The Oslo Affair (Shadows of War, #2) by CW Browning (read after .txt) 📗

“She’ll be good company for you, and you know it,” she said. “The last time she came to stay you both had a wonderful time.”

“Right up until she offended the vicar,” Mrs. Ainsworth retorted. “But I suppose you’re right. It will probably do me a world of good. Your father wouldn’t want me to be all alone.”

“And neither do we,” Rob said, finishing his drink. He set the empty glass on the mantle. “Especially if this war goes on for any amount of time. Shall we go into dinner? I’m hungry enough to eat a horse.”

“You’re always hungry,” Evelyn said, standing. “Don’t they feed you at that airfield of yours?”

“Oh they feed us, but I don’t think there’s a cook in the county that can keep up with your brother’s appetite,” Miles said.

“Can I help it if flying makes me hungry?” Rob demanded.

“Flying? Is that what you call it?” Miles retorted. “Never would have guessed it!”

Chapter Six

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“Do you think Mum will be all right when we leave tomorrow?” Rob asked, handing Evelyn a glass of wine.

The three had retreated to the study when Mrs. Ainsworth went up to bed. Evelyn kicked off her shoes and tucked her feet up under her, leaning her head back on the worn leather of a comfortable armchair.

“I think so,” she said thoughtfully. “She’s stronger than she looks. And she’s got Thomas and Millie to keep an eye on her.”

“When is her sister coming?” Miles asked, accepting a glass of brandy and settling in the other armchair.

“At the end of the week. I think she’ll be fine until then.”

“I wish we weren’t going back already,” Rob said. “There’s still so much to be done with the estate, and she won’t have the faintest idea how to cope with it all.”

“She won’t have to. You’re taking care of it,” Evelyn pointed out. “And there’s always Mr. Ritter, the solicitor.”

“Oh blast! I completely forgot!” he exclaimed, slapping his palm against his forehead. “I have a stack of papers he needs sent back. Lord knows I won’t have time to do them once I get back with the squadron tomorrow. Miles, you don’t mind if I bugger off and leave you, do you?”

“Not a’tall,” Miles said. “Take care of your affairs. I’m sure Evie and I will find something to talk about.”

Rob glanced her sheepishly.

“Sorry, sis,” he said. “You don’t mind?”

“Of course not!” She got up and went over to him to give him a hug. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Rob nodded, tossed his drink back and turned towards the door.

“I’ll see you in the morning, Miles. Behave yourself,” he threw over his shoulder.

“I always do!” Miles protested.

“I was talking to my sister.”

And on that outrageous remark, Rob disappeared out the door, closing it firmly behind him. Evelyn laughed as she settled herself in her seat again.

“Should I be worried?” Miles asked with a grin.

“I have no idea what he’s talking about,” she replied with a devilish twinkle.

“Mm-hmm.” Miles sipped his brandy and studied her over the rim of the glass. “Do you know what I’ve been wondering ever since I met you?” he asked.

“I couldn’t guess.”

“What on earth it is that you do in the WAAF.”

Evelyn grinned. “I warn my girls to stay away from officers like you.”

Miles laughed and held up on hand, acknowledging a hit. “Fair enough.”

“I’m a training officer at the moment,” she said finally.

Miles set down his glass and pulled out a cigarette case. He offered it to her, taking one for himself when she shook her head.

“Who do you train?”

“WAAFs,” came the dry answer, “and don’t ask me anymore. I can’t tell you what I train them to do. It’s classified, even from wealthy flying officers like yourself.”

“Ah. You’re the one teaching them to take over the world,” he said, nodding wisely.

“Perhaps.”

He lit his cigarette and tucked the case away.

“I expect you’re training them to be plotters in the Ops Centers,” he said. “We’ve heard rumors that the men who plot and guide aircraft in battle are going to be replaced by women. All terribly hush-hush, of course.”

Evelyn was silent, watching him with faint interest and he grinned.

“Don’t be afraid of me, if that is what you’re doing. I’m not going to bite the hand that guides me, so to speak.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she murmured, sipping her wine.

“In all seriousness, why did you join the WAAFs?”

“Why did you join the RAF?”

“To fly airplanes, of course,” he answered. “I’ve always wanted to fly, since I was a boy. If I’m going to have to do my part in defense of King and Country, then I’ll do so by doing something I love. Now it’s your turn. Why did you join the WAAFs? You certainly didn’t have to.”

“No, but I wanted to do something,” she said slowly, picking her words carefully. She suddenly found that she didn’t want to lie to the man sitting across from her. She wanted to tell him as much of the truth as she could, even though it would never be nearly enough. “I couldn’t sit by and watch as my brother prepared to fight for his country and not do anything.”

Miles considered her thoughtfully for a long moment.

“Rob mentioned that you were in Hong Kong for a few years. I suppose coming back to England and going back into society was rather a bore after that.”

She looked at him in surprise.

“It was, but you’re the first one to recognize it.”

“I’m just thinking of how I would feel if I spent time in another culture, another life, and then had to come back to the everyday world in Lancashire. I imagine it’s rather like how I feel when I can’t fly and have to do the familial rounds.”

She couldn’t answer him. What would she say? That she missed the excitement of practicing her Kung Fu with the local masters? That she had always yearned for more excitement than a well-bred young lady had any right to