A Rose and a Promise, page 9
‘Bully for you.’
‘We’d only known each other for a few weeks,’ Daphne admitted, ‘but when you meet the right one, you just know …’ She glanced at the ring on Cadi’s finger before adding, spitefully, ‘I wonder why it took you and Jez so long to tie the knot?’
‘Because only fools rush in,’ said Cadi levelly.
‘I don’t see the point in hanging back when you know you’ve found the one,’ retorted Daphne. She pushed the door to an empty cubicle and disappeared inside, making it clear that as far as she was concerned the conversation was at an end.
Turning to the sink, Cadi soaped her hands as she ran them under the tap. She knew it was none of her business, but she couldn’t help wondering which poor sap had captured Daphne’s heart. As she shook the water from her fingers she glanced at the door to Daphne’s cubicle before stepping outside.
Hearing the outside door close, Daphne checked to make sure that Cadi had really gone before stepping out from her cubicle. Talking to her had brought back some pretty nasty memories which Daphne would have preferred to remain buried. After her failed romance with Aled, she had vowed never to date again, but that had all changed when she met her fiancé for the first time. Being new to the RAF he had been seeking directions to the camp cinema when he approached her. As Daphne was going there herself, she had offered to lead the way, and it seemed only natural that they should sit together. They had watched A Day at the Races, during which he had told her that he was a country boy at heart who’d always dreamed of running his own farm. Daphne had told him about her father’s farm and the two had chatted merrily for hours. From that day on they spent all their free time together, and when he proposed a few weeks later Daphne found herself saying yes without giving it a moment’s thought. It was a fresh start with no secrets, and as far as Daphne was concerned her break-up with Aled had been for the best, even though it hadn’t seemed like it at the time. She had put her past behind her, and if she never saw Cadi again it would be a day too soon.
Having returned to the office only to be told that Officer Harris would be some time yet, Cadi now sat in the NAAFI, eating a cheese and pickle sandwich. She supposed it was highly likely that she would have bumped into Daphne sooner or later, what with her constant moves around the country, but she only wished it had been from afar.
The audacity of the woman, she thought as she ate the last of her sandwich. Everything is always someone else’s fault as far as she’s concerned. I can’t imagine who her fiancé is, but I hope he’s got a strong backbone, because Daphne will walk all over him if not.
She drained the dregs of her tea just as the Waaf from the office approached to tell her that Officer Harris was ready to leave.
Glad to be quitting the NAAFI in case Daphne turned up, Cadi went to meet the officer, who was waiting by her car. Having greeted him she took the crank handle from under the driver’s seat and pushed it into the slot. ‘May I ask where we’re headed?’
‘RAF Ilfracombe,’ he replied.
Cadi stared at him. ‘But that’s barely twenty minutes from here.’
He slid into the back seat of the car. ‘So you know the way then.’
Cadi cranked the car into life with more force than usual. She had just driven the best part of six hours to ferry an officer twenty minutes up the road. Surely someone at Chivenor could’ve taken him? She tutted beneath her breath. Daphne was a driver; why hadn’t they sent her? Wordlessly, she took her place behind the wheel and waited for the guard to open the gate before setting off. The lane was narrow, and she had only driven a short way when she was forced to stop for a lorry that was coming towards them. She reversed the car to the nearest passing place, and waited for the lorry to pass. The driver raised his hand in thanks, and when Cadi looked up to acknowledge him her heart skipped a beat. She might have been mistaken, but she was almost positive that she’d just seen Micky Finnegan. She stared after the lorry in her rear-view mirror. Surely she must be mistaken? What would Micky be doing driving a military lorry?
She started as the officer tapped his cane on the back of her seat. ‘What’s the hold-up?’
Cadi apologised as she slipped the car into gear and pulled out on to the road. ‘Sorry, sir. I thought I recognised the driver of the lorry.’
‘O’Connell?’
Cadi glanced at him in the rear-view mirror. ‘Is that his name?’
The officer laughed. ‘I should bally well know, considering the number of times I’ve had to reprimand him.’
Cadi breathed a sigh of relief. ‘In that case it’s not the same person.’
He shrugged. ‘Everyone looks the same in uniform.’
Only I’ve never seen Micky in uniform, thought Cadi, before scolding herself inwardly. There was no way the RAF would allow a man like Micky to join their ranks, and nor would he want to. Men like him preferred to make their money by foul means not fair.
You’re tired after the long journey here, Cadi told herself; you’ve already been on the road for the best part of three days. What you need is a good night’s kip.
Delighted to receive a phone call from his wife, Jez picked up the receiver.
‘Hello, Mrs Thomas, and what can I do for you?’
Cadi smiled. ‘We’ve been married for over four months. When are you going to stop calling me Mrs Thomas?’
‘Never!’ cried Jez, before adding, ‘I still have to pinch myself, cos it took me long enough to get you down the aisle.’
‘Certainly longer than Daphne – she’s only known her fiancé for a few weeks.’
Jez interrupted without apology. ‘Do you mean Daphne as in Aled and Daphne?’
‘I do indeed,’ confirmed Cadi. ‘I bumped into her earlier today. You should’ve seen the look she gave me! Like I was summat nasty that she’d stepped in. There was no way I was going to allow her to look at me like that without giving her a piece of my mind.’
‘No more than she deserves,’ said Jez.
‘I know. Yet she tried to make out we were the villains and she was the injured party. When that didn’t wash, she tried to claim that it was all for the best because she’d found the man of her dreams.’
‘He must need his bloody head examining,’ said Jez stoutly.
‘With them only being together a few weeks before he popped the question, they obviously don’t know each other very well.’
Jez gave a dark chuckle. ‘Boy is he in for a nasty surprise!’
‘Talking of nasty surprises, you’ll never believe who I thought I saw earlier today.’
‘Who?’
‘Micky Finnegan.’
Just hearing the other man’s name caused Jez to splutter. ‘Where? When?’
‘As I said, I thought I saw him, but it turns out I was mistaken – thank goodness.’
Jez was immediately on his guard. ‘How can you be sure?’
‘The officer said his name was O’Connell.’
‘You thought he was in the RAF?’ asked Jez incredulously. ‘Even I could’ve told you you’d got that wrong, and I wouldn’t need to see him in order to come to that conclusion, either.’
‘You’re right, and with hindsight of course I know it can’t have been him, but just for a few seconds I was almost positive.’
‘Well for God’s sake don’t tell me mam,’ said Jez, ‘she’d have kittens if she thought Micky might turn up on her doorstep. Could you imagine what it would be like for her if the girls on her base knew what she used to do for a living?’
Cadi’s eyelids fluttered at the very thought. ‘My lips are sealed.’ Wishing that she’d never brought the matter up, she turned the conversation back to Daphne. ‘Are you going to mention Daphne’s new love interest to Aled?’
‘Yes. He was quite concerned that she might still be in Finningley when he first arrived, so I’m certain he’d want to know that she no longer has him in her sights.’
The operator cut across them in the usual manner.
‘Time to go,’ said Jez. ‘Love you with all my heart.’
‘Love you too, cariad.’
Hearing the click as the operator terminated the call, Cadi replaced the receiver and made her way out of the NAAFI. She turned her mind to the following day, when she would be taking Officer Harris back to Chivenor. She knew she was being silly, but there was a niggling doubt in the back of her mind that she’d truly seen Micky, and she wouldn’t be satisfied that she had made a mistake until she saw this O’Connell up close for herself. Only how would she go about arranging that?
Mulling the thought over, she made her way to the billet where she would be staying overnight. Cadi had deemed it ridiculous that she had been called from afar only to drive an officer twenty minutes up the road, but if this O’Connell proved to be Micky, then maybe fate had played a hand in the appointment? And if that were the case, then who could say the same thing wouldn’t happen again when she took Harris back?
The thought of a man like Micky in the RAF made her skin crawl. A hunter amongst his prey; what would his effect be on the unsuspecting Waafs? Surely even Micky wouldn’t try to prostitute servicewomen, but she feared he would find some way of profiting from their misery. Her mind instantly turned to Raquel, and what Micky would do if he were to come across her … she shook her head. It didn’t bear thinking about. He would make Raquel’s new life a complete misery by blackmailing her into buying his silence, and he’d be able to command whatever price he wanted.
She cursed herself inwardly for giving the matter so much thought. It didn’t make sense that someone like Micky would join the RAF, and even if he had, he’d not last more than five minutes. Micky didn’t take orders, he gave them. A picture of the man driving the lorry formed in her mind and she felt her stomach jolt unpleasantly. Sometimes common sense didn’t come into it. Cadi knew in her bones that she’d seen Micky, and only speaking to this O’Connell would convince her that she was wrong.
A frown appeared on the brow of Daphne’s fiancé as he placed his arm around her shoulders.
‘Bad day?’
She nodded. ‘I bumped into someone I hoped I’d never see again.’
‘Anyone I know?’ he asked curiously.
She shook her head. ‘She was only here on a flying visit – thank God.’
‘Yet she still found time to upset you?’ he noted, before adding sarcastically, ‘That was nice of her.’
‘Typical of Cadi, mind you,’ mumbled Daphne. ‘She’s always making trouble, raking over the past, and bringing up matters that had been dead and buried until she showed her face.’
He eyed her curiously. ‘Sounds ominous – anything I should know?’
‘Not really,’ said Daphne hurriedly. Having snared the man of her dreams she had no intention of frightening him off. ‘More like Chinese whispers.’
‘You get plenty of them in the RAF.’
Eager to put the matter to rest before he could ask any more questions, she brought the conversation to a quick conclusion. ‘We got everything off our chests, and I rather think I came out on top, because you should’ve seen her face when I said I was engaged.’
He kissed the top of her head. ‘You told her about me?’
‘Not everything,’ admitted Daphne, ‘but when she spied my ring I couldn’t resist telling her that I was going to marry a wonderful man.’
He huffed on his fingernails before pretending to polish them on the lapel of his jacket. ‘A prince amongst men.’
She slid her arm around his waist. ‘You are to me.’
He gave a lopsided smile. ‘Maybe so, but I bet there’s a few out there who’d disagree with you.’
‘They’re just jealous,’ said Daphne confidently.
‘You said she was only around for a short while; what was she doing here?’
‘Dunno, but I did see her getting into a car with Harris.’
‘Officer Harris?’
She nodded. ‘I don’t know where they were going, and I don’t care either as long as it’s far away from here.’
He stopped outside the door to the cinema. ‘How can you be sure she’s not coming back?’
Daphne froze. ‘I’m sure she would’ve said if she were being posted here, don’t you think?’
‘Not if she thought it were obvious. How did you leave the conversation?’
Daphne rolled her eyes. ‘I walked off before she had a chance to say anything else.’ Daphne had cut Cadi off purposely, but with hindsight had that been a wise move? If she’d seen the conversation to its end, Cadi might’ve said what she was doing there. The thought of being on the same base as the wretched woman, who would undoubtedly tell everyone what she had done, had Daphne on the brink of tears. ‘You don’t really think she’s been posted here, do you?’
He shrugged. ‘No idea. I suppose her friends would know. Could you ask one of them, maybe get the heads-up?’
Daphne laughed scornfully. ‘I wouldn’t ask them if you paid me.’
His eyes widened. ‘Just what went on between you and these women?’
She pouted defiantly. ‘They’re nothing but a bunch of interfering busybodies.’
That sounded typical of most women as far as he was concerned. ‘I take it you knew each other before the war?’
‘Not at all. I met them by accident, when I went to RAF Little Snoring.’
‘Little Snoring?’
Daphne continued absently. ‘That’s when my troubles started. If it hadn’t been for that Poppy and her pal Kitty …’ She tutted beneath her breath. ‘Cadi might say Kitty had nothin’ to do with it, but as far as I’m concerned her pals are as thick as thieves, and I wouldn’t trust any of them as far as I could throw them.’
‘Who’s Kitty?’
‘She’s a short, fat, dumpy Scouser with frizzy hair who likes to tattle-tale on innocent people, and I wish I’d never gone to her stupid station.’
He pointed to the screen as the silvery light began to flicker across it. ‘Looks like the film’s about to start.’ He pulled her close. ‘Don’t worry about this Cadi or her pals. If they start giving you gyp, come and tell me, and I’ll soon put an end to their shenanigans.’
Daphne settled her cheek against his shoulder. It felt wonderful to have a man on her side; not like Aled, who would have taken anyone’s word over hers. As far as Daphne was concerned, Kieran was heaven-sent.
Jez knocked a brief tattoo on the door to Aled’s hut before entering.
Aled pushed the letter he had been writing to Marnie to one side and looked expectantly at Jez. ‘To what do I owe the honour?’
‘Fancy goin’ for a swift one?’
Aled slapped both his thighs before standing up. ‘You must’ve read my mind. Where to?’
‘The Bull and Heifer?’
Aled slid his wallet into his trouser pocket. ‘Lead on Macduff.’ Stepping outside, he wasn’t altogether surprised to see Annie tied up. He gave her a friendly pat. ‘Is she our plus one?’
Jez laughed. ‘Everybody loves a redhead – or they do this one, at any rate.’
Aled took his place behind the wheel of the car, and waited until Jez had settled Annie in the footwell of the passenger’s side before setting off. Very soon, the setter had climbed on to Jez’s knee so that she might put her head through the open window. Smiling, Aled shot Jez a chiding glance. ‘You let that mutt get away with murder.’
Jez cocked a superior eyebrow. ‘You’ll not be calling her a mutt when she wins best in show at Crufts.’
‘She’s a beauty, but she’d not hold a candle to my collies in the brains department,’ said Aled. They both glanced at Annie, who was still staring happily out of the window.
Jez smiled. ‘She might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer – or certainly not compared to a collie – but she’s loyal to her core.’
Aled ruffled Annie’s head. ‘She certainly makes for a good companion. Which is more than can be said for some of the females I’ve had in my life recently.’
Jez looked shrewdly at Aled. ‘If you’re referring to Daphne, then I don’t think her fiancé would agree with you.’
Aled stared at Jez open-mouthed. ‘Her what?’
Jez gave an alarmed cry as Aled’s lack of attention caused the car to drift on to the opposite side of the road. ‘Her fiancé!’
Hastily veering back on to his own side of the road, Aled stared doggedly ahead. ‘I take it you’ve seen her – she’s not back at Finningley, is she?’
Jez shook his head. ‘Not me; Cadi.’ He went on to relay his wife’s telephone conversation from the previous evening.
‘Well, I’ll be blowed,’ said Aled faintly.
‘I must admit, I was a tad surprised myself,’ said Jez, ‘but not half as much as Cadi.’
Aled turned into the car park of the pub and drew to a halt. ‘I just hope she’s learned her lesson.’
Jez alighted from the car, closely followed by Annie. ‘She told Cadi that they’d only been together for a matter of weeks before he proposed.’
Aled held the door of the pub ajar for Jez, and they ordered two pints of Burtons, which they took to one of the tables. ‘I hope he knows his way around a farmyard, because if he doesn’t he’ll have to learn quickly, and life on a farm is very different from that in the services. Which is another reason why I’m hanging fire with Marnie.’
Jez frowned. ‘How d’you mean?’
‘Marnie’s in love with the man in air force blue who flies off into the sunset; she’s never met the man who spends his day in tatty overalls, up to his knees in pig manure.’
Jez laughed at the two images in his mind. ‘Quite a difference, I’ll grant you, and not just for Marnie, but for you too. Are you sure you’ve thought this through properly? About going home, I mean.’
‘I’ve promised my parents that I’ll return when the war’s over, and I intend to abide by that promise, but it will be with a heavy heart.’ He paused whilst he took a sip of his drink. ‘What about you? Are you still planning to be a mechanic?’
‘Cadi’s decided she’d like to run a pub.’ Jez glanced around the interior of the establishment they were in. ‘A bit like this one, but on the outskirts of Liverpool.’
