A Sister’s Courage. Molly Green

might do to the next unsuspecting girl. So we’ll keep our appointment this afternoon. Agreed?’

      ‘Oh, yes.’ Linda nodded enthusiastically. ‘I can’t wait.’

      An hour before the time the two girls were due to leave, the phone rang. Raine picked it up.

      ‘Flight Lieutenant Fox here. I’m ringing to tell you that appointment you and Miss Rogers have this afternoon with the CO has been cancelled.’

      Anger swept through her body. What was going on? Why was Foxy giving her the message? Had he somehow got wind of the reason the two of them were about to talk to his senior with some problem? His behaviour, for instance?

      ‘His secretary suggests Wednesday next week,’ he continued, ‘but of course you won’t be here.’ He gave a chuckle and the line went dead.

      ‘That was Foxy,’ Raine said to Linda who’d stopped typing to listen. ‘Our appointment’s been cancelled.’ Fury coated her words.

      ‘Why?’

      ‘He didn’t give a reason but I think he guessed.’

      Linda chewed her lower lip. ‘Raine, it’s no good. It won’t get us anywhere – and I’ll be leaving anyway.’

      Raine sighed heavily. ‘Well, I suppose at least we tried. But I can’t bear the idea that he’ll get away with his disgusting behaviour.’

      She finished the letter she was typing for him, not bothering to correct his grammar. Let them all think what an ignorant little— She stopped the bad word before it formed. She banged the lever of the carriage to the left, typed the valediction, rolled out the letter and for the last time shoved the cover over the machine.

      ‘That’s it,’ she told Linda. ‘I’m not doing any more for that rat.’

      As though on cue, Foxy came in and pointedly looked at the covered typewriter.

      ‘I see you’ve already packed up,’ he said. ‘But there is one more thing.’

      Raine waited. What now?

      ‘According to the rules, when someone leaves, their bag has to be inspected.’ He smiled his oily smile. ‘Just a precaution. I’m sure it’s not necessary in your case, Miss Linfoot, but we’ll do it anyway, just so I can make a note on the file that I carried out the correct procedure to the letter.’

      Dear God, no. He knew. The incriminating evidence was there for him to find. She’d be in real trouble, but worse, so would Linda. Her heart thumping, Raine glanced at the girl, who seemed to have frozen, her eyes wide with dismay. She opened her mouth but Raine quickly shot her a warning look.

      ‘We won’t wait until five thirty,’ he said. ‘We’ll do it now and then you can go early. So just tip your things out of the bag where I can see them.’ He thrust out his chest and folded his arms, his attention focused on Raine’s handbag.

      Cursing inwardly, Raine opened it, deliberately taking out the items one by one and laying them on the desk. The fountain pen her father had bought her for her eighteenth birthday, a notebook, her purse, a sanitary towel wrapped in a brown paper bag (please don’t let him look in there), a small fabric bag she’d made at school to hold her comb and lipstick … everything except the mirror with Miss Gower’s address tucked behind it.

      ‘That’s everything,’ she said.

      ‘What’s in that paper bag?’

      ‘A woman’s item,’ Raine said, choking with rage that he should put her through this.

      He opened it and peered inside, made a grimace then dropped the paper bag back with the other items with a flick of his fingers as though it were something revolting. Just when she thought she’d got away with it, he put his hand out and jerked his head towards the bag.

      ‘Give me the handbag.’

      Pulse racing, she kept it open as she handed it to him.

       Keep calm, Raine. Don’t let him see you’re at all anxious.

      Her stomach growled in defiance as she watched him put his hand in the space, fingering all the corners.

      ‘Ah, a secret pocket, no less …’ He paused, his mouth twisting. Raine’s stomach clenched. ‘What have we got here?’ A flash of disappointment crossed his face as he laid the mirror on the table with the other items. ‘Now I think we can say the bag is empty,’ he sneered. ‘All right, Miss Linfoot, you can be on your way.’

      He marched out of the office, giving the door a slam.

      ‘Phew,’ Linda said. ‘I couldn’t have held my breath much longer.’ She gave a weak smile. ‘I really thought he’d find the note. Didn’t I see you put it in your handbag?’

      ‘I don’t understand,’ Raine said, shaking her head. She picked up her empty handbag and sat at what was her desk, running her fingers inside the mirror pocket. ‘Why didn’t he find it when he pulled out the mirror?’ She looked up, appealing to Linda. ‘I pushed the note behind it, but it’s not here.’

      ‘It must be.’

      Raine turned her bag upside down but nothing fell out. Mystified, she peered inside, then searched the mirror pocket again. It had to be in here. And then one of her fingers felt a flap in the lining and she remembered. Triumphantly, she pulled out the tiny piece of paper.

      ‘Here it is,’ she said as she waved it towards Linda. ‘There was a tear in the lining that it got caught behind. I keep meaning to ask Suzy if she’d stitch it. I’m glad I didn’t.’ Raine chuckled. ‘It saved my life where Foxy is concerned.’ She tossed the contents back into her bag. There’d be plenty of time to tidy it up later.

      ‘You’d make a great spy,’ Linda said, smiling now. ‘Oh, Raine, I’m going to miss you. Will you leave me your address?’

      Raine scribbled her address on a scrap of paper from Linda’s wastepaper basket. ‘You can get hold of me here,’ she said. ‘We’ll keep in touch. I want to know how you get on in the ATS.’

      Linda nodded. ‘Now, where shall I put this?’ she said, glancing at the address. ‘I don’t think I have a special slot for top-secret notes in my handbag.’

      Raine grinned and gave the girl a quick hug. ‘You’ll find somewhere, I’m sure. Maybe down your bra. Wouldn’t Foxy love to discover that?’

      ‘He’d wish he hadn’t,’ Linda said fervently, then caught Raine’s eye and they both burst out laughing.

      ‘I hope I shan’t be around for him to find out,’ Linda said. ‘Trouble is, I think I’ll have to wait until I’m officially accepted in the ATS before I give my notice. I need the money to help Mum with the other kids or I’d follow you out of the door.’ She rolled the carriage of her typewriter to pull out the last letter she’d typed. ‘I want to know if you get into that air transport place.’

      ‘The ATA?’ Raine said grimly. ‘If I don’t, it won’t be for want of trying.’

       Chapter Eight

      ‘I’m very content you have left that place,’ Simone said when Raine told the family at supper that evening the news that her services were no longer required. ‘Maybe you will now forget about flying and do something sensible.’

      ‘Maman, you don’t understand. I’d give anything to be up there, helping our boys.’

      ‘Then I am glad you will never be allowed. The men must be left to get on with their job.’

      Raine managed to stop herself from mentioning the possibility of joining the ATA. It would only lead to another argument, and anyway she