Beauty Chorus, The (17 page)

Now, Evie cringed as she heard the anger in Beau’s voice. ‘Parker – you and Miss Chase would do well to learn one shouldn’t listen to gossip. Careless talk costs
lives.’

‘Don’t throw propaganda at me!’ Teddy yelled as the door swung open. Evie ducked back against the wall. ‘I’ve got my eye on you, Beaufort, always knew there was
something off about you.’

‘That’s enough,’ Pauline said, calm but firm. ‘May I remind you of the ATA ethos, gentlemen?’

‘But—’ Teddy interrupted.

‘There is no room for personal grudges or tittle-tattle here,’ she said. ‘We are all far too busy. We work as a team.’

‘Thank you, Commander,’ Beau said. He turned to Teddy. ‘I may be half German, Parker, but don’t doubt for a moment that I’m batting for the British in this
war.’

Beau strode out onto the airfield. His head snapped around. ‘Are you coming?’

‘Where?’ Evie looked uncertain.

‘Your test, Miss Chase. Unless of course you think I’m about to kidnap you and whisk you away to Berlin.’

‘I thought Nora was doing my test. Are you …?’

‘Nora is off sick. I shall be deciding whether or not you get your wings.’ He zipped up his flying jacket. ‘Of course if you’re genuinely worried I’m a spy, you can
ask for someone else.’

‘No, don’t be silly.’

‘It is you, Miss Chase, who are silly.’ He walked closer to her. ‘A silly girl gossiping about things she knows nothing about.’

‘Now just a minute! It wasn’t my—’

‘Are you saying Teddy was lying?’

‘No.’ She thought quickly. She couldn’t tell Beau it was Megan who had blabbed. She could handle his bad temper but the thought of him bawling Megan out was unbearable. Her
confidence was shaky enough already.

‘Forget it.’ He frowned as Teddy appeared at the door to the offices. ‘Come on, before I change my mind and fail you automatically.’ Beau marched off towards the waiting
aircraft. Just at that moment a Bentley roared to a standstill outside the offices.

‘Oh no,’ Evie said, ‘just what I need.’

Leo stepped out of the driving seat. ‘Hello, darling.’ He kissed her. ‘Are we early?’

‘Early?’

‘I bumped into Badger in Maidenhead and he said you had your test today. We thought we’d surprise you.’

‘We?’ Evie looked up as Virginia appeared on the other side of the car.

‘Mr Chase?’ Teddy sauntered over and shook his hand. ‘Delighted to meet you. I’m Parker. Perhaps you’d like to come and watch Evie’s test flight from the Ops
Room? I have some spare binoculars.’

Evie wanted to curl up in a ball. She could see Beau waiting impatiently by the aircraft. ‘I have to go,’ she said, backing away.

‘Good luck, darling!’ Leo called after her as she broke into a run.

‘Quite ready are you?’ Beau folded his arms. ‘Of course if you’re too busy socialising …’

‘Sorry,’ Evie said, catching her breath as she jumped into the cockpit of the trainer. ‘Why we have to do this when I’ve completed thirty cross-country trips by myself
…’

‘Procedure, Miss Chase. Procedure.’ Beau climbed in behind her. ‘Visibility?’

Evie checked the spire of Shottesbrooke Church. ‘Clear for two miles,’ she said. She glanced over at the curved window of the Ops Room. There she saw Leo and Teddy with binoculars
and the flash of Virginia’s scarlet dress in the background. ‘I’m ready if you are, sir.’ It was a relief when the propeller turned and the engine burst into life. She
wanted to be free, soaring above the earth. More than anything she didn’t want Beau to be angry with her.

The test passed in a haze. As Beau called instructions to her down the speaker tube, she put the aircraft through its paces as if she were a machine. Beau tested her skills to the limit, made
her recover from terrifying mid-air stalls, perform forced landings until she got it absolutely right. Always, nearby, was his voice – calm, intimate, reassuring, so different from the man
she knew on the ground. It was almost a surprise to find herself safely back at White Waltham, the plane bumping across the grass, slowing gradually from 40 mph until it came to a standstill near
the hangar.

As the ground crew slipped the chocks under the wheels, she lifted herself awkwardly from the cockpit. Beau was already on the ground, finishing his notes.

‘So?’ Evie could hardly look at him.

‘Frankly, Miss Chase, you have a certain amount of ability, an overdose of self-confidence, a lack of experience and a dislike of taking orders. In short, you’re a menace.’

‘Charm will get you everywhere, Wing Commander. Do I pass?’

‘They’ve let a narcoleptic in so no doubt they’ll take you.’

Evie smiled, but Beau wasn’t laughing. ‘I am sorry, sir,’ she said. ‘I—’

He held up his hand. ‘Save the platitudes, Miss Chase. There’s nothing I dislike more than gossip. I had begun to think you were different, but clearly you’re not.’ He
strode away towards the offices.

Evie leant back against the aircraft and hung her head. Far from feeling elated, she felt as if she was about to burst into tears. She stood there for a few minutes, gathering the strength to
face Virginia.

As Evie strode through the corridor several of the pilots clapped her on the back. ‘Well done, darling!’ Joy said as she hurried past on the way to a waiting
Anson.

‘How do you know?’ Evie frowned.

‘Beau told Chief Ops Officer Wood, he told Teddy—’

‘Teddy told Daddy—’

‘And now Virginia is handing out the most delicious cake in the mess.’

‘She’s what?’ Evie said furiously. She pushed through the crowd to see Virginia flirting outrageously with the male pilots as she handed out slices from a large iced sponge
cake. Evie marched over to her. ‘What do you think you’re doing?’

‘Evie!’ Virginia simpered. ‘Congratulations, darling.’ She offered her a paper napkin with a piece of cake.

Evie stared at it incredulously. ‘What is this Virginia? Let them eat cake?’ The crowd fell silent around them. ‘This has nothing to do with you …’ Evie was so
angry she could hardly force the words out. ‘And here you are basking in all the glory.’

Virginia leant towards her, the smile never leaving her scarlet lips as she hissed, ‘Glory? What glory? Don’t show yourself up. You’ve passed some silly little test. I did it
to make Leo happy, if you must know. You know how upset he was that you took this job. He wants to make peace.’ As Virginia leant back she spotted the diamond earrings Evie was wearing.
‘Help yourself, boys!’ She waved her hand at the cake. As the conversations resumed, she took Evie’s arm and pulled her aside. ‘I’ve been looking for those.’

Evie touched her ear. ‘These earrings were my mother’s.’

‘Your father bought them, therefore they are mine.’

‘I won’t forget this.’ Evie hurled the cake to the floor, and pulled off the earrings.

‘Whoops-a-daisy,’ Virginia said brightly, pocketing the earrings as Leo and Beau walked over.

‘Well done, darling!’ Leo spread his arms wide and embraced her. His eyes fell to the cake on the floor. ‘Oh dear …’

‘Evie had a little accident.’ Virginia lowered her lashes.

Evie rounded on her. ‘You lying—’

‘Miss Chase!’ Beau barked at her.

‘But she—’

‘I don’t give a damn. You’re a member of the ATA now. Your behaviour reflects on everyone, and you’ll show your mother some respect.’ Beau handed Evie a pair of
gold wings. ‘I wanted to give you these myself.’

Evie looked down at the wings gleaming in the palm of her hand. She needed some air. ‘Thank you,’ she said, unable to look at him. She turned to her father, eyes glistening, angry.
‘Goodbye, Daddy,’ she said.

He hugged her tightly. ‘In spite of everything I said, I’m very proud of you, Evie.’ She nodded, and walked away.

‘I’m sorry, sir,’ Beau said to Leo as he watched her push her way through the mess, head held high.

‘Don’t be silly, Alex. I’m sure it’s nothing. Evie will calm down. She’s always been like a bottle of champagne when she’s angry – “pop” and
it’s all over.’ He glanced uncertainly at Virginia as she flirted with a couple of the pilots. ‘Well, it’s good to see you again, old boy. You were with a very pretty blonde
last time I saw you.’

‘My fiancée.’

‘Is she well?’

‘As far as I know.’

‘Oh, I’m sorry. I hadn’t realised …’

‘It’s all rather a mess. She walked out on me. Now she’s changed her mind.’

‘Woman’s prerogative, old boy. They like to keep us guessing.’ At the sound of her high, cascading laugh, Leo turned to his wife. ‘Virginia, why don’t you take the
rest of the cake to the offices and see if any of those ground wallahs fancy a piece?’ Reluctantly, she scooped up the plate and sashayed past Beau. When she had gone, Leo offered him a
cigarette. ‘How are you, Alex? Last time we had a proper chance to talk was in Gstaad, before this mess blew up. Damn shame about your accident. You haven’t changed a bit, you know. I
heard you were all smashed up but you’re as annoyingly handsome as ever.’

Beau laughed drily. ‘I was lucky. It looked worse than it was, and McIndoe’s surgeons did a tremendous job.’ He took a drag of his cigarette.

‘So, will you marry now you’ve recovered?’

‘Olivia wants to reconcile, but I don’t know. If your fiancée isn’t there when you need her most, it doesn’t say much for your future together.’

‘Oh dear,’ Leo said. ‘Don’t let it make you bitter, Alex. A lot of these young girls can’t cope with the realities of war. If I were you I’d give her another
chance. Good women are hard to find.’

‘The voice of experience?’ Beau smiled as he exhaled. ‘I’ll be back on ops soon enough. That will take my mind off it.’

‘Is that what you want? To fly in combat again?’

He shrugged. ‘What else is there? I certainly don’t want to stay around here any longer than I have to. These silly girls and their gossip.’ He pointed at Teddy. ‘See
that buffoon over there? Your daughter informed him my father is flying with the Luftwaffe, and he took it upon himself to tell the whole bally pool I’m a spy.’

Leo couldn’t help laughing. ‘Alex, you know who – and what – you are. You’re a grown man now, no longer in Hans’ considerable shadow.’ He looked at
Beau. ‘Are you sure it was Evie? If there’s one thing I know about my daughter it’s that you can trust her implicitly. She’s straight as a die. Always has been.’

Beau looked unconvinced. ‘Anyway, I’ll be glad to get out of here and back to my squadron.’

‘You know,’ Leo said, ‘there are plenty of other options for a pilot of your calibre.’

‘Such as?’

‘Not here.’ Leo took him to one side. ‘I was talking to an old friend at my Club in London the other night. I think Pickard may have something that would suit you down to the
ground. Why don’t you come around to the house for a drink one night? I have a few chaps I’d like you to meet.’ Leo took a deep drag of his cigarette. ‘So, how’s my
little girl doing?’

Beau smiled. ‘Miss Chase takes after her father.’

‘I hope not. I always thought she had more of her mother in her.’

‘They don’t look very alike.’

‘Virginia isn’t her mother. No.’ Leo’s eyes took on a sad look. ‘Ingrid …’ He exhaled deeply. ‘Well, she was a wonderful woman. Sensible too. She
wouldn’t put up with my playing around. Evie’s like her.’

‘She needs to learn to control herself.’ Beau beckoned to Jean to come and clear up the cake from the floor.

‘At least she had the balls to tell us to stick the money …’

Beau glanced at him. ‘Pardon?’

‘I told her not to join up. As far as she knows, thanks to Virginia, she’s cut off without a penny, no allowance, nothing. She has principles, my girl, just like her mother. I lost
Ingrid but I won’t lose Evie. Take care of her will you, Alex?’

‘Yes, sir,’ he said as they shook hands, and Leo went to join his wife.

‘Peace offering.’ Teddy slipped a slice of cake in front of Evie. She was sitting on the bonnet of her car, her arms folded around her knees.

‘Eugh, take it away. I loathe icing and she knows it.’

‘Did I get you in trouble?’

‘Yes you did as a matter of fact.’

‘Let me make it up to you.’ He perched on the wheel arch. ‘How about dinner tonight? We could celebrate your test.’ He pointed at Evie’s newly acquired wings on her
jacket. ‘Aren’t you pleased?’

Evie groaned inwardly at the thought. Dinner with Teddy was the last thing she wanted. She began to make an excuse but just then Beau marched out onto the field. ‘Of course I am, I’m
delighted,’ she said clearly so that Beau could hear. ‘A celebratory dinner would be lovely, Teddy, thank you.’ She kept her eyes on Beau all the time.

Teddy leant closer to her. ‘Shall I pick you up at eight?’

‘Why don’t I meet you in town? Sunny’s nightclub perhaps?’

‘Independent, eh?’ He ran his thumb across his moustache. ‘I like that in a girl.’ As he walked away, Beau followed him with his gaze.

‘Aren’t you going to congratulate me?’ Evie asked Beau.

‘On what, Miss Chase – your wings, or stepping out with a jackass?’

Coolly, she walked over. ‘Both, perhaps.’

‘I would have credited you with more taste. You could do better than a man like Parker.’

‘Do you think so? How surprising.’ She thought angrily of Olivia’s hurtful comments. ‘I think he’s perfectly charming.’

Beau put his hands on his hips. ‘Good luck.’

‘What for?’

‘If you’re fool enough to step out with him, you’ll need all the luck you can get.’

Evie turned away from him, glanced back over her shoulder. ‘Why, Wing Commander, from the look on your face, anyone would think you cared.’ She jumped into the Aston and roared off,
certain this time that he was watching her, even before she looked in the rear-view mirror and saw him standing alone, looking after her as she drove away.

16

‘Thanks, Jim.’ Stella jumped down from the Anson, dragging her flight bag after her. The pilots who had been playing chess during the taxi flight were packing up
their game in the back.

Jim Mollison climbed out of the cockpit. ‘So, how was your first day?’

‘Tiring.’ Stella rubbed the back of her hand across her forehead.