The Talisman, Page 2

  He patted Johnson’s shoulder and let his hand rest there. “Let’s get on with it then,” Johnson said, getting up. He walked off to the truck, calling for Sergeant Sims as he went. Sims strode smartly to him. Johnson ripped the machine gun from Sims’ hands and tossed it to a private, who caught it smartly. He glowered at the sergeant, then motioned for him to board the truck. The sergeant stood where he was for a moment, a sneer on his face; then, in slow deliberation, he boarded the truck.

  As Paul stowed the maps, he heard Johnson giving Sims and the rest of the men, the orders. He mounted the motorcycle, pulled his goggles down from his cap, fitted them over his eyes and roared off. He twisted in the saddle to watch the truck settling in to follow.

  CHAPTER 2

  A beam of sunlight stole through a chink in the curtains and played on the eyes of the sleeping woman. Her eyelids fluttered, then sprang open. With a moan, she turned her head away and rolled over, feeling for his warmth. He wasn’t there! She raised herself up in puzzlement and looked, her eyes seeking confirmation. For a second she wondered if she had been dreaming, he wasn’t real, but then the full memory of last night flooded into her mind. She flipped onto her back and stared at the ceiling, stretching languorously, as she enjoyed remembering each and every detail of last night.

  “Hope I’m getting breakfast in bed,” she thought; “it is his turn.”She listened, straining her ears for signs of his whereabouts, but no sounds penetrated the silence, except for the birds outside. She closed her eyes to better concentrate her hearing, but still there was not a sign of him. She began to feel slightly worried; perhaps he had been ordered to return to the airfield and hadn’t wanted to waken her! Maybe he was even now aloft in his Hurricane, seeking out the enemy! She sat up, resting on her elbows, and was about to fling the bedclothes off when she heard the toilet flush and the sound of running water from the bathroom along the landing. She flopped back onto the pillows with a sigh of relief. Then she heard him padding along the landing to her door and she quickly wriggled back to her side of the bed and closed her eyes, feigning sleep, with a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

  The door opened and her husband of six days stepped naked into the room. He closed the door quietly and tiptoed over to the bed and paused, looking down at her. He loved to look at her, just look. She was so beautiful! Sometimes she caught him looking overlong at her and would ask him, “What?”, as if she had missed something he had said. He would always reply, “Nothing”, and would change the subject and embark on small talk to cover his embarrassment. It was safe to stare at her now though, since she was sleeping.

  Suddenly the bedclothes erupted as she sprang up, grabbed his arm, and pulled him down onto the bed; then in one deft movement she was lying astride him, pinning him down. Her lips found his and she kissed him passionately. His arms snaked around her and he squeezed her gently, then reached both hands to run his fingers through her long dark hair, which formed a curtain as it rested either side of his face.

  She finished the kiss and smiled down at him. “Good morning, darling, love you,” she said.

  “Love you too, Pumpkin,” he replied, returning her smile.

  “Where’s my breakfast? It’s your turn, y’know,” she asked in mock anger.

  “No it isn’t,” he protested.

  She bent her head and seized his lower lip in her teeth, held it there and said, ‘It bloody well is, you know damn well.”

  “Aagh, let go,” he cried.

  She bit slightly harder and said, “Not till you promise.”

  “I promise, I promise!” he shouted urgently. She converted the bite into a slow, lascivious kiss.

  His fingers traced her spine slowly down till his hands rested on her buttocks. He squeezed gently, relishing their firmness. She could feel his growing erection, lifted her bottom up and reached for it, wanting him inside her. He used his considerable strength to heave her off and on to her back. “Oh no you don’t; man on top! It’s the law,” he cried.

  “Aaaw,” she moaned the disappointment she felt.

  She rested her heels on his buttocks as he entered her and began his rhythm; her teeth sank into his strong shoulder, and soft moans escaped her when her breath quickened as the first waves of ecstasy took her.

  They lay panting, entwined in each other’s arms, recovering. Amy was drifting off to sleep again, her head resting on his broad chest. Bill opened his eyes and he stroked her hair gently, relishing its silky feel. He wanted to stay here, like this, forever. He felt the peace of the moment, the stillness. He hadn’t felt this calm for ages! He glanced over at the clock on the bedside table: how late it was getting!

  Reluctantly, he shook her shoulder gently. “Come on, Mrs Richards, time to get up,” he said softly. Amy wriggled and held him tighter. He laughed. “Come on, we’ve got to get up sometime.”

  “Don’t wanna,” she murmured.

  He reached down and gave her a playful slap on the bottom. “Come on, obey your husband, Mrs Richards,” he said, grinning broadly.

  She got up and rested on her elbow. “Shan’t, never!” she declared.

  “You’d better!” he cried.

  “Or what?” she challenged, returning his grin.

  He grabbed her to him and hugged her close. “Or I’ll fuck your brains out six times a day until you do.”

  “Mmm, lovely, as long as you get me breakfast every day,” she laughed. “Speaking of which…”

  “All right, OK, I’ll get the breakfast. You just lie here, you lazy trollop; send me off into the wild with my bow and arrow if you must… your wish is my desire, m’lady.”

  “Goodo,” she said, and nestled comfortably down in the bed as he got up and reached for his dressing gown. “Oysters if you please, Jeeves.”

  “You’ll have toast and marmalade and like it, all right?” he growled.

  “That’ll do,” she giggled.

  She listened to him descending the stairs, and when he was out of earshot, she scurried naked to the bathroom, hoping to get back in time so that he wouldn’t notice her absence. She made it back a good thirty seconds before hearing his returning footsteps ascending the stairs.

  Again she feigned sleep as he entered, carrying a tray. He kicked the door shut behind him and approached the bed. “Come on, lazybones, you can’t still be tired.”

  She stretched and yawned pointedly at him. “You’ve worn me out already,” she said, grinning.

  “Rubbish,” he said, laying the tray on the bed. “Come on, shift up.” He got in beside her and pulled the tray onto his lap. “No need to worry about crumbs in the bed, seeing as it’s our last …” He shut up abruptly.

  She sat up. “Don’t,” she said quietly.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “Didn’t mean to say…”

  “I know. Just let’s pretend, shall we? There’s still today.”

  There was an uncomfortable silence. They busied themselves pouring the tea and buttering the toast. They ate quietly, each looking into the middle distance, both wondering how to break the silence. How to avoid the inevitable? Bill spoke first. “It’s no good, we’ll have to face it. Tonight I go back to base. God knows I don’t want to, but there it is. There, I’ve said it.”

  “I wish you hadn’t,” she said quietly.

  His heart sank and he was momentarily lost for words in his sadness. “I… I can’t help it, I’ve got to go back, you know that! What can I do? I’m a pilot, it’s what I do, and right now my country needs all the pilots it can get. I can’t not go. Though, Christ knows, I don’t want to. I don’t want to leave you. I want to be with you always, you know that! I just can’t, it’s not…possible right now.”

  She put two fingers to his lips to shut him up. “Hey…hey, don’t get upset. It’s OK, I know,” she said gently, calming him. “Besides, we’ve still got the rest of the day,” she added.

  He was quiet for a while, then, with a forced cheerfulness, said, “Yeah, you’re right.”

  She thought
for a while. “Let’s have lunch in that pub by the river, really splash out, eh? We’ll get a bit squiffy, then come back here and behave like naughty bunnies, eh? Shall we?”

  “Sure,” he grinned, and reached and planted a tender kiss on her cheek. “I can’t get enough of you,” he said softly.

  She kissed him back. “Nor me you.”

  They left the pub, giggling from too many drinks, and ran, hand in hand, to the car. Once inside, she snatched the keys from his hand and threw them at her feet. Then she took him in her mouth, giggling over his protests that there were people about, refusing to stop. He was forced to try to look nonchalant and keep a straight face. She took her time, stopping now and then to tease him, then quickening, forcing gasps from him. She relished the salty taste. When he had finished, she reached down for the keys and shoved them into the dashboard ignition.

  “Come on, get me home double-quick,” she cried.

  Bill drove the few miles home at a furious pace,, tyres screeching on corners. He skidded the car to a halt, leapt out, and ran round the front to her side of the car. She got out quickly and he picked her up and carried her to the door. She had to open it for him and, once inside, his urgency was so strong that he looked round the room wildly, desperate for somewhere. He carried her through to the dining room and laid her over the table.

  He lifted her legs to rest on his shoulders and pulled her knickers to one side. He quickly worked his fly buttons, then thrust vigorously inside her. He watched her face as he worked, memorising every detail as a distraction. In his mind he was reciting the shape of her mouth, her eyes, to himself. Her face was flushing red. He turned his eyes to watch her breasts jiggling in time to his thrusts. He leaned forward a little and watched himself as his hands cupped under her bottom. The sight threatened to finish him; he looked up to his left and saw her foot in her high-heel bouncing in the air. He was entranced for a while, then he looked to his right to see the sight mirrored. He tore away his gaze to look out of the window, desperate for a new distraction. A cat was slinking over the lawn, an unwary bird in its sights. He concentrated on its progress, trying to ignore the noises she was making and the pleasure he was feeling.

  The bird escaped the cat’s pounce and flew up with an indignant screech. She was shouting her pleasure, and now he could look nowhere else but at her face. She opened her eyes and held his, her smile growing wilder and more wicked. Their eyes locked together: they saw the pleasure in each other reflected, as it grew stronger and stronger. Finally, the climax took them both.

  Their eyes were squeezed tightly shut, their mouths agape, animal cries escaping, till he slumped over her and laid his head on her shuddering breasts, gasping for breath. They were still for a while, then he withdrew and gently lowered her legs.

  He sat on a nearby chair and made himself decent, while she remained lying on the table, panting, her forearm covering her face. Bill stood up, reached for her and pulled her up, so that she was sitting on the table. She entwined her arms and legs around him and buried her face in his chest. “I love you,” she said quietly.

  “I love you too, Pumpkin,” he replied, stroking her hair.

  She was quiet for a while, then she said, “I wish we could stay here, like this, forever. I wish we could go far away, somewhere where the world can’t reach us. Why can’t we?”

  He thought for a while. “I wish it too, but we have to live in the real world.”

  “Oh, Bill, what are we going to do?”

  “Simple,” he replied, “as Churchill says, keep buggering on, nothing else for it.”

  He pulled her off the table and hugged her. “We just have to do our best, pull together, stiff upper lip and all that. We’ll win through in the end.”

  “Will we? Are you sure?”

  “Of course! They’ll never cross the channel, and because of that they’ve no chance of getting to grips with us. We’ll just keep plugging away, wear ’em down bit by bit. We’ll be all right, you’ll see.”

  “I get so worried, with you flying so much, knowing you’re up there in terrible danger.”

  “I know, but it’s vital; we must keep control of the air. And it’s not as bad as all that; we have the best planes, the best pilots, we’re downing more of theirs than they are of ours. They’ll have to give it up soon; they can’t afford such losses. And when they do, we’ll go over there and pound them to dust. We’re winning, no doubt about it. They may have taken Europe, but they’ll never beat us. We’ll never give in, you see? We’ll beat them, we’ll win; it’s only a matter of time.”

  Her eyes were wet as she struggled not to cry. “I just wish you weren’t in the thick of it.” She couldn’t mask the sob in her voice.

  He lifted her chin and gazed tenderly into her eyes. “Hey, stop that! You know I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m not scared, really I’m not. You know me! I always have to get stuck in. I’m not one for the touchline. I have to be right in there, whether it’s the scrum or shooting those bastards to hell. God, you should hear my language! Take that, you fuckers! Come on, you cunt! Up yours, asshole! Christ! I even embarrass myself! But I love it, you see…It’s hard to explain, I just love being able to do my bit… I’m proud and…”

  She cut him off. “I know, I know! I was…just being silly,” she said, forcing a cheerful grin.

  “You’re never silly. There’s more to you than you think. I see it; you’re strong, you’ve got guts. Do you think I’d marry a weak, simpering ninny? Not me! Give me a gutsy girl every time!”

  “I don’t feel strong right now.”

  “Yes you do, you have to.” He looked at his watch. “Now come on, less of this; come and help me pack my kit, eh?”

  She smiled at him. “Give us a kiss first.” He laughed and complied.

  They busied themselves with small talk, gathering up his belongings and packing his kit bag. “You’ll leave the keys at the pub when you go,” he said.

  “Sure, I won’t forget. Tell Charlie thanks from me for letting us have the place; tell him it was great, buy him a few pints.”

  “I’ll ring you at the Hampstead flat whenever I get the chance.”

  “See that you do.”

  “I’ll try to get away as soon as I can. See you there.”

  “Lovely.”

  “Don’t forget to fill up the car; there’s a spare can in the boot..Fill that up as well.”

  “OK.”

  “And don’t bloody crash it,” he said, grinning.

  “What? Wreck your pride and joy? Don’t tempt me.”

  “You’re my pride and joy.” He smiled at her.

  They spent the next hour packing their belongings and tidying up the place; she made him some sandwiches and a flask of tea to take with him. A taxi was coming for him, then she would drive the car back to London. She was due back at her desk at the Air Ministry in the morning and would have to spend the rest of the night getting her uniform ready.

  Eventually, the time came when the taxi was imminent. She sat on his lap on the sofa and they talked quietly, making arrangements for when they would see each other again, when they could talk on the telephone. Both felt the desperation creeping up on them, and kept the conversation light. He kissed her and she held him tight as they heard the sound of a motor approaching, then the honk of a horn.

  He lifted her to her feet and got up. “Right, this is it,” he cried, and heaved his kitbag over his shoulder. “Don’t come out, darling.” He took her in his arms and embraced her, then kissed her.

  “You will take care, won’t you?” she said. “Don’t take any risks.”

  “I’ll be fine. I’ll be as careful as I can, so try not to worry, eh? I’ll be back before you know it.”

  Tears welled up in her eyes. “Oh, Bill, come back to me. I couldn’t bear…”

  “Hey, hey, stop that! Come on, chin up, it’ll be all right. Come on, where’s my brave girl?” She forced a smile as the taxi horn sounded again. Bill released her. “I’ve got to go; jus
t come to the door.” He held her hand to the door and opened it, then turned and smiled at her. He kissed her cheek, let go of her hand and said, “I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  Then he was striding to the taxi. He turned for one last wave and blew her a kiss, then he was inside, and the taxi roared off. She had one last glimpse of him waving through the back window.

  Three days later the telegram came and her world fell apart.

  CHAPTER 3

  They had made good progress for two hours, fortunately not encountering any danger.

  Klaussen slowed to a stop, waving for the car to close up, without raising either arm. By the time Johnson neared, he was refolding the map he had been studying .“We take this track to the north; it runs through woodland and over heath, so there should be little habitation. It will be slower going, but I think it will get us close to where we need to be, not far south of Arras.”

  “What happens when it gets dark?” Johnson asked, looking at the sky. “We still have a good few hours till then; perhaps we can find a place to lie down and rest till dawn.”

  Klaussen eyed the men in the truck. “How are they?” he said. “I’ve been half expecting a bullet in the back.”

  “You don’t need to fear that. They’ve been talking. The consensus is that they think they’re better off following you. Truth is, they don’t have much confidence in me, only a month out of Sandhurst and posted over here. I don’t mind admitting it, I’ve made a hash of it. I damn near led them to their deaths. If you hadn’t turned up…” His voice trailed off.

  “And your sergeant? What of him?” Klaussen asked shrewdly.

  Johnson gave a wry grin. “You’ve noticed then. I’ve had to watch my back with him since I took command of the platoon, after our captain caught some shrapnel. My opinion is that he’s a nasty piece of work who would like nothing better than to be rid of me; and you, probably. I’ve told him I’m going to charge him with insubordination if and when we get back. He’s done everything he could to undermine me in front of the men, and it’ll mean he loses his stripes. He had been hoping that he’d be promoted to an officer; might well have done, too, as we’ve already lost so many. If he were the one to lead the men to safety he’d probably get what he wants, and a medal to boot. Your arrival on the scene complicates matters for him. The rest of the lads are all right, though.”