Free Where Earth Meets Sky by Annie Murray Page B

Captain Fairford knelt and peered under the car. Sam noticed the sallow colour of his skin at the back of his neck, edged by his strong mahogany-coloured hair. From living out here, he thought. Never really goes white like the rest of us
    ‘See? Good clearance off the road, isn’t there?’
    ‘Well, I don’t have much to compare with . . . But it seems very good.’
    ‘Lower frame, but more road clearance – so, how have we done it? By raising the engine higher up in the frame, that’s how! The gearbox is lower because we reversed the position of the gearshaft and countershaft. So – the great thing is, you gain more stability and reduce the amount of dust raised off the road. Two things which will be of great importance out here. Quite a thing, wouldn’t you say?’
    The captain looked genuinely impressed. ‘Splendid! Thoroughly splendid.’
    They spent a very comfortable couple of hours, kneeling, prodding, peering into the engine, like two schoolboys with a Meccano set. Sam took him through every detail of the engine, cooling system, gears and the springing, which was another of Daimler’s proudest developments: springs four feet long – marvellous! And he could see the captain was hooked.
    ‘All I can say is, Captain, you’ve made an excellent choice,’ Sam finished. It was ten o’clock by now, the sun was well up and the air pleasantly warm. A sweet smell of flowers drifted from the beds and pots.
    ‘Well.’ The captain straightened up. ‘If Daimler’s good enough for the king I assumed it would be for me. You’ve painted a damned fine picture of the workings – thank you, Ironside.’
    ‘More than a pleasure, sir.’
    ‘Fancy breakfast?’
    ‘I thought I’d already had that.’
    Charles Fairford laughed. He was a handsome so-and-so, Sam had to hand him that.
    ‘Ah – that was just chota hazri , a sort of minor breakfast I take before my ride. It’s about time for bari hazri . Breakfast major, let’s say!’
    As they stood there, there came a flurry of running feet and the boy, Cosmo, came tearing round from the back of the house.
    ‘Pater! I want to see the car!’
    Close behind, looking flustered, there she was again: Miss Waters, no longer in riding gear.
    ‘I’m sorry, Captain Fairford!’ She was blushing, though in her eyes Sam saw elements of mischief on the boy’s behalf. ‘He’s been trying to get out here with you all morning. I couldn’t hold him any longer.’
    ‘Not at all,’ the captain said easily. ‘Of course he must see it! Come here, Cosmo, old chap!’
    He swung the boy up into his arms, and into the driver’s seat. Cosmo laughed with glee, jumping up and down on the seat, holding on to the steering wheel.
    ‘Make it go, Pater! Make it go fast!’
    ‘Not now, Cozzy. You just have a look for the moment. But we’ll get Mr Ironside to take us for a spin later on, shall we?’
    They all stood watching the boy for a few moments, with all his four-year-old, full-hearted glee. Miss Waters’s eyes were fixed on him with a rapt smile. But for a moment Sam saw her gaze turn towards him with frank curiosity. He looked back, giving a faint smile, but she fixed her eyes on the boy.
    Captain Fairford turned to them.
    ‘I don’t know if you’ve met Miss Waters? She’s Cosmo’s nanny – doing a sterling job too, I might say. Miss Waters, this is Mr Ironside, from the Daimler Motor Company, who has provided us with this splendid machine.’
    They turned to one another again and Sam extended his hand.
    ‘How d’you do, Miss Waters?’
    ‘Pleased to meet you, Mr Ironside.’
    She gave him that shy, yet somehow vivacious, look. He had never seen eyes contain more energy and depth. Then she looked quickly away again. Her hand was small and soft and he shook it so carelessly then. He had touched her for the first time, simply as a social formality. Sam had no notion that morning of the extent to which, engraved on his future, would be the mark of his longing to touch her