The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1943-09-30
CHAPTER III

AAOoPPO4AAISNA III 1ONNs civ
Stella, a free lance journalist
divorced from her husband
share an apartment in London
Jane decides to join the Women's
Auxiliary Air Force and the
night before entering the service
she declines Stella's invitation to
dinner and goes alone into the
gloom of the city streets. She
collides with a flight lieutenant
of the Raj. She accepts his in
vitation to dinner, but refuses to
give her name or to see him again
"You should have. You look like
the kind of girl who can think for
herself. Just think for a moment
and then see if you can look me
in the eyes and say that it was
pure accident that made you come
round that corner the very mo-
ment that was hurrying along in
such filthy temper that I nearly
knocked you over. Everything is
meant in this world. You can
take that from me. Lies like a
figure in a carpet. All set before
we start. Nothing can be altered.
Everything happens at the right
time. Don't you believe me?"
about things happening at the
right time? Perhaps you're right"
"Of course 1 am. That's why
you can't say good-by to me when
this evenings over. We've other
plans in mind, you and l."
eff so they are very one-sided
Ones" she said with a smile. And
changing the conversation: did
you say we were going to Black
Velvet?"
eyes. To the second show. We
have plenty of time
All the same it slipped by very
nicely, as did the show. The whole
performance, when the final cur
tain came, seemed to be a blur.
Now the audience was struggling
to get away. He said, a hand on
her arm, Don't run away while
get my coat"
She watched him move from
her side till he was swallowed up
in the crowd. There was some
thing about his leanness and the
swing Of his shoulders as he dis
appeared from view that she
knew she would never forget
Then she turned and, pushing her
own way through the crowd
came out into the inky darkness
of a moonless blacked-out Lon
don.
She raced across Leicester
Square and along Picadilly. AS
she hurried down Duke street she
wished, too late, that she was
back in that foyer.
She was in bed and the light
out when Stella came home some
little while later. The elder girl
crept into her room. She said
care you awake, Jane?" Jane sat
up in bed and Stella switched on
the light. She looked at Jane
anxiously: Darling, you have
been crying"
Jane assured her that she had
MT. Then she said, well - per-
haps she had felt just little de-
pressed. But she was quite all
right now.
Stella drew off her long black
velvet coat and said she wished
she'd not let Jane 60 off on her
own that evening. Il didn't want
you to, darling"
II was fine. I enjoyed myself
enormously"
what did you do?"
Jane hesitated. She knew that
what had happened tonight she
would always keep to herself. 81
had some food and then went to
see Black Velvet"
THAT should have cheered you
up" Stella undressed, put on a
dressing gown and returned with
her jar of cold cream and box
of face tissues.
Jane slid beneath the covers.
''You can have all my nighties
when I'm gone. I bought myself
pajamas today and thick ones at
that. They're what we have to
wear"
Stella smiled. you'll be Sleep
ing in chiffon nightdresses again
soon. I'll give you six months.
All the girls seem to get married
once they join the women's SER
vices"
Jane shook her head. II shan't
get married, Stella"
Jane hunched her knees up be-
meath the bedclothes and clasped
her arms round them. "Would you
marry again." she asked slowly.
It wasn't the kind of question