wings and used all-metal wings instead.”
“Is that what you think? Well, no one else has mentioned it.”
“The added strength would make all the difference. Especially if we have to go up against something like the Messerschmitt.”
“The Messerschmitt! Now who’s getting ahead of himself?”
“They’re not building them to fly mail, sir. They’re rearming.”
“I know they’re rearming, Danforth!” snapped Harrington. “The whole world knows they’re rearming! That’s why you and I are standing out here in the middle of this runway in March weather!”
“Will we do anything about it, sir, besides try to play catch-up with our own fighter planes?”
“Of course we’ll do something about it, Danforth. We’ll all go to the Olympics in Berlin this August and cheer like mad for the British runners and swimmers.”
“There is something else, sir.”
“You were only up the once. I don’t want an encyclopedia.”
They began to walk toward the huts. “No, sir, and I’ll want to take it up several more times, but it doesn’t recover from a spin well. I’m really not sure why. The rudder’s gone, you see. It’s just not there when you call on it. I did three spins, and it was difficult to pull out of all three of them.”
“Hmm. Type it up. I’ll ask Sammy what he thinks the next time he takes her up.” Harrington abruptly stopped walking. “Who the devil is that?”
A car had pulled up in front of one of the huts, and a woman driver had emerged.
“Why, that’s—” Kipp began.
“She’s stunning, absolutely stunning.” Harrington smoothed down both sides of his moustache. “Do you think she’s here to see me?”
Kipp smiled. “I’m sure she is, sir. Most likely to get a full report on your test pilot’s activities. She’s my wife, Caroline.”
“Your wife! Why didn’t you say so, man? I thought she was up in London!”
“She is. Or rather, she was. I honestly have no idea what she’s doing here, sir. But I can’t say I’m sorry.”
Harrington barked out a harsh laugh. “I don’t imagine you can. Neither can I.”
“Caroline!” Kipp put his arms around her. “Why’d you drive all the way down here? I’ll be up in London this weekend.”
She kissed him on the cheek. “I couldn’t wait, could I?”
“And they let you through the gate?”
“I did collect an RAF pass in London.”
“This is Captain Harrington,” he said, taking her by the hand.
“How do you do, Captain? Kipp tells me how much he enjoys working with you.”
“Does he? Does he indeed? I’m glad to hear it.” Harrington clapped Kipp on the shoulder. “Crack of dawn tomorrow. All the best.”
“Thank you, sir.” Kipp saluted and smiled at his wife. “What’s going on?”
“I’m in love with you and I’m a messenger boy.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Hop in and I’ll explain.”
Kipp climbed into the passenger seat of the small car, and Caroline drove back through the front gate with a wave at the sentries and continued along the road to the village.
“Do you know where that track off to the left goes?” she asked.
“Bushes and pastureland eventually.”
She turned onto the track and drove until they couldn’t be seen from the road and parked behind a tall hedge of gray winter leaves. Then she took Kipp in her arms and gave him a long kiss.
“I’ve missed you,” she whispered.
“I feel the same way, love. But it would only have been another day or two.”
“Well, I’m down for the weekend. Our brood is with their cousins, so I have you all to myself in beautiful Suffolk. I hope you have room in your flat for me.”
“I’ll sleep on the floor.”
“No, you won’t. If you’re on the floor, I’m on the floor with you.”
He laughed and tilted her chin up with his fingers. “You look younger and more beautiful every day. How do you do that?”
“Charmer. Good genes, I suppose.”
“So are we supposed to be like a couple who’ve snuck off to the
“Is that what you think? Well, no one else has mentioned it.”
“The added strength would make all the difference. Especially if we have to go up against something like the Messerschmitt.”
“The Messerschmitt! Now who’s getting ahead of himself?”
“They’re not building them to fly mail, sir. They’re rearming.”
“I know they’re rearming, Danforth!” snapped Harrington. “The whole world knows they’re rearming! That’s why you and I are standing out here in the middle of this runway in March weather!”
“Will we do anything about it, sir, besides try to play catch-up with our own fighter planes?”
“Of course we’ll do something about it, Danforth. We’ll all go to the Olympics in Berlin this August and cheer like mad for the British runners and swimmers.”
“There is something else, sir.”
“You were only up the once. I don’t want an encyclopedia.”
They began to walk toward the huts. “No, sir, and I’ll want to take it up several more times, but it doesn’t recover from a spin well. I’m really not sure why. The rudder’s gone, you see. It’s just not there when you call on it. I did three spins, and it was difficult to pull out of all three of them.”
“Hmm. Type it up. I’ll ask Sammy what he thinks the next time he takes her up.” Harrington abruptly stopped walking. “Who the devil is that?”
A car had pulled up in front of one of the huts, and a woman driver had emerged.
“Why, that’s—” Kipp began.
“She’s stunning, absolutely stunning.” Harrington smoothed down both sides of his moustache. “Do you think she’s here to see me?”
Kipp smiled. “I’m sure she is, sir. Most likely to get a full report on your test pilot’s activities. She’s my wife, Caroline.”
“Your wife! Why didn’t you say so, man? I thought she was up in London!”
“She is. Or rather, she was. I honestly have no idea what she’s doing here, sir. But I can’t say I’m sorry.”
Harrington barked out a harsh laugh. “I don’t imagine you can. Neither can I.”
“Caroline!” Kipp put his arms around her. “Why’d you drive all the way down here? I’ll be up in London this weekend.”
She kissed him on the cheek. “I couldn’t wait, could I?”
“And they let you through the gate?”
“I did collect an RAF pass in London.”
“This is Captain Harrington,” he said, taking her by the hand.
“How do you do, Captain? Kipp tells me how much he enjoys working with you.”
“Does he? Does he indeed? I’m glad to hear it.” Harrington clapped Kipp on the shoulder. “Crack of dawn tomorrow. All the best.”
“Thank you, sir.” Kipp saluted and smiled at his wife. “What’s going on?”
“I’m in love with you and I’m a messenger boy.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Hop in and I’ll explain.”
Kipp climbed into the passenger seat of the small car, and Caroline drove back through the front gate with a wave at the sentries and continued along the road to the village.
“Do you know where that track off to the left goes?” she asked.
“Bushes and pastureland eventually.”
She turned onto the track and drove until they couldn’t be seen from the road and parked behind a tall hedge of gray winter leaves. Then she took Kipp in her arms and gave him a long kiss.
“I’ve missed you,” she whispered.
“I feel the same way, love. But it would only have been another day or two.”
“Well, I’m down for the weekend. Our brood is with their cousins, so I have you all to myself in beautiful Suffolk. I hope you have room in your flat for me.”
“I’ll sleep on the floor.”
“No, you won’t. If you’re on the floor, I’m on the floor with you.”
He laughed and tilted her chin up with his fingers. “You look younger and more beautiful every day. How do you do that?”
“Charmer. Good genes, I suppose.”
“So are we supposed to be like a couple who’ve snuck off to the
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