Free Enduring Passions by David Wiltshire Page A

entered the field. She was so happy that Tom felt over the moon. What a wonderful bit of luck that it was on that day.
    They came to a row of parked aeroplanes in bright colours, crowds around each one.
    She actually jumped up and down with excitement.
    ‘Look at them. They’re Hornet Moths and the other two are Tiger Moths.’
    Puzzled he asked, ‘How come you know so much about aeroplanes?’
    ‘My Uncle Sidney has one. He came for lunch with Aunty Pat last summer and landed in the park. Gave the sheep a rare old scare I can tellyou.’ Her face fell. ‘Daddy wouldn’t let me go up for a ride – said it was too dangerous.’
    He swallowed. It was another world and a nasty reminder of the fact that he was not part of it and never would be.
    ‘Come on, I want to see everything.’
    She burrowed into the crowd and was soon talking to a man in a leather coat and breeches by the machine’s wings. From there they moved successively along from one to the next until they’d reached the last one.
    ‘Look!’ Fay, cheeks rosy with the cold and excitement, pointed as a plane came in to land, it’s wings wobbling in the breeze, engine pop-popping . It touched down on the ground – bounced – came to earth again and stayed down.
    It was a monoplane, the pilot inside the small cabin wearing a trilby hat.
    ‘That’s the future I suppose, but I love the open cockpit, don’t you?’
    Tom sniffed, beginning to feel the cold of the winter afternoon as the time approached two o’clock.
    ‘Looks more comfortable.’
    She gave him a despairing look.
    ‘That’s not the attitude that built the Empire. Come on, it’s my treat now.’
    It wasn’t the big converted bomber in the advert, but a De Havilland Dragon biplane with twin engines that could carry several passengers in two rows in a cabin in the fuselage. His heart sank. Did he have to go? Then he saw her shining eyes and knew there was no way out.
    There was a table with a sign saying ‘Joy Rides 5/-’
    Fay was there before him.
    The man sitting at the table looked up. ‘Sorry, miss, the last flight’s already fully booked.’
    ‘Oh, no.’
    Crestfallen, Fay groaned.
    ‘Please, there must be a way? I’ve been looking forward so much to this.’
    ‘Sorry, miss.’
    Tom stepped forward.
    ‘If it’s a matter of only one seat, I can wait for another time?’
    She was about to protest that she wanted them both to go, when a man who had been standing beside the table talking to two others turned, andflicked a finger along his small moustache. He was dressed in a flying suit. ‘I’ll take you up. Just going myself, before it gets too dark.’
    Jealousy was something that Tom had not experienced before, at least not like the tidal wave of it that hit him now.
    ‘That’s very good of you, but we can wait.’
    Fay looked at him and despite her longing to go, realized with bemused pleasure what was the matter. She took his hand to show that they were together.
    ‘Mr—?’
    The man smiled, ‘Captain Black, miss, ex-Royal Flying Corps, not this new fangled RAF.’
    He managed to make RAF sound less than desirable.
    Fay nodded. ‘Of course, Captain Black. Anyway we both—’
    Another younger man stepped forward.
    ‘I’m going up, too, I’ll take you. Captain Black here can bore the pants off this gentleman with the formation of the RAF – twenty odd years ago. Newfangled, indeed!’
    Tom was caught by the pleading eyes of Fay. He swallowed.
    ‘Well, in that case—’
    ‘Fine.’ Captain Black took him by the elbow and joked, ‘He always gets the girl.’
    Tom struggled with his jealousy. She was going with the young one – even worse. His fears were suddenly assuaged, however, by a very pretty girl who came over and spoke to Fay.
    ‘Are you going flying with my husband?’
    Fay nodded excitedly. ‘Is that all right?’
    ‘Of course.’ The woman held out her hand. ‘I’m Joan Hayes. We’re about the same size. Would you like to borrow some overalls