Read Online Beneath Us the Stars by David Wiltshire - Free Book Online
Authors: David Wiltshire
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her.
He jerked his head in the direction of a couple of empty chairs.
‘Over there.’
They moved to a table and settled down, spending the next ten minutes talking about the sights and sounds all around them.
‘Do you like any other types of music?’ she asked.
He scratched his cheek.
‘I’m keen on jazz.’
‘What about classical?’
Bill chuckled. ‘Well, I play a mean piano. You should hear my Für Elise – from as far away as possible.’
‘Truly?’
He held a hand to his chest.
‘Cross my heart and hope to die. My mother made me do all my grades.’
Mary sat back, shaking her head in mock disbelief.
‘I’m not sure you’re telling me the truth.’
Bill threw his arms wide. ‘Would I lie?’
Mischievously she passed the tip of her tongue over her upper lip.
‘Maybe – how would I know?’
‘I’ll prove it. Where’s a piano?’
Mary looked anxiously around.
‘Oh no, not now, I believe you – truly.’
He enjoyed her obvious English embarrassment at the thought of a public fuss.
‘Well, when?’
Mary smiled, put her head to one side, arched an eyebrow quizzically and said ‘Next time?’
He felt a rush of excitement.
But his euphoria was short lived. Somehow they got on to flying, and she became withdrawn, quiet.
Mary had been forced to remember the reality of their position. Sometime next week he would be over Nazi Germany in the thick of it again, and she, of all people, knew the terrible price to be paid. It frightened and horrified her. She just shouldn’t be there, with him, getting to know him – getting closer.
Abruptly she stood up.
‘Let’s go back in.’
He followed, not taking his eyes off her shining hair as it swished around her firmly held shoulders, aware that something was wrong, and only guessing that it was to do with flying.
But when she turned, putting up her arms for him to take hold of her, the warmth was back in her eyes. Relieved, he took hold of her, drew her into him with a firmness that came from a growing assurance.
Her body crushed against his as her breath came out in a little rush.
But she hung on, didn’t complain as they jostled andmoved to the rhythm of all the great hits he knew so well from the radio.
Later the mood changed, to slow smoochy numbers. She slid her hands up his chest over his shoulders and around his neck, touching his hair. His hands met in the small of her back, holding her outstretched body against his.
The tenor’s soft voice breathed out the words above the muted saxes: ‘ At last, my love has come along, my lonely days are over ….’
She lifted her head and looked expectantly at him.
They were still kissing when the song ended, oblivious to all around them.
The band finished the evening with a specially scored rendition of the Army Airforce Battle Hymn. A thousand voices sang, clapped and whistled ‘Off we go into the wild blue yonder, climbing high into the sky ….’
Bill guided her to the door. They ran down the steps into a square that was, if anything, even more crowded than before. Military and civil police had doubled as the pubs were coming out at the same time. There was the sound of smashing glass as a fight started up a side street.
Bill was more assertive as he hurried her to the car. ‘Let’s get the hell out of here.’
More wolf whistles followed their progress. At the car the driver was already there, together with a very large military policeman. He saluted Bill, but couldn’t take his eyes off Mary, holding the door for her as she got in, forgetting to check how come Bill had the use of a staff car.
The driver started the engine and waited as the MP held up a bus and then waved them away.
She giggled as he saluted again.
‘Bill, will you get into trouble for this?’
The driver answered. ‘No miss, they’ll never know. And thank you for the ticket sir – the boys won’t believe me.’
Bill grinned, putting his arm around her shoulders as she snuggled up to him to
He jerked his head in the direction of a couple of empty chairs.
‘Over there.’
They moved to a table and settled down, spending the next ten minutes talking about the sights and sounds all around them.
‘Do you like any other types of music?’ she asked.
He scratched his cheek.
‘I’m keen on jazz.’
‘What about classical?’
Bill chuckled. ‘Well, I play a mean piano. You should hear my Für Elise – from as far away as possible.’
‘Truly?’
He held a hand to his chest.
‘Cross my heart and hope to die. My mother made me do all my grades.’
Mary sat back, shaking her head in mock disbelief.
‘I’m not sure you’re telling me the truth.’
Bill threw his arms wide. ‘Would I lie?’
Mischievously she passed the tip of her tongue over her upper lip.
‘Maybe – how would I know?’
‘I’ll prove it. Where’s a piano?’
Mary looked anxiously around.
‘Oh no, not now, I believe you – truly.’
He enjoyed her obvious English embarrassment at the thought of a public fuss.
‘Well, when?’
Mary smiled, put her head to one side, arched an eyebrow quizzically and said ‘Next time?’
He felt a rush of excitement.
But his euphoria was short lived. Somehow they got on to flying, and she became withdrawn, quiet.
Mary had been forced to remember the reality of their position. Sometime next week he would be over Nazi Germany in the thick of it again, and she, of all people, knew the terrible price to be paid. It frightened and horrified her. She just shouldn’t be there, with him, getting to know him – getting closer.
Abruptly she stood up.
‘Let’s go back in.’
He followed, not taking his eyes off her shining hair as it swished around her firmly held shoulders, aware that something was wrong, and only guessing that it was to do with flying.
But when she turned, putting up her arms for him to take hold of her, the warmth was back in her eyes. Relieved, he took hold of her, drew her into him with a firmness that came from a growing assurance.
Her body crushed against his as her breath came out in a little rush.
But she hung on, didn’t complain as they jostled andmoved to the rhythm of all the great hits he knew so well from the radio.
Later the mood changed, to slow smoochy numbers. She slid her hands up his chest over his shoulders and around his neck, touching his hair. His hands met in the small of her back, holding her outstretched body against his.
The tenor’s soft voice breathed out the words above the muted saxes: ‘ At last, my love has come along, my lonely days are over ….’
She lifted her head and looked expectantly at him.
They were still kissing when the song ended, oblivious to all around them.
The band finished the evening with a specially scored rendition of the Army Airforce Battle Hymn. A thousand voices sang, clapped and whistled ‘Off we go into the wild blue yonder, climbing high into the sky ….’
Bill guided her to the door. They ran down the steps into a square that was, if anything, even more crowded than before. Military and civil police had doubled as the pubs were coming out at the same time. There was the sound of smashing glass as a fight started up a side street.
Bill was more assertive as he hurried her to the car. ‘Let’s get the hell out of here.’
More wolf whistles followed their progress. At the car the driver was already there, together with a very large military policeman. He saluted Bill, but couldn’t take his eyes off Mary, holding the door for her as she got in, forgetting to check how come Bill had the use of a staff car.
The driver started the engine and waited as the MP held up a bus and then waved them away.
She giggled as he saluted again.
‘Bill, will you get into trouble for this?’
The driver answered. ‘No miss, they’ll never know. And thank you for the ticket sir – the boys won’t believe me.’
Bill grinned, putting his arm around her shoulders as she snuggled up to him to
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