know. Do you realize I’ve got little more than a week to find where the Smiths went when they left Deer’s Leap?’
‘So you were thinking about the pilot again?’
‘Suppose so. It looks as if I’m not going to be able to help him, for all that.’
‘You mean you’ve been serious all along about finding Susan Smith?’
‘I – I’ve wondered about it quite a bit …’
‘Then I don’t understand you, Cassie Johns! I can’t even think you’d waste good writing time chasing after a woman who probably won’t remember Jack Hunter – even if she’s still alive!’
‘She is alive, I know it! And she won’t have forgotten him.’
‘But she could have married someone else, for Pete’s sake! And if she hasn’t, what are you going to say to her, “Excuse me, Miss Smith, but there’s a ghost looking for you!”?’
‘OK, Jeannie! I agree with everything you say and it will be difficult.’
‘But if you find this Susan Smith are all your troubles over? The heck they are! Have you just once stopped to think you can’t take up residence at the kissing gate with an elderly lady, waiting for a ghost to turn up?’
‘We-e-ll, I suppose –’
‘No supposing, Cassie! Jack Hunter is none of your business and neither is Susan Smith! You can’t go poking and prying into things that don’t concern you. Leave it! Take the lid off that one and you don’t know what you’ll find. Nasty wriggling maggots, I shouldn’t wonder!’
‘You’re right, I’ve got to admit it, yet –’
‘Too right I’m right! Say you’ll forget it?’
‘OK! I’ll forget it!’
‘And you really promise, Cassie? You’ll let well alone?’
‘I just said so!’
I stuck my hands in my pockets and whistled to Hector, and it was only when we were manoeuvring ourselves through a kissing gate that didn’t squeak and wasn’t in need of a coat of paint that I knew I had no intention of keeping my promise, even though I might well be taking the lid off a tin of maggots.
Sorry, Jeannie!
We drove to the village next morning and the familiar feeling took me as we neared the straight stretch of road and the clump of oaks. But the airman didn’t show and I was reluctantly glad, because I didn’t want Jeannie messing up our encounter, and she would have.
I parked behind the Red Rose and left her to do the shopping, making for the phone box. Mum seemed pleased to hear from me and straightway asked if Piers had phoned lately.
‘Phoned! He turned up on Thursday, bold as brass!’ I told her what had happened. ‘He left in a huff,’ I finished. ‘I was so mad, the way he got my address!’
‘Mm. Sneaky. Mind, he was always a spoiled child. Maybe you’re well rid of him after all! You’ll be home, next week?’
‘Yes, but I’m not sure when. Is Dad about?’
‘He’s at the bottom of the garden, pricking out lettuces. Take too long to fetch him. I’ll give him your love.’
‘Do that, Mum. Anyway, the card has almost run out! I’ll ring on Wednesday.’
‘Don’t bother. I’ll ring you. Save you going out. Now don’t forget to check the doors and windows at night, and don’t answer the door after dark!’
I put the phone down just as Bill Jarvis walked past to stand at the bus stop, and I smiled at the lady by his side.
‘Now then, Cassie!’ he grinned. ‘How have you been lately? This is our Hilda.’
Hilda held out a hand and said she was pleased to meet me. ‘You’re interested in the Smith lass?’ she said without preamble.
‘Yes, but not in a nosy way,’ I said earnestly. ‘More how it was for people like her in the war. It couldn’t have been very nice, getting thrown out of your home.’
‘A lot about that war wasn’t very nice. Mind, I’ve got to be fair. I found a husband and I wouldn’t have done in the normal course of events. Young men were a bit thin on the ground in Acton Carey before the Air Force came. What do you want to know about Susan Smith?’
‘Nothing in particular – just anything you can tell me, Hilda. What did the RAF do with Deer’s Leap once they’d taken it over? I just can’t believe some man from the Ministry could knock on a door and say the occupants had to get out! There’d be an outcry if it happened now, and protesters everywhere!’
‘Happen so, lass, but when there’s a war on things are a mite different. Weren’t considered patriotic to protest in those days. But it isn’t me you should be talking to about Susan Smith. There were two years’ difference in our ages and that’s a lot when you’re young. Lizzie Frobisher as was would know more about her than me. Those two were close; both of ’em went to Clitheroe Grammar on the school bus every day. They’d be about fourteen when the war started. Lizzie’s dad worked for Mr Ackroyd at the Hall. She married a curate when the war was over.’
‘I see.’ The one person who could tell me about Susan could be anywhere now. ‘Do you know where she went?’
‘Aye. Somerset.’
‘Pity. I’d have liked to talk to her. I still want to see the church, though. Will it be all right if I pop in next Friday?’
‘Feel free. But about Lizzie. Her name’s Taylor now, and –’
‘Look! There’s your bus!’ I cut her short, which was very rude of me but I didn’t have a lot of choice. Jeannie was making towards us and we’d agreed that the Deer’s Leap affair was taboo. Saved by the Skipton bus!
‘What was all that about?’ Jeannie frowned. ‘Been asking questions, have we?’
‘Yes. About the church.’ My gaze didn’t waver. ‘I’m going to look at it on Friday morning – that’s when the ladies clean it.’
‘And why are you interested in the church?’
‘Because anything about Acton Carey interests me.’ I didn’t blush nor feel one bit ashamed. ‘You’re in a very suspicious mood, if you don’t mind me saying so.’
‘No, I don’t.’ She looked up at the church clock. ‘It’s a bit early for a drink. Would you like to hang around and eat at the Rose when it opens? We could have a look at the church while we’re waiting.’
‘No thanks. Best get back.’ I was almost sure she was calling my bluff. ‘We said we’d cut the grass today as soon as it was dry enough, don’t forget.’
‘So we did. I feel like a bit of exercise. We can see this off,’ she held up a bottle
