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Queenie paused a moment

‘Which way to the north-east air-raid shelter froet so ht line across the grass Easy peasy if you’re brave enough – like finding Neverland, "Second to the right, and then straight on till h?’

‘I’ll be all right Now I’ve got so to do –’

They both ducked instinctively as so exploded at the other end of the runway Queenie squeezed Maddie round the waist and gave her a quick peck on the cheek ‘"Kiss me, Hardy!" Weren’t those Nelson’s last words at the Battle of Trafalgar? Don’t cry We’re still alive and we make a sensational team’

Then she hitched up her hair to its two-inch above the collar regulation point, swabbed her own tears and the grease and the concrete dust and the gunner’s blood from her cheeks with the back of her hand, and she was off running again, like the Red Queen

It’s like being in love, discovering your best friend

‘Get your ate’

Queenie burst out laughing ‘Impossible!’

‘Not impossible! There’s a couple of pilots here who scrapped their way out of Poland after it was invaded They got here with no e other than Polish They’ll tell you all about it if you let thelish Anyway if a couple of escaped prisoners can find their way across Europe and become RAF pilots, you can –’

‘You talk to the pilots?’ Queenie interrupted with interest

‘There are other things you can do besides dance with theinative’

‘Some of them won’t dance, you know, so you have to talk That vicar’s boy won’t dance Hard to get hi about ot the whole day As long as we don’t go anywhere et back sharpish if the weather clears But look at it –’ Maddie waved at theIt was pouring, rain co

‘Just like hoet proper Scotch Mist in Switzerland’

Maddie snorted Queenie was devoted to careless naing without the faintest hint of an to realise she only did it with people she liked or people she detested – those who didn’t mind and those she didn’t care about – anyone in between, or who ht have been offended, she was ot bicycles,’ Maddie said ‘A couple of the mechanics let ’

‘Where are we going?’

‘The Green Man Pub at the foot of the cliffs on St Catherine’s Bay, last chance before it shuts down next week The proprietor’s fed up being fired at Not by the Gern out there on the edge of the shingle, last thing before they head home after a battle – they do it for luck!’

‘Bet they do it to get rid of unused ammunition’

‘Well, it’s a lando south, easy peasy! You can use my compass If you can’t find it I’ht from the tin for your dinner –’

‘That’s not fair! I’ht!’

Maddie rolled her eyes ‘Bloomin’ ’eck, that leaves us only about fifteen hours for a ten-iveyouit up round her ankles so it wouldn’t catch in the bicycle chain

‘I hope you’ve got a tin-opener,’ Queenie said oreatcoat, ‘and a spoon’

It was astonishing, after tenaway from RAF Maidsend, how peaceful the drenched Kent countryside was It was true that every now and then you passed a concrete gun e through rolling, chalky fields, green with turnips and potatoes and ht your brolly,’ Queenie said

‘I’ it for the next air raid’

They cans, not one; they’d all been taken down or blacked over to confuse the enemy in the event Operation Sea Lion was successful and the Ger inland ‘I’ve no idea where we are,’ Queenie wailed Thefor her that she couldn’t sit down on it; she had to stand on the pedals She see devoured by her enorht look of a wet cat

‘Use the co east till you find the sea Pretend,’ Maddie told her, inspired – ‘Pretend you’re a Gerot to find your contact, who’s at this legendary slers’ pub by the sea, and if anyone catches you –’

Under her dripping plastic rain hat, the kind you get in a tiny cardboard box with a flower on it for a halfpenny, Queenie gave Maddie a strange look It had challenge in it, and defiance, and excitehtenment Queenie leaned forward over the handlebars of her bicycle and was off, pedalling like fury

At the crest of a low rise she bounded off her bike in one allens, and was halfway up a tree before Maddie realised what she was doing

‘Get down, you daft idiot! You’ll be soaked! You’re in uniform!’

‘Von hier aus kann ich das Meer sehen,’ said Queenie, which is ‘I can see the sea from here’ in German (Oh – silly me Of course it is)

‘Shut up! You lunatic!’ Maddie scolded furiously ‘What are you doing?’