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Izzie laughed. “We all tried that last week, remember?”

They’d all gathered around a sobbing Lottie who, after being stood up at the NAAFI, had announced to their entire hut that she was never dating another RAF man again. Ever.

“Oh, I was just being silly,” said Lottie.

“I don’t understand why you let those fliers jerk you around,” said Nancy.

“Have you seen Sergeant Johnson?” asked Lottie, her eyes going wide. “He’s so handsome.”

“He’s just like all the rest of those Brylcreem boys. He thinks that just because the RAF lets him wear his hair a little longer than the rest of the services, he’s God’s gift to women. He’s not even a pilot, Lottie!” Nancy cried in frustration as they entered the mess.

“Oh, let her have her fun,” said Alexandra. “At least someone is.”

“I have fun,” said Nancy.

“What are we arguing about now?” Grace asked, looking back as they queued up at the tea urns.

“Nancy’s trying to protect Lottie’s heart from Lottie again,” said Izzie.

“And Nancy insists that she’s capable of having fun, so that must mean she’ll be at the dance this evening to prove it,” said Molly with a grin.

Nancy groaned when the other women gave another cheer.

“Fine. I’ll stay for an hour,” Nancy said.

“And dance at least a half dozen times?” Molly teased.

“Once,” said Nancy.

“Four times,” said Lottie, egging Molly on.

“I’ll dance as many as Izzie does,” said Nancy.

“Why me?” she asked.

“Because you’re the only sensible one around here,” said Nancy.

“Sensible?” She wasn’t entirely certain she liked the idea of that being her reputation. It sounded… well, it sounded boring.

“We’re all going,” said Alexandra, putting a hand on Izzie’s arm. “Isn’t that what we agreed on? ‘One for all and all for one’?”

Amelia scrunched up her nose. “I thought that was The Three Musketeers.”

“Do you want Nancy to go or not?” asked Alexandra as they settled down to a table with their cups of tea.

“ ‘One for all and all for one’!” Amelia, Grace, Lottie, and Molly cried in unison.

“I cannot wait to take these boots off,” said Alexandra, stretching her long legs out under the table.

“Corporal Tennyson almost looked proud of us today,” Amelia said.

“Where do you think they’ll send us when we’re done?” asked Grace.

“We still have a lot to learn,” said Nancy, ever practical. But then she added, “I think we’ll become part of the Number Twelve Balloon Squadron. We’re already here for training, why wouldn’t they roll us into one of the Titchfield units?”

“I hope we end up stationed in London,” said Molly. “Then I could see my mum whenever I have an afternoon’s leave.”

Izzie couldn’t have agreed with Molly more. If she was stationed in London—or really anywhere along the Thames estuary—she stood a decent chance at being able to make it back to the shop from time to time. Even staying at RAF Titchfield as Nancy suggested would be fine. It wasn’t exactly close, but she’d still be able to brave the trains and make her way back to base on twenty-four or forty-eight hours’ leave.