‘Are you saying that in an emergency you might get stuck in a burning plane because you’re too big to get out safely?’

  ‘No, I didn’t mean that. I’m sufficiently experienced to get out pretty damn quick if necessary. The chaps being trained now, the volunteers, don’t have a choice. It was different for me five years ago.’

  ‘I’m going to find the ladies’ room whilst you pay the bill. I saw from your expression that it’s considerably larger than you expected. I’d offer to pay half but you’re obviously far better off than I am.’

  The fact that she was prepared to discuss money so openly, something that both his parents and hers would consider exceedingly vulgar, made him like her more – if that was possible.

  Perhaps he should step away now because he was in danger of falling in love with her and neither of them was in a position to become seriously involved. They both had a job to do. As he watched her weave gracefully through the tables and vanish into the foyer, he knew it was going to be all but impossible for him to keep her at a distance.

  He shifted uncomfortably and hoped his arousal would settle before he was obliged to stand up. She was a complete innocent and he’d no intention of seducing her. He would do his damnedest not to do anything he’d later be ashamed of – would kissing her be stepping over the line?

  He paid the bill and left a shilling for the waitress. Overgenerous, but the occasion demanded such a gesture. With the coats over his arm, he headed in the same direction, only then realising they were almost the last to leave. The blackouts had been drawn some time ago which should have warned him how late it was. The time had flown by and now they had to negotiate the steep hill, on ice, in the blackout.

  ‘There you are, I was beginning to think you’d ordered another pot of tea.’

  ‘It’s dark…’

  ‘Not surprising as its the middle of winter and already five o’clock. Going up that hill with only the pinprick allowed from your headlights is going to be interesting. Do you want me to walk in front waving my torch like they used to in the olden days?’

  ‘I’m more likely to ask you to get out and push.’

  ‘If anyone is going to do any pushing, Flight Lieutenant Trent, it’s going to be you. A – I’m lighter than you, and B – you’re stronger than me.’

  This time she was more cautious and it was he that almost ended up on his backside. It took their combined effort to scrape the ice from the windscreen before they could even get into the car. The Hillman started after a few gasps and groans which was a small miracle in itself.

  ‘The only good thing about leaving it so late is there’s unlikely to be anything but military traffic on the road.’

  ‘I suppose I should have rung home in case my mother’s worried about me. Do you think we’ll be back before the film finishes?’

  ‘Good God, that will have been over at least an hour ago. Your girls will be home demanding their supper before we get there.’

  ‘Betty will have left it ready for them – it’ll just be something simple like soup. Now the roads are clear, will the girls be leaving?’

  The car hit a patch of ice and veered dangerously to the left. A front wheel hit the frozen wall of snow that bordered each side of the road and this sent it careering in the opposite direction.

  ‘Hang on, this could be nasty,’ he managed to say as he struggled to hold the car straight. Like every driver, he knew to steer into the skid, not to apply the brakes, but when the road was virtually sheet ice there was very little he could do once he’d lost control.

  The car ricocheted against the snow bank and then began to slide inexorably backwards. They hadn’t cleared the rear window so they were travelling, at increasing speed, completely blind.

  ‘Let’s pray it stops before we reach the promenade. I don’t fancy a dip in the sea tonight.’

  ‘I’m going to slam on the brakes and see if I can turn round. I want to see what we’re about to hit.’

  His manoeuvre worked, but not as well as he’d hoped. They were sliding sideways, which was marginally better than backwards.

  ‘I’m going to wind down the window and hopefully it’ll give us some warning before we crash into something.’

  Halfway down, the handle snapped off. She was about to poke her head out of the gap but he yelled at her. ‘No, absolutely not. You’ll be decapitated if you do that.’

  Hastily she withdrew her head. He wished he could see her expression, know whether she was terrified by this potentially fatal incident. Then she laughed – not hysterically as other girls might have – but with genuine enjoyment.

  ‘Golly, this is exciting. It’s like galloping flat out towards a six-foot hedge, not knowing what’s on the other side.’

  ‘Grab hold, I’m going to try to stop. I think we’re slowing down a bit.’

  He spun the wheel, pumped the brakes and hoped for the best. The car shot across the road and embedded itself nose first into a rock-hard snowdrift.

  Joanna heard the side door open and the voices of their guests echoing down the passageway. The puppy was still sleeping, his breathing even, and she was certain he wasn’t going to perish after his unpleasant experience.

  Sarah would deal with the girls so she could remain here in front of the fire keeping an eye on their new family member. Ten minutes later, there was a tentative knock on the door and Eleanor poked her head round.

  ‘Excuse me, my lady, but we can’t find Sarah and are not exactly sure what we’re supposed to be making for our supper.’

  ‘No Sarah? Did you notice if the Hillman was outside?’

  Eleanor wasn’t listening as she was already peering into the box, smiling like a proud mother. ‘I say, where did this splendid little fellow come from? He’s absolutely gorgeous, although rather undernourished.’

  Joanna explained. ‘To return to my original enquiry, was the Hillman there? If it isn’t then Sarah has gone out somewhere with the flight lieutenant.’

  ‘Now you come to mention it, my lady, it wasn’t. We’d have seen it when the van turned round. You missed an absolutely spiffing film.’

  ‘I expect I’ll have the opportunity to see at another time. I’ve put newspaper underneath the woolly so if Lazzy urinates it shouldn’t go through the bottom of the box.’

  ‘If you put him down by the fire where the tiles are, it won’t matter if it does. I’ll see if I can find something to put in a tray for him to use as a dirt box. He certainly can’t go outside.’

  ‘You apparently know a lot more about dogs than I do. Thank you, your help is much appreciated.’

  Joanna carefully put the box by the fire and then hurried down the draughty passageway to the kitchen where the other girls were waiting hopefully.

  Why hadn’t Sarah asked permission to go out? Being alone with a young man wasn’t something David would ever have approved of, unless the man in question had already been vetted by him and considered a suitable candidate for Sarah’s hand. It was very thoughtless of her daughter to abandon her duties and leave the girls without their supper.

  ‘Betty will have left something for you. Have you checked in the pantry?’

  ‘We don’t like to poke about without permission, my lady,’ one of the girls said.

  ‘Well, you don’t need to ask in future. This is your home for the moment and I want you to treat it as such. Would you mind awfully if I left you to sort out your meal? I need to see if Sarah left me a note of some sort. It’s already dark and I’m concerned she’s not back yet.’

  There was no communication from her daughter, which was unlike her. She stared at the telephone set, willing it to ring, but then her stomach rumbled. She would eat supper with the girls and by then either Sarah and the flight lieutenant would be back or she would have rung to explain why she was delayed.

  The girls retreated to their own domain and she returned to hers, pleased to see that the puppy, although awake, hadn’t attempted to climb out of its box. Eleanor had braved the elements and gone to the stable and brought back a bucketful of bran which was now spread thickly in the bottom of a deep silver tray. David would be absolutely furious if ever he found out his precious family silver was being abused in this way but as he wasn’t there she must stop worrying about these small things and learn to make her own decisions.

  ‘Lazzy, I’m so glad to see you wide awake. I’m going to put you in your WC – it’s where you’ve got to do your business, little man.’

  The puppy made no objection when she picked him up and she’d barely released him when he peed.

  ‘Good boy, clever boy, just what Mummy wants you to do.’ She was being quite ridiculous talking to him as if he was a human child, but the puppy wagged his tail and began to snuffle around in the tray.

  ‘I think you’re hungry. Don’t do that, it’s most unhygienic.’

  This time he drank from the bowl without assistance but she still had to hold out the scraps of food as he didn’t seem to quite grasp how to eat it on his own.

  As soon as he’d done she put him back into the tray and again he obliged by opening his bowels and his bladder. The tray now both looked and smelt quite revolting – maybe this was one job she wouldn’t do herself.

  The telephone rang. She was so eager to pick it up she forgot to replace the puppy in his box before she ran down the passageway.

  12

  Sarah was flung sideways as the car hit the snow and she caught her right leg below the knee on something hard – probably the gearstick. For a moment she was disorientated, her heart thudding, unable to react. The impact had stalled the engine. They were in total darkness. There was no moon tonight. Slowly, her head cleared and she was aware of him talking to her.

  ‘Sarah, are you hurt? Can you open the door?’

  ‘I’m fine, but I’ve hurt my right leg. I don’t think it’s too bad but I can feel blood trickling down my shin. I wish it wasn’t so dark. My torch is in my pocket but for some reason my hands won’t move.’

  ‘Sit tight, sweetheart, I’ll go over the back of my seat and out through the rear passenger door.’

  She clenched her hands on her lap, trying to stem the trembling, but failing miserably. The car rocked and then somehow he contrived to get his long length over the back of his seat and into the space behind. He then kicked the door open using both feet and the next thing she knew he had reached in and picked her up.

  Someone from the hotel must have heard the crash because there was now light from several torches wavering towards them. ‘I’m quite capable of walking, Angus. You’re likely to drop me when you slip on the ice and cause me more damage.’

  He ignored her request and yelled at the approaching figures. ‘We are not seriously hurt but Miss Harcourt has injured her leg. I’m bringing her in. I think somebody had better try and shove the car out of the way as it’s causing a serious obstruction at the moment.’

  In the flickering pinpoints of light, she saw two of the men were ARP wardens. ‘Don’t you worry, flight lieutenant, we’ll get it shifted. You get your young lady inside out of the cold.’

  She’d expected to be taken to a side room but a woman in a smart black suit conducted them upstairs and into a vacant bedroom. ‘If you would care to put Miss Harcourt down, sir, we can take care of her until the doctor arrives.’

  ‘If you don’t want your beautiful bedspread and carpet completely ruined by my blood, then I need your first aid kit and we can take care of it ourselves.’

  The woman took one look at the blood soaking through the leg of Sarah’s slacks and spread two thick bath towels on top of the bed. Hopefully, that would be sufficient.

  ‘Angus, you know the drill,’ said Sarah. ‘You saw what I did last time. What I need is a bandage and a thick pad of gauze to stem the bleeding temporarily. That should hold until you’ve sterilised a needle and thread and can sew me up.’

  The housekeeper, the chambermaid and another man in a black frock coat stared at her with open mouths. Only Angus reacted.

  ‘I’m not bloody sewing you up and you’re not doing it yourself. We’ll get the local quack to do it. I’m going to ring the base before I’m pronounced AWOL and then ring your mother and tell her we’ve got to spend the night here because of the weather.’ He gave her a reassuring smile. ‘I won’t tell her you’ve been hurt. No point in worrying her needlessly.’

  It was all very well for Angus to say they were spending the night away from home so casually. She shouldn’t even be with him and to stay out all night, however innocent, was just not on.

  The man – presumably the manager – nodded and disappeared. The first aid kit arrived at the double carried by a bootboy in a livery two sizes too big for him.

  ‘I’m not going to remove my trouser leg as I might well make it worse. It’s probably easier if you do it, but I’ll tell you what to do.’ This wasn’t true as she might well exacerbate the injury by pressing bits of material into the gash. She thought if the true extent of the injury was exposed it would upset those present.

  Ten minutes after their arrival, her leg was elevated on a pile of cushions and the injury temporarily taken care of. It wasn’t bad enough to require a tourniquet – thank God. She was plied with hot tea with sugar, which she refused, and the young waitress willingly poured her a cup without. Sugar was good for shock but it would make her gag.

  ‘Would you bring me a jug of water? I need to drink as much as I can to help replace the blood I’ve lost.’

  Knowing it was good for her, she forced down two glasses before her stomach rebelled. While she waited for Angus to return, she closed her eyes and tried to force her mind away from the thought of just how badly her leg might be injured. She’d done everything she would have done if tending to an injured person at an event, apart from cutting away the trouser leg. The doctor had been sent for and the housekeeper, who proved to be friendly despite her austere appearance, had said he was on his way and would be there within a quarter of an hour.

  Angus arrived before the doctor. ‘Your mother was relieved to hear from us. Tony, Wing Commander Billings, hadn’t even noticed I wasn’t back.’

  ‘Was she upset because I’m here unchaperoned?’

  ‘Didn’t seem unduly bothered. Your mother is a sensible woman, Sarah, she wouldn’t want us to risk our lives driving in the ice and snow at night.’

  Sarah rather thought she would certainly hear a lot more about this escapade when she returned tomorrow but her mother was too polite to voice her displeasure to Angus.

  ‘Are they sending someone to collect us tomorrow? What about the poor Hillman? Will you have to pay for it or be put on a charge for writing it off?’

  ‘Yes, no idea, and no and no.’ He grinned and stretched out beside her on the double bed. As his shoes were on the bath towels, it didn’t matter that he hadn’t removed them.

  ‘You’re an idiot, flight lieutenant, but I’m finding I quite enjoy your company. I’m going to miss you when you go.’

  ‘And I you, Sarah. I know there’s an age difference, that my having a relationship with you is highly unsuitable, but I find myself unable to resist.’

  Her blood pressure was dropping. She would have to ask them to send for an ambulance, which she hated the thought of doing. One glance at the blood-soaked bandage was enough to tell her things were bad. She was glad that she had Angus with her as she was sure he wouldn’t panic and a lot of men would.

  Angus noticed the temporary bandages on her leg were no longer white. If the blood had soaked through so many layers of gauze, things were worse than he’d realised. The doctor had better get a move on. Her skin was noticeably paler; when he casually brushed his fingers against her hand, he was horrified to find it cold and clammy.

  He swung his legs to the floor. ‘I think I can hear the doctor.’

  He met the man limping his way along the passageway, his black medical bag in his hand. ‘It’s not good, I think I should have taken her straight to hospital. She’s losing a lot of blood.’

  ‘I’ve sent for an ambulance, but I’ll see what I can do before it gets here.’

  The doctor was efficient and professional. After scrubbing his hands at the sink, he produced scissors and cut off the temporary bandage along with the trouser leg. He deftly washed the long gash, with surgical spirit judging by the smell, and then nodded.

  ‘Could be worse. No major veins or arteries damaged. I can stitch it up here…’

  Angus had thought Sarah had passed out but she opened her eyes and interrupted. ‘Don’t ask the flight lieutenant, ask me. I’m the patient, not him. Here is just fine by me.’

  ‘Right. Do you want any pain relief?’

  ‘No – just get on with it. I’d have done it myself but I wasn’t allowed to.’

  Angus waited for the doctor to look horrified, patronise her, but instead he nodded. ‘Probably better to have left it to me. I don’t need to tell you it won’t be comfortable but I’ll be quick.’

  Angus wasn’t sure if he should hold her hand, offer her physical comfort, but she smiled at him and shook her head. He couldn’t watch – didn’t know why she wasn’t screaming in agony.

  ‘There. Nasty bit’s over. You can open your eyes now, flight lieutenant.’

  Both Sarah and the medic laughed. ‘Sorry, didn’t know I’d done so. Is there anything I can do?’

  ‘The patient needs to keep up her fluids – tea would go down well with both of us.’

  ‘I’ll ring down to the kitchen and have some brought up, Dr French,’ the housekeeper said from behind him. Angus hadn’t realised the woman was still in the room.

  French dressed and bandaged the injury, which now had seven neat stitches in it, and returned to the sink to wash his hands thoroughly.

  ‘Was it very bad, Sarah?’

  ‘No worse than I expected and a lot better than being carted off to hospital.’ She raised her voice and called across to the doctor. ‘I don’t need an ambulance so I take it you’ll cancel it.’