1917 Eagles Fall (4 page)

Alice burst out laughing and came to kiss me on the cheek.  “Our Bill that is the worst proposal I have ever heard.  If Beattie accepts it then you are the luckiest man in the world!”

When I looked at Beatrice I saw that there was a look of joy on her face.  She said huskily, “Of course I will and I think it was a lovely proposal.  It was just like you.” I used my good arm to help her take her coat off and handed it to the attendant.  “And now let us go and have some fun!”

It was the most spectacular place I had ever seen. When the manager heard that we were celebrating a proposal of marriage and a wedding he insisted on providing us with Champagne.  It delighted Alice. The evening started off really well.  Then I noticed that Charlie was looking down in the mouth. I waited until Beatrice and Alice had gone to the cloakroom and I asked, “What’s up Charlie?”

“It’s your sister.  She obviously has a chap.  She came in his car!”

Mary had overheard for she was sat on the other inside of me.  She leaned over and touched Charlie’s hand. “That chap is the husband of the woman who Alice works with.  He is old enough to be her father.” She smiled, “And Alice likes you.”

The change was remarkable.  The grin never left his face all night. We were all a little drunk by the time the evening ended. I would not see Beattie again until the day of the wedding and I hugged her and kissed her as though I would never see her again. We had money for a taxi for the ladies as some rich gentleman had recognised both my medal and my name and insisted on paying the bill at the Ritz. The Head Waiter told us that the old man’s only son had died at Ypres.  Everywhere we went were reminders of the war and its effects. The war was striking everyone.  We had even heard of bombing raids over London! This was a new kind of war.  The Germans seemed to be inventing many new ways of killing and it was indiscriminate.

We strolled unsteadily back to our hotel. It was a chilly night but we didn’t care. Charlie walked with me. He talked incessantly of the evening and the fun but mainly he spoke of Alice. He was drunk on Alice rather than the Champagne we had consumed and he bombarded me with questions about her. He had fallen for her. This was not a Gunbus this was an infatuation with my little sister who was as unpredictable as the weather. I just hoped that he knew how to land! Otherwise he could crash and burn.

There were just the three of us in our carriage as the train chugged north.  Charlie had decided to stay on in London for the rest of his leave.  It seems my sister had become more important than his family.  Alice seemed quite happy to show Charlie around when she had time from work.  Ted went home and we left the love birds in Mary’s lovely little house where, I dare say, they would make up for the months apart.

The wedding had been charming.  The handful of guests did not detract from the joy on Mary and Gordy’s faces. Bates had fussed around them like a mother hen after the ceremony.  We had all returned to Mary’s to celebrate.  She and Beatrice had made huge amounts of food and Bates saw to our every need.

He was still looking after us now as we made our way north.  We would only have six days there for the train took a day to reach Burscough and we had to allow two to three days to get back to the airfield and France. A delay would mean that our comrades would not get a full leave.

Beatrice leaned over, “Do you think your mother will like me?”

“She will love you.  Why do you ask?”

“Mothers have a tendency to view any woman as a threat.”

“Don’t be daft.  Mum isn’t like that.  Besides I am sure our Alice has already told her about you.”

She seemed mollified by that and we watched the rain shrouded land as we sped through the factories of the Midlands.  I knew that all of them would be churning out material for the war.  What would they make once the war was over? It was a sobering thought that this war was costing a fortune. The Gunbus could not be cheap to build and the squadron had got through almost twenty of them with losses and damage.

“Penny for them.”

“Oh sorry, I was just thinking about the waste of money that this war is.”

“I think it is a greater tragedy that we have damaged and lost so many fine young men.  Think of all the futures there will never be.  They lie in the mud of Flanders and France.”

We both looked up at Bates.  He was a thoughtful soul.  He listened well and when he spoke his words were worth hearing. “Quite right, Bates, the money is nothing.”

He stood.  “Now you two talk about something more cheerful. There is a buffet car on this train.  I shall go and get us a cup of tea eh?”

Once again we had managed to get a compartment to ourselves. After he had gone we risked talking of a future after the war. Gordy and Mary had made that leap.  It was a risk for one never knew where one would fall. But we planned anyway.

After changing trains at Liverpool we managed to get the tea time train to Burscough.  We arrived after dark and, as we pulled into the dimly lit station, I wondered how we would get to the cottage.  Bates and I could walk but I couldn’t ask Beatrice to do so.

I helped her from the carriage while Bates brought the bags. I saw that there were boxes being unloaded from the guard’s van and I recognised old Harry from the hall.  “Wait here would you?”

I ran down the platform. “Harry!”

He grinned when he recognised me, “Little Billy Harsker! And aren’t you looking smart.  Home on leave are you?  Your mam and dad aren’t expecting you.”

I suddenly felt guilty but if I had sent a telegram it might have upset them. “Yes, this is a surprise.  Listen, there are three of us.  Any chance of a lift?”

He nodded, “Aye if you don’t mind sitting in the wagon.”

“Anything is better than Shanks’ pony.”

“Get your stuff on board.  It’ll be nice to chat to you. We don’t have many young lads round here anymore.”

Bates had to sit in the back with the boxes but he didn’t seem to mind. “Your mam and dad will be glad to see you.  When your mam got that telegram we all thought that you were dead.”

I had forgotten that when I went missing there would have been a telegram.  I felt even guiltier now.  I had been so caught up in the wedding and Beatrice that I had forgotten my family at home. “But they know I am alive now don’t they?”

“Oh aye, Lord Burscough rang home and her ladyship went to see your mam.  But they were all upset for a couple of days. Everybody was. You are quite famous; picture in the paper, met the king.” Once again I had a fame I had not sought.

We pulled up outside the cottage which seemed so tiny now. When we had been growing up we thought that having three bedrooms was a luxury.  I wondered what Bates and Beatrice would make of it.

As we pulled up my dad came out with a lantern.  I saw him shield his eyes as he tried to see who it was. “Is that you Harry?  Is there a problem with Jess?” That was typical of my father.  He worried about his horses even though he was semi-retired. Jess was one of his favourites.

“No Jack, I picked your Bill from the station.”

I jumped down into the light and shook dad’s hand.  “Mother, it’s our Bill.  He’s here in the flesh.”

I helped Beatrice down.  “And this is Beatrice Porter, dad.”

My dad was not often stuck for words but he was then.  Beatrice gave him a smile and shook his hand.  “I am very pleased to meet you.”

Bates appeared and stood quietly behind us. “This is Airman Bates from my squadron.”

Harry had placed the bag at the door. “I’ll tell your Kath and his lordship that you are back.”

“His lordship is home?”

“Aye.” He nodded at my arm.  “He’s picked up a wound too.”

He clambered up and clicked his tongue.  Jess took the wagon along the track to the main house. The door opened and bathed us in light.  My mother stood there looking older and frailer than I remembered. She began to cry as she threw her arms around me and sobbed into my chest.  “Our Bill! We thought you were dead! I am glad you are safe.”

“I’m too stubborn to die, our mum.” She stepped back to look at me. “Could we put up my young lady and my friend? I am sorry I couldn’t let you know but…”

My mother’s good manners took over, “Of course, come on in.  Father, go and put a kettle on for the hot water bottles.”

Beatrice was ushered in and Bates, said, “Let me help you with that Mr Harsker” and he and dad disappeared to fill the kettle.

Mum was just taking Beatrice’s coat when my words registered with her. “Young lady?”

I took Beatrice’s coat from mum and put it on the hook behind the door. I went up to them both and put my arms around them. “Yes, mum, my young lady. We are going to get married.”

I glanced at Beatrice and saw the look of apprehension flicker in her eyes. There was a moment of awkward silence and them mum grabbed me and kissed me on both cheeks before doing the same to a surprised Beatrice. “I am so pleased! Oh why didn’t you warn me?  We could have had food in and a nice meal waiting and… father!”

She screeched it so loud that dad and Bates rushed in.  “Whatever is the matter?”

“Our Bill is going to marry this young lady, Beatrice.”

Bless dad, he hugged Beatrice so hard I worried that she would break in two. “Well that calls for a celebration!”

Mum looked crestfallen, “We’ve nowt in!”

“I’ll nip up to the big house and have a word with our Sarah.”

“Eeeh you can’t, our Bill, that’s proper cheeky.”

I grabbed my great coat, “Shy bairns get nowt.  Besides, you two can chat.”

I ran to the house.  I was ecstatic.  I don’t know why I had been worried.  I should have had more faith in mum and dad. I rang the bell and Cedric, our Sarah’s husband, answered it. He smiled when he saw me.  “Harry said that you were home.  Good to see you.” He saw my broken arm.  “You’ve been in the wars I see.”

I burst out laughing! “For the last two years!”

Our Sarah appeared, “Whatever is the… oh Bill!” She hugged me. “Do you want his lordship?  They have just sat down to dinner.”

“No, it’s mum she has no food in and I said I would cadge some off you!”

They both laughed, “Cheeky bugger. Come round to the back and I’ll sort something out for you.”

I went around the familiar path to the servants’ entrance.  Sarah arrived first and she opened the door.  Come in and I’ll get you a box.”

The servants were eating around the table.  Cedric and Sarah were the head servants but I knew all the others. They all shouted hello. Harry said, “I told you he was home.  Wounded little soldier eh?”

“It’s just a broken arm, Harry.”

“Oh.” Harry sounded disappointed.

Sarah had just returned with the box. “Yes but you broke it escaping from Germans and you nearly died!”

“It was nothing!”

Before it became even more embarrassing Lord Burscough came in.  His right arm was in a sling. We both burst out laughing.  “Well a fine pair we make, Bill and I can’t even shake your hand.”

Sarah looked embarrassed, “I was just getting Bill some food for…”

“Nonsense we have plenty let them eat here.”

I shook my head, “Very kind your lordship but you know mum.  She will want to cook for me the first night back.”

“Quite.  Well how about tomorrow?  Harry tells me you have a pretty young lady with you and someone from your squadron.”

“Yes sir, it is my fiancée and my manservant.” I saw the reaction from the servants around the table.  That moment marked the instant when I changed in their eyes, my sister included. I had left the world of service and become a gentleman.

“Well, bring them both.  Her ladyship is looking forward to meeting her.”

“She has met her already sir. She met her at the hospital in London. She was my nurse when I was wounded.”

He shook his head.  “Then it will be a fine tale at dinner!”

When I reached the cottage again there was no sign of Bates but mum and dad were busy chatting to Beatrice. “His lordship insisted on giving us a box of food.  And it is cooked!” Lord Burscough had had Sarah make up plates of food from the dinner they were enjoying.  There was more than enough and it would mean mum didn‘t have to cook.

Beatrice took it from me and said, “Get washed up then.”

“Where’s Bates?”

“John is upstairs warming and airing the beds.” I looked in surprise at my dad. “He’s a nice chap he is. You look after him!”

I was not certain that my father understood the way the Royal Flying Corps functioned but I nodded and went to get washed.

It was crowded around the little table with five of us but cosy. Bates, or John as everyone else was calling him, and Beatrice, or Beattie as my mum and dad called her, served up.

Mum glowed, “Eeeh this is lovely.  It’s like before the war when we had all the family around.” She looked at me sharply, “And where is Alice I should like to know?”

I exchanged a knowing look with Beatrice.  “We met her in London.  She was at my friend’s wedding but she had to work.”

“I am still not happy about her being in London all by herself.  It is a sinful place.”

“She is doing well Mrs Harsker.”

“I told you, it’s Mary or Mother.”

“Well, Mary, we saw some of her work and she designs beautiful dresses.  The wedding dress she made for Mary Hewitt was exquisite.” She looked at me.  “I hope she will make me one.”

Every head swivelled to look at me. Dad said, “Have you picked a date, son?”

I shook my head.  “With the war and, its winter and…”

“And we haven’t had time to talk about it yet.” A twinkle came into Beatrice’s eye as she said, “But we have a few days now to sort things out.”

For some reason, that pleased my mother inordinately. “This one will sort you out, young Billy Harsker!”

Later, as dad and I went to the pub, I discovered what impact Beatrice had made.  Bates had declined a visit to the pub saying he would stay and do the dishes.  Beatrice fought over the right to do that and I left a minor battle of wills between the three of them.

It was pleasant strolling to the pub with my dad.  “She is a lovely lass, our Bill.  Your mum and I can rest easy now.” He took his pipe out to examine the bowl.  “Your mum was so upset when you were reported missing. She still thinks of you and Albert as young kids.”

“I know, Harry told me.”

“Anyroad up your young lady has given us comfort.”

We entered the pub and I saw the effect of the war. The ebullient welcome of my earlier leaves was now replaced by dour, sad faces.  The village had lost many young men. They appreciated my visit and I think I cheered them up but it was a reminder of why we were fighting this war.