The Grafton Girls - Annie Groves [92]
As the major reached into his jacket and removed his wallet, opening it, Diane caught a glimpse of the photograph it held. If that was his wife, and it must be, she certainly was very beautiful – and maybe it was the photograph that gave that hardness to her eyes that belied her smile. Whatever the case, it was none of her business, and it was foolish of her to feel such an instinctive dislike for a woman she didn’t even know.
‘More coffee?’
‘I couldn’t,’ Diane told the major truthfully, putting her hand on her stomach. ‘I’m too full.’ No wonder the Americans derided British rations if they ate like this every day, she reflected, thinking of the huge steak she had been served, along with fried onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, sweetcorn and chips – or French fries, as the Americans called them – followed by apple pie and ice cream.
‘Fine. Well, if you’re ready to leave, I’ll go and organise some transport for you.’
‘Don’t go to any trouble. Anything will do, just so long as it gets me back.’
Not for the world was she going to let him think she was disappointed because he wasn’t driving her back himself.
‘I’ll sort out a Jeep and a driver. Wait here.’
‘There’s no need for that. Surely there’s a bus, or…’ she began, but the major was already walking away from her.
When he returned five minutes later he was accompanied by a young private.
‘Charlie here will drive you back,’ he told her. ‘I recognise that you’ve worked well over your hours today. I’ll have a word with your captain and let her know that you’ll be owed some extra leave.’
Diane nodded. What was the matter with her? Anyone would think that she wanted to stay here with him, the way she was hanging around.
‘Hey, Lee, wanna come and join us for a hand of poker?’
Diane exhaled unsteadily when she saw Dwight coming over to clap the major on the shoulder and draw him away with him. She was glad really, of course. The kind of enforced intimacy they had shared today wasn’t something she wanted with any man other than Kit, much less an American.
EIGHTEEN
‘So the wedding’s all arranged then, Ruthie?’ Jess asked.
They were on their dinner break, and Ruthie pulled a face at the watery stew they had been served before shaking her head.
‘We’ve seen the vicar and we’ve sorted out the church hall, and Glen has asked Walter to be his best man, like I told you he was going to do. And, of course, you’re going to be my bridesmaid, and we’re all going to meet up in town to talk about everything. Not that we’ll be able to have the banns read or anything yet, though.’ She pulled a small face. ‘I hadn’t realised, but with Glen being an American we’ve got to be given permission to get married by the US Army and that means that I’ve got to go to Burtonwood and be interviewed by his CO or the army chaplain.’
‘Interviewed – to marry a ruddy GI?’ Mel cut in, outraged. ‘That just shows what this country’s coming to. I’ve said all along that the Yanks act like they’re doing us a favour by being here and now you’re saying that you’ve got to go and be inspected before they’ll let you marry one of them.’
‘It’s not that,’ Ruthie told her pacifically. ‘Glen explained it all to me. It’s because the army doesn’t want the men to jump into marriages because they’re overseas and alone, and then wish that they hadn’t, so we both have to see his CO together so that he can make sure that we know what we’re doing.
‘Oh, and did I tell you, Jess, that I’ve had the loveliest letter from Glen’s sister, telling me how much she’s looking forward to meeting me and saying that she’s always longed for a sister?’ Tears filled Ruthie’s eyes. ‘I can’t tell you how happy I am. It’s like a dream come true, and when I think that, but for you, Jess, I’d never have met Glen in the first place.’
‘So when do you have to go and have this inspection, then?’ Mel asked.
‘I’m not sure yet. Glen has put in a request to his CO and now we have to wait for him to tell Glen when he will see us.’
‘Aye, well, you’d better hope he sees you before this second front happens