“S’all right, sir. It append just like you remembers!’
As he shaved and dressed and the ship had come alive around him for another day he had tried to piece it all together in his mind. Each small moment, so that he could hold it intact forever.
To’ think that mere seconds had saved them. Another moment and they might never have met. The letter which she had written had probably been lost or bogged down in some forgotten mail office. If he had not stayed in that strange restaurant. If, if, if…. It seemed unending.
Goss appeared in the doorway, ‘You wanted me, sir?F ‘Orders, Number One. Four days notice.’
‘Not much. Still a lot of work undone. I suppose they don’t care any more.’
‘Well, do what you can. They might still cancel the orders.’
Goss shook his head doubtfully., ‘I went ashore last night and met an old mate of mine. He says there’s a big convoy being assembled. Any time now, it seems.’
It made sense. Every available escort would be required if the convoy was to be a large one.
He replied, ‘Leave will be granted. as before.’
Goss nodded. ‘Good. Gives me room to get things sorted out with most of the jolly jacks ashore.’
The telephone buzzed again. Jupp’s face was expressionless. ‘It’s the Signals Distribution Office, sir.’
He handed the phone to him and said breezily, ‘Now, Mr Goss, what about a cuppa while you’re ‘ere?’
Her voice seemed right against his ear. ‘Sorry about the deception, although this is the S.D.O.’ Then she asked quickly, ‘Are you all right?’
‘Yes. Never better.’ Goss, Jupp and the cabin had faded away. ‘When can I see you?’
He heard a typewriter clattering in the background as she replied, ‘Now, if you like. At the gates. I must see you as soon as possible.’ She added very clearly, ‘There isn’t much time, is there?’
‘No.’ He glanced quickly at his watch. ‘I’ll be there right away.’
When he had replaced the handset he saw Goss watching him, a cup like a thimble in his large hand.
‘I’m going ashore, Number One. Not for long.’
Goss nodded. ‘I can cope, sir.’ He studied Lindsay over the rim of the cup. So that was it. Well, bloody good luck to him.
Jupp asked, ‘Nice coffee, Mr Goss?’
Goss stayed poker-faced. ‘Very nice.’ Surprisingly, he winked. ‘Better for some though, eh?’ Then he followed Lindsay from the cabin.
At the brow he stood beside Lindsay and looked at the busy jetty below.
‘By the way, sir, if, and I say if you were thinking of taking a bit of leave yourself.’ He waited until Lindsay was facing him. ‘Then we can manage quite well.’ He shrugged. ‘After all, the sooner I get used to carrying the weight on my own the better, so to speak.’. ‘Yes. Thank you.’ He turned to watch a column of soldiers marching along the next jetty, their bodies deformed by packs and weapons. ‘I may hold you to that.’ Then he saluted and ran quickly down the brow.
She was waiting just outside.the gates, looking very young in her white uniform. But exactly as he remembered her.
She said, ‘There’s a little Chinese restaurant just up the road. It’s quiet.’ She shot him a quick glance. ‘Not too,bright either.’
As they hurried past the dock-bound vehicles and groups of saluting sailors she added breathlessly, ‘I had to pinch myself this morning. Even now I’m afraid I’ll wake up.’
The restaurant was just as she had described it. And at such an early hour quite empty.
They were ushered to a table and he said quietly, ‘My God, you’re even more beautiful than I remembered.’
‘It must be darker in here than I thought!’ Her voice was husky, and for a few moments neither of them spoke.
Then she removed her cap and shook out her hair. That too was like a touch against his heart.
‘I’m working in the S.D.O.’ She did not look at him. ‘So ‘ I know about your orders. Four days.’ She fell silent until a waiter had brought some tea. ‘I will be going, too. Back to old England.’ She faced him and reached out to grasp his hand. ‘Maybe we’ll be in the same convoy.’ She squeezed it gently. ‘Don’t worry. It won’t be like that other one. It can’t be.’
‘No. But why are you going back so soon?’
She wrinkled her nose. ‘I was sent here with some others for the Singapore operation. We were to work here on communications. Now that’s all over we’re going home again. Maybe I’ll even get my proper signals course now.’ She dropped her eyes. ‘I’m sorry. I was forgetting about those other Wrens. It must have been terrible.’
He started to speak but she tightened her grip on his hand.
‘Just a minute. There’s something I must tell you. I, don’t know what you’ll say or think but I must say it.’ He waited, suddenly tense.
‘You remember my friend Marion?’ ‘The one whose father is a lord?’
‘Yes, that Marion. Her father’s terribly rich. But she’s very nice.’ She seemed suddenly nervous. ‘He has business out here. Her father. There’s a place down the coast. We stayed there during the last leave.’ Her hand trembled slightly. ‘I can get leave again now that I’m on draft.’ Then she turned. and looked directly into his eyes. ‘If you’d like that.’
‘You know I would, Eve. If you’re sure
She stared down at their hands on the table. ‘I’m sure. It’s just that I’m afraid of losing you again. This way well know.’ She tried to laugh. ‘I was also scared you’d think I was in the habit of taking all my commanders to a coastal villa!’
‘When can you leave?’
She looked up again, her eyes very bright. ‘Today. And you?’
He remembered Goss’s words. Perhaps he knew about it, too. Maybe the whole ship did.
‘This afternoon. How do we go?’
‘I can get a car. Or rather Marion will. She can get anything.’
‘I’m beginning to like‘ her, too.’
She replied quietly, ‘We’d better go now. There are things I must do.’ She replaced her cap and added, ‘At least you’ll know you’ve got a good driver.’ She faced him and he saw the colour on her cheeks. ‘The best in Scapa, they used to say!’
‘They were right.’
Outside the restaurant the sunlight was almost blinding.
He said, ‘I’ll phone your quarters.’
‘Yes. Then I’ll pick you up.’ She grinned. ‘That sounds bad.’
‘Not to me.’ He touched her bare arm. ‘I love you.’
A working party of seamen marched along the road, and- as they passed the petty officer bawled, ‘Eyes left!’
When he turned again she saluted him too and said, ‘And I you, sir!’
He watched her until she had disappeared into a nearby building and then hurried, through the gates after the working party. Even when he reached the top of the brow he was still expecting something to go wrong. A change of orders. A staff conference. Some crisis which would hold. him aboard like one last cruel trap.
Goss listned to his instructions and said, ‘Where will you be staying, sir? In case I need to contact you.’
‘I’ll telephone the ship when I know the number where I can be reached.’
He saw Stripey, the ship’s cat, sauntering up the brow after a brief visit to the dockyard.
Goss nodded. ‘Then I suggest you get going, sir.’
In his cabin as he threw a few things into a case he kept one ear for the telephone.
Jupp helped him pack, and as he was about to leave said, ‘Perhaps you’d take this too, sir.’ He held out a tiny silver replica of the Benbecula. It was less than two inches long but perfect in scale and detail. He added awkwardly, ‘It was made by the Becky’s boatswain many years back. Shouldn’t be tellin’ you this o’course, but ‘e ‘ad to melt down four silver teapots from the first class dinin’ saloon to complete it.’