‘Yes, Mum, I hope you said no. It would be really unsuitable for someone of your age and state of health.’
‘There’s nothing wrong with my health!’ said Gilly indignantly.
‘Physically, you’re fine, but you are nervy. Always have been,’ said Martin. ‘Gliding would be the death of you.’
Gilly took a couple of slow inward breaths. ‘Excuse me. I must just check something in the oven.’
She walked quickly out of the room, her phone in her hand. When she was well out of earshot she got her phone and found ‘Recents’. ‘William? I’ve changed my mind. I do want to go gliding after all.’
‘Gilly?’ said William. ‘Are you all right? You sound a bit as if someone has forced you into saying that.’
She couldn’t help laughing. ‘Really? No, don’t worry, I just decided not to be such a wimp. It’s turning me into an old lady before my time.’
‘Never! I’ll pick you up tomorrow just after eight. I am so pleased about this!’
Just as well she was an early riser, thought Gilly the following morning as she sat next to William in the car, trying to focus on the burgeoning hedgerows and the beauty of the emerging spring. She was breathing deeply, concentrating very hard on not thinking about taking to the air in an unpowered vehicle. Although to be fair, it wasn’t the unpowered bit that terrified her, it was the tiny insubstantial scrap of metal she was going to be in at the time.
‘We have the perfect day for it,’ said William. ‘I’m confident you’re going to love it.’
Gilly’s answering smile was rather strained. ‘It’s certainly a lovely day. How long are we likely to be in the air?’
‘On a day like today, with a bit of luck and some good thermals we could go for miles but as it’s your first time I think twenty minutes will be about right.’
Twenty minutes of her life. That wasn’t a big sacrifice and when she came down she could say that she’d done it, she wasn’t a coward and could carry on with her feet on the ground.
‘I’m not likely to be sick, am I?’
William shook his head. ‘Not on a day like today.’
‘Am I wearing the right clothes?’
He glanced across at her. She was wearing a smartened-up version of what she’d garden in: flexible (so she could clamber in and out of the glider) and warm. Gilly was aware her fear of being cold identified her as being an older person but it was too bad. She would never sacrifice comfort for fashion. A silk scarf added a certain aviator touch, she felt.
‘They seem perfect to me. You can move about freely?’
‘Yes. I did a bit of YouTubing to look at gliders and they seem … small? And will take a bit of getting into,’ she said, pleased with herself for avoiding the words ‘cramped’ and ‘claustrophobic’. ‘I hope I’m athletic enough.’
‘I’m sure you are.’
‘And we wear parachutes?’
‘Yup. Partly for safety and partly because if you didn’t the seats would be really uncomfortable.’
‘Oh, like when you lose the lining of your shoe and it’s too big and unpleasant against your foot?’
He nodded. ‘I expect so.’
She didn’t speak for a while, aware they were getting nearer and nearer the airfield.
‘Don’t overthink it, Gilly,’ said William eventually. ‘If you really don’t want to go, we won’t go. It’s not a big deal.’
Yet having been offered a way out Gilly realised she’d feel disappointed if she didn’t give gliding a try. And Martin and Cressida would be so furious when she told them she’d been – any amount of fear would be worth that.
In spite of her bracing inner thoughts, Gilly found the age it took to drive the perimeter of the airfield agonizing. She was here, she wanted to do it and she didn’t want it spun out with scenic drives around large open spaces.
After seemingly hours, but in reality only a few minutes, William parked the car near the clubhouse. He held her arm encouragingly as they walked past where a number of gliders were kept under cover towards the building where, according to the jaunty sign on the outside, the fun began.
William was obviously a popular member of the club; everyone greeted him with warm smiles, andthere was the odd joke that indicated they appreciated his gentle charm. She received a fair amount of curious looks and shy nods herself and she couldn’t help asking herself how many other women he’d taken gliding. She was surprised to feel a bit jealous; she wanted it to be only her. And then she wondered why.
