Читать книгу A Sister’s Courage - Molly Green - Страница 6

Bromley, Kent, April 1936

‘Can I go up, Daddy? Please.’

‘Your mother said I was not to let you.’ Raine’s father looked down at his daughter, taller than most fourteen-year-olds, with long, spindly arms and legs. He couldn’t help smiling at the set of her chin, her clear violet eyes, just like her mother’s, the long dark wavy hair lifting slightly in the breeze. Yes, she was a beautiful girl – everyone said so. Which was why her mother was determined to protect her.

‘I don’t know why you want her to go and see such a dangerous performance,’ Simone said when he’d told her he was taking their daughter to watch Cobham’s Flying Circus perform at West Malling. ‘But if you insist to go against my wishes you must not allow her into one of those contraptions.’

‘You should come with us.’ Robert gazed at his wife fondly. She was French, twenty-one years younger than him, and she tried hard during their marriage to keep him in line. Sometimes it worked. But not today. He intended to keep his promise to his daughter to at least take her to watch the spectacle.

‘You think I want my shoes muddy, my coat splashed in some ’orrible field?’ she’d said, her eyes flashing.

Simone didn’t know how seductive she looked when she was annoyed, Robert thought, his mouth curling in amusement. And how delightful her accent, which she was so sure she’d lost ten years ago.

‘I shall find out if she goes up,’ Simone had warned.

Now, looking at his daughter’s pleading expression, Robert relented. ‘If I let you, Raine, you must promise faithfully not to tell your mother. We would both be in terrible trouble.’ He looked down at his daughter with affection. ‘You know, you do rather take after your mother in your determination when you’ve made up your mind about something.’

Raine beamed. ‘That’s a good thing, isn’t it, Daddy?’

He laughed. ‘Yes, I suppose it is. It might carry you through life. On the other hand, you might be in for some huge disappointments.’

Raine gave a theatrical sigh. ‘I promise I won’t say anything, Daddy.’

‘Good girl. Now let’s find out how long we’ll have to wait in the queue.’

Robert strolled across the field to collect his daughter as the biplane touched down. He had to admit his heart had thumped in his ears as he’d watched every second of the plane’s progress, knowing his precious daughter was strapped into the ‘flimsy contraption’, as Simone had called it. But when his eyes alighted on his daughter’s shining face as she ran light-footed over the grass towards him, he smiled to himself that he hadn’t tried to clip her wings.

‘It was wonderful, Daddy. I didn’t feel sick at all.’ The words tumbled from her lips in her exhilaration. ‘The pilot – he said I could call him Jim …’ She took in a quick noisy breath. ‘He thought I was scared when I called out, but it was only ’cos I was so excited. I felt like a bird … or a kite.’ She laughed. ‘I wish you could have come with me, Daddy. You’d have loved it. And guess what …?’

‘I couldn’t possibly.’ But he knew without guessing.

‘One day I’m going to be a pilot!’

‘I’m not so sure about that.’

She stared at him, a defiant expression crossing her face.

‘I’m very sure, Daddy, and you and Maman won’t be able to stop me!’