She had inadvertently picked the scab from a wound that wouldn’t quite heal properly. A wound she’d always believed was caused by someone else, but now it was being suggested that she herself might have contributed towards it. No, that wasn’t how it was.
‘So, what are your plans for the next few days?’ asked Barbara. ‘When Mr White arrived, he mentioned that you might be here for another night or two.’
Fitz was pleased with the change in direction of the conversation. ‘I was wondering, would it be possible to stay for two nights? Tomorrow, I’d really like to try to catch up with a couple of friends from the ATA. They’re down at Hamble.’
‘Of course, that’s not a problem,’ said Barbara. ‘If you’re only going for the day tomorrow, then you can leave Yvette here with me. She and Tim seem to have hit it off rather well.’
‘Thank you, that would be so kind of you,’ said Fitz. ‘I’ll telephone Marjorie and Elsie later at the house they are billeted in.’
‘Jolly good,’ said Barbara. ‘Now, I’ve got some chores to do.’
‘Do you want any help?’ asked Fitz.
‘No, not at all. You need to recuperate. Watch the children if you want to do something useful.’ Barbara smiled and went back into the house.
Fitz sat down on the wooden bench and gently stretched out her legs. The bruises were fading now. Her bones weren’t as sore as they had been and when she leaned against the bench, there was no sharp sting to her back. She’d looked in the mirror that morning and the broken skin was healing well. She had Jeanne to thank for that.
It was a shame, Jeanne’s balm couldn’t soothe the damage to her heart.
Chapter 29
As luck would have it, both Marjorie and Elsie had the following day off work. Fitz had spoken to Marjorie on the phone the previous evening and amid squeals of joy, especially so from Elsie in the background, they had arranged to meet at ten o’clock the next morning.
Barbara had taken Fitz to the train station, and after promising Yvette it was only for the day, Fitz had boarded the train to Southampton.
She had been met with more squeals and hugging from her friends.
‘Golly, Fitz, what’s wrong with your eye?’ asked Elsie, standing back and looking at her friend.
Fitz had attempted to hide the bruising with make-up. ‘It’s nothing,’ she said. ‘Now tell me about what you’ve been up to the last couple of months.’
‘Erm, don’t change the subject,’ said Elsie. She was looking even closer at Fitz now. ‘What haveyoubeen up to?’
Marjorie came to the rescue. ‘I think whatever our darling Fitz has been up to, as you put it, it’s something she probably can’t tell us.’
Fitz offered her a grateful smile. ‘Pretty much that.’
Elsie’s eyes widened. ‘Geraldine Fitz-Herbert, have you been spying in France?’
‘Shh, keep your voice down,’ scolded Marjorie. ‘Even if she had, she can’t tell us.’ She looked at Fitz. ‘I’m assuming I’m saying all the right things.’
‘I can neither confirm nor deny,’ said Fitz.
‘Oh my goodness,’ gasped Elsie, this time in a whisper. ‘You have, haven’t you?’
‘Whatever you think I’ve been doing,’ replied Fitz. ‘It won’t be anywhere as glamorous or exciting as you think it is.’ She couldn’t help the reproachful tone in her voice.
‘No, I’m sure it’s not. Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound frivolous about it,’ said Elsie.
‘So, tell me what you’ve been up to?’ said Fitz.
They walked arm in arm out of the station and along the road to a nearby tea room. It was such a pleasure to see her friends again. Fitz hadn’t realised just how much she had missed them. Listening to them talking about the aircraft they had been flying and some of the high jinks they’d been up to, was like a warm blanket around her.
‘And Joyce Rigby was sitting on the tail of the Spit,’ Elsie was saying, ‘you know, how the pilots got us to sit on the tail while they taxied.’
‘Of course I remember, I’ve only been away a few months, not years,’ laughed Fitz.
‘Well, the pilot only bloody forgot about her and took off!’ Elsie swept her hand in an upward motion.
