF Boulmer. Having checked in at the hut which was serving as the office, she trooped over to the billet earmarked for Waafs, hoping that it would be clean if nothing else. She was relieved to find that whilst it was basic, there were no signs of rat droppings, or large spiderwebs. Being the first to arrive, she had her pick of the beds, all of which looked pretty rickety. She selected the one closest to the door, and pushed it gently with her fingers to make sure it didn’t fall apart at the slightest touch. Satisfied that it was sturdy enough, she placed her kitbag down on the lumpy mattress, and withdrew her vanity mirror from the recesses of the bag to check her appearance before heading back out to the hut which the men were using as the NAAFI, the cookhouse, and everything in between. After duly locating the phone, she rang RAF Finningley.

  She smiled as she heard Jez’s cheery voice come down the line. ‘Hello, queen. How was your journey?’

  Cadi hid a yawn behind her hand. ‘Tiring, but I’m here now.’ She glanced around her. ‘Not that there’s much here. How’s Annie?’

  ‘Getting spoiled rotten,’ Jez laughed. ‘I don’t think we’ve encountered anyone yet who doesn’t already know her.’

  Cadi gave a relieved sigh. ‘Well, that’s one weight off my mind.’

  Jez continued, ‘I’ve taken her for a long walk in the woods. I even tried her off the lead, and she was brilliant, apart from when she heard a loud bang.’

  Cadi’s face dropped. ‘What happened?’

  ‘One of the cars backfired,’ Jez explained. ‘She was fine, but it took me a while to coax her out of her kennel.’

  Cadi’s brow rose. ‘Kennel?’

  ‘I wasn’t short of volunteers, so it didn’t take us long to build her one.’

  Cadi felt her shoulders relax. They really were a good bunch at Finningley. Her thoughts turned to Annie’s previous owner. ‘Has anyone heard how Phil’s doing?’

  ‘From what I gather he’s still on dodgy ground,’ said Jez, ‘but if you hadn’t come along when you did, the staff at the hospital reckon it would’ve been curtains. So you really did save his life.’

  ‘Not me, Annie,’ said Cadi sincerely. She heard a soft whining coming down the line. ‘Have you got her with you?’

  ‘She’s right beside me; I was about to take her out again when you rang.’

  ‘It’s a good job they allowed her to stay. She’d not be safe here in Boulmer.’

  A look of concern crossed Jez’s face. He hated the thought of his wife staying in some of the rotten places the RAF saw fit to send her to. ‘Is it that bad?’

  ‘There’s nothing here, so I really can’t see this being only a two-week job,’ said Cadi truthfully.

  Jez tutted beneath his breath. ‘They shouldn’t rely on you so much. When are the other Waafs arriving?’

  ‘It’s supposed to be tomorrow, but you know what it’s like.’

  ‘I certainly do. Just you make sure you tell them that you’re not a one-woman band, otherwise they’ll leave you to do all the work on your own, and that’s not fair, luv.’

  ‘I will, not that I expect them to listen. I don’t suppose you’ve had a chance to ask about getting the same leave as me?’ she asked hopefully.

  She could tell from the sound of his voice that he’d been successful. ‘I’ve managed to book the same time as you, and what’s more I can take Annie with me, because I’ve already squared it with Maria and Bill.’

  ‘But what about the train?’ said Cadi cautiously. ‘I very much doubt she’s been on one before, and they can be quite loud, especially when they blow the whistle.’

  ‘She’ll be fine,’ said Jez confidently.

  Cadi wasn’t so certain, but she would just have to hope that he was right. ‘You sound pretty confident.’

  ‘She’s a grand dog,’ said Jez. ‘I have to admit, I’ve taken a real shine to her. I always wanted a dog growing up, but Nan worried that she would be the one taking care of it, so the answer was always no.’

  ‘Well, you’ve got one now, and what a corker she is too.’ Cadi stifled another yawn with the back of her hand, and Jez, hearing it, brought the conversation to an end.

  ‘You sound absolutely whacked, so I shall say goodnight and leave you to get some rest.’

  Cadi smiled sleepily. ‘Ta-ra, Jez. I love you.’

  ‘Not as much as I love you. Goodnight, sweetheart.’

  Cadi replaced the receiver, then headed off to find something to eat. She might be tired, but she hadn’t had anything since breakfast, and she’d need at least a snack before she could sleep.

  Seeing the guard on duty at the gate, she walked over to him. ‘What does one do for food around here?’

  The guard stood to attention. ‘There’s a makeshift pantry in the hut, ma’am. We’re a bit short on supplies until tomorrow, but we’ve got bread, butter, corned beef and cheese, as well as milk.’

  Thanking him for his help, she soon found the pantry he had spoken of. She made herself a corned beef and tomato sandwich and ate it hungrily. It had been one heck of a day, but at least it had ended well.

  Chapter Two

  Through his earpiece, Aled heard the pilot announce that they were getting ready to land at RAF Finningley. He knew from the whole Daphne business that Jez, too, had served at Finningley, though whether he was still here was another matter. Glancing at the airfield below, he saw several Waafs making their way across the runway. Was one of them Daphne? He fervently hoped not, because whilst he might’ve been prepared to leave things lie, it didn’t mean to say that he’d forgiven her.

  As the plane touched down, Aled turned his thoughts to what he would say to his ex, should he bump into her. I’ll be polite, Aled told himself, as the pilot taxied the plane down the runway, but I’ll make sure she knows that our relationship will be purely professional. When the plane came to a standstill, he took his belongings and followed the rest of the crew off the plane to greet the officer who had come to meet them. Aled listened with half an ear as they walked, keeping a keen eye out for Jez, but the airfield was a hive of activity, and with everyone wearing the same uniform it was like trying to spot a needle in a haystack.

  Officer Bailey showed them to their hut before leaving them to settle. The crew from the Ulysses trooped into their new accommodation, where selecting their beds and putting their belongings away took no more than a few minutes.

  Aled stretched audibly. ‘I’m off for summat to eat. Do any of you fellers want to join me?’

  The skipper picked up his cigarette case and placed it in his pocket. ‘Seeing as it’s pretty much the law to check out the food at each new base, how could we say no?’

  Once they were outside, they took a few minutes to get a sense of their whereabouts before heading off towards the NAAFI. Chatting to the Ulysses’ mid-gunner, Tom, Aled hadn’t been paying too much attention to those around him until he heard someone call out his name. Turning to see who had hailed him, his face split into a large grin when he saw Jez waving to get his attention.

  Aled turned back to face the rest of the crew, who’d stopped to wait. ‘I’ll catch you up in a bit,’ he said, and peeling away from the group he made his way over to Jez. ‘Long time no see.’

  Jez put the wrench he’d been using back into the box. ‘Cadi told me you were coming.’

  Aled looked at him in surprise. ‘She did? How on earth did she know?’

  ‘Marnie’s at RAF Fiskerton, with Poppy.’

  Aled pushed his hands into his pockets. ‘I see! Talk about a small world.’

  Jez chuckled softly. ‘You know what the services are like: you can’t sneeze without everyone knowing about it.’ He hesitated. ‘We missed you at the wedding; it’s a shame you couldn’t make it. Your dad explained you were busy on operations.’

  Aled rubbed the back of his neck with the palm of his hand. ‘Life seems to be one big op at the moment.’ He glanced down as a soft wet nose pushed itself into the palm of his hand. ‘Hello! Where did you come from?’

  Annie wagged her tail, and Jez patted her rump absentmindedly whilst explaining the circumstances behind her unexpected arrival.

  ‘Good job Cadi pulled over when she did,’ Aled commented. As he’d been listening he’d been keeping an eye out for Daphne, something which hadn’t gone unnoticed by Jez.

  ‘Are you expecting someone?’

  Aled pulled a grimace. ‘I hope not. Is Daphne still at Finningley?’

  ‘Long gone, mate. I haven’t got a clue where she went, and nor do I want to know.’ He jerked his head to where Ulysses was parked up. ‘Is this a permanent move?’

  Aled smiled. ‘As permanent as it gets with the RAF.’ He watched as the rest of his crew disappeared into the NAAFI. ‘Do you fancy catching up properly over a pint? Only I’d like to grab a bite to eat before reporting to the office.’

  Jez picked the wrench up from the box. ‘Sounds good to me. Just let me know where and when.’

  Aled gave him the thumbs up and said ‘Will do’ before striding away to join the rest of his crew.

  As he entered the NAAFI, he scanned the tables to see where the others were sitting. Seeing Tom waving to gain his attention, Aled acknowledged him with a raised hand before selecting a plate of stew with mashed potato. Taking his food over to his pals, he sat down in the chair which Tom had drawn up for him.

  ‘Who was that?’ Tom asked inquisitively.

  ‘Cadi’s husband, Jez,’ said Aled, before taking a large forkful of mashed potato and stew.

  ‘The famous Cadi,’ said Tom. ‘It’s been a long time since I heard her name being mentioned.’

  ‘I’ve not seen or heard from her in ages,’ agreed Aled, ‘but I guess that’s life. People move on.’

  ‘Granted,’ conceded Tom, ‘but I always thought the two of you would end up together, no matter how unlikely it seemed.’

  Aled pulled a face. ‘I’d have agreed with you in the early days, but Cadi made it perfectly clear that Jez was the man for her, ergo I gave up on that dream a long time ago. Marnie’s the one for me now.’

  Tom gave him a sidelong glance. ‘And are you happy with her?’

  Aled contemplated this as he finished the mouthful of stew he’d just taken. ‘Cadi’s a real corker, but so is Marnie.’

  Tom mopped the last of his gravy up with a slice of bread and butter. Aled had thought about his answer before replying, and Tom knew for certain that if he’d asked the same question about Cadi, way back when, Aled wouldn’t have hesitated. ‘But that’s not what I asked you.’

  A smile twitched the corner of Aled’s mouth. Tom knew him inside out, but that could be said for any member of the crew. Placing your life in the hands of your fellows made for a close-knit group of men.

  ‘I’m happy, and if it makes you feel any better, I plan to ask Marnie to be my wife as soon as peace is declared.’

  Tom nodded approvingly. ‘Good. I’m glad to see you’ve moved on, because there was a time when I didn’t think that was going to be possible.’

  Aled shrugged. ‘I’ll always love Cadi, but it’s Marnie I’m in love with.’ Considering the conversation to be at an end, he continued to eat his meal in thoughtful silence. In the past, he’d have agreed with Tom, because even Daphne hadn’t taken his mind off the woman he regarded as his true love. But, as he’d known many moons ago, if you truly love someone you set them free. And since Cadi had wanted to be with Jez, that’s exactly what Aled had done.

  Cadi thanked the Waaf who handed her the receiver. ‘Hello?’

  ‘Hello, Cadi. It’s me, Poppy.’ Her friend’s tone was dull and lifeless, a far cry from the happy-go-lucky girl Cadi had grown up with.

  Cadi frowned. ‘Is everything all right? You sound as though you’re a bit down in the dumps.’

  ‘I suppose I’m getting a bit fed up with the same old thing. Nothing exciting ever happens here. But that’s enough of that,’ said Poppy, her tone brightening. ‘How’s Annie getting on?’

  Cadi grinned. None of the girls had met Annie, but they were all eager to do so. ‘From what Jez has told me, she’s fine. The camp sweetheart, by all accounts.’

  ‘I wish we had a dog at Fiskerton, if only to take our mind off the bloomin’ war.’ Poppy paused. ‘How are you getting on at Boulmer?’

  ‘It’s coming along at one heck of a pace, mainly because the girls they’ve sent over are experienced Waafs, which makes my job a lot easier.’

  Poppy brightened. ‘So you could be back in Lincoln soon?’

  ‘Not until April, I’m afraid.’

  ‘April!’ cried Poppy. ‘That’s not two weeks!’

  ‘I knew it wouldn’t be two weeks as soon as I arrived, probably before, if I’m honest with myself,’ admitted Cadi. ‘The WAAF are always expecting us to perform miracles, so I’m used to taking their timescales with a pinch of salt. Having said that, I should be all right to take my leave in Liverpool on the twenty-eighth.’

  Poppy pouted. ‘I wish I was going to Liverpool.’

  ‘It’s not like you to sound so glum. Are you sure nothing’s happened?’

  Poppy heaved a sigh. ‘I think the tediousness of war has set in. We had such an exciting time when we were looking for Raquel, and then there was your wedding, of course, but now that’s all behind us it seems like we’ve nothing left to look forward to.’

  Hating to think of her best friend being miserable, Cadi spoke without hesitation. ‘Why don’t you join us in Liverpool?’

  ‘And play gooseberry?’ Poppy laughed ruefully. ‘No thanks.’

  ‘Bring Geoffrey. In fact, I don’t we see why we can’t make this into a reunion. If Izzy could bring Mike …’

  A suddenly eager-sounding Poppy cut Cadi short. ‘I know they’re both due some leave, as are Raquel, Ronnie and Kitty,’ she chattered excitedly. ‘Oh, Cadi, it would be marvellous if everyone could make it. Life’s always good when we’re all together.’

  ‘Then that’s what we shall do,’ said Cadi. ‘I’ll give Jez a quick call to let him know what’s going on; could you sound out the others?’

  Poppy breathed a happy sigh. ‘Of course. It would be my pleasure. Thanks for this, Cadi; I could really do with a break. I’m fed up of people saying that the end’s in sight, because it gets my hopes up, and then nothing happens.’

  ‘I think there’s definitely light at the end of the tunnel,’ said Cadi, ‘but I’d say we’ve still a long way to go.’

  ‘Which is why I’m hoping this reunion will be the tonic I need to pep me up,’ said Poppy. ‘A break in the clouds as it were.’

  ‘We all need some of that,’ said Cadi. ‘Let me know how you get on with the others, won’t you?’

  Poppy agreed, and Cadi terminated the call before asking the operator to put her through to RAF Finningley. ‘Jez?’

  ‘Cadi!’

  Cadi grimaced. ‘I’ve a confession to make. I’ve been on the blower to Poppy …’ She went on to explain how Poppy had been down in the doldrums. ‘As soon as she heard I was going to Liverpool, she said she wished she could come too …’

  Jez interrupted her with a soft chuckle. ‘Let me guess: Poppy’s joining us?’

  ‘Sorry, sweetheart. I know I should’ve asked you first.’

  He laughed. ‘Don’t be daft. Our Poppy’s always welcome, and the same goes for the rest of them.’

  Cadi drew in a guilty breath. ‘I’m glad you said that, because Poppy’s inviting everyone: your mam, Ronnie, Kitty, the whole shebang. We thought we could turn it into a reunion.’

 

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