A Kestrel Rising Read Online Free
It’s very unexpected and welcomed news.”
“Well done, Lowe. Now go and fetch your lads and take them to work.”
She wondered if Flight Lieutenant Carstairs was her Scottish friend who, once more, winked at her when he stepped onto the bus. Today, he sat slightly farther toward the front of the bus. He wasn’t bad looking, Ilona decided. His hair was a deep, silky gold and looked like it would be soft to the touch and his wide-set eyes were the clear, brilliant blue of an autumn sky, framed by a web of laughter lines below sandy eyebrows and pale lashes. He had a fine jaw and a vague dent in his chin. His slightly crooked nose just added to the charm and she guessed that his cheeks would be scattered with freckles. As before, he was the last off the bus. He paused on the bottom step and turned around. “What’s your name, ACW?”
“Ilona Lowe, Sir.
He gave her a sudden, brilliant grin and saluted. “It's nice to meet you, Ilona Lowe. Flight Lieutenant Ian Carstairs at your service, I’ll see you later.” He shouldered his gear and walked off to join his waiting crew.
* * * *
“I hear you have an admirer,” Faith said.
Ilona glanced up from polishing her boots. Faith was in the bunk next to hers and they had become friends in the three weeks she had been at Catterick. “I have?” She knew what was coming, because Faith had been going out with one of the other Blenheim pilots.
“Flight Lieutenant Carstairs,” Faith said. “My Sandy says he’s quite keen on you.”
Ilona grinned. “He is?” She hoped she sounded nonchalant.
“He’s trying to pluck up the courage to ask you out on Saturday. It’s funny, isn’t it? These men think nothing of climbing in a plane, flying for miles in hostile skies, yet they’re all wobbly when it comes to women.” Faith examined a loose button on her tunic and threaded a needle. “But, according to Sandy, Ian is terribly shy when it comes to these things.”
“So am I. Shall I accept, if he asks? Is he nice?”
“He’s adorable,” her bunkmate replied. “You’d be a fool not to.” She glanced up. “Do you like him?”
“He seems very nice.”
“He is. So, when he asks you, say yes. We always have a great time and you’ll enjoy yourself. I promise.”
“All right then. I’ll say yes, but don’t tell Sandy.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t ruin the surprise, but I’d give a good deal to see Ian’s face when you accept.”
* * * *
Every trip that week brought Flight Lieutenant Carstairs ever closer to the front of the bus so that, by the time she picked the crews up on Friday afternoon, he was in the seat immediately behind hers. He remained behind when the others disembarked.
“Can I help you with something, Flight Lieutenant?” She turned in her seat to look at him.
“Are you busy tomorrow night?”
She was aware that his crew lingered at the bottom of the steps, grinning and waiting. “I had nothing planned, Sir.”
He smiled and confirmed her suspicions about the dimples. “A few of us usually go into the village on a Saturday night, to a pub. I was wondering if you’d care to come along.”
She paused for a moment or two. He looked at her so hopefully. “Yes,” she replied. “I’d like that.”
“Good.” He grinned. “Sandy’s lass will show you where we all meet and I’ll see you tomorrow.” He picked up his gear and ran off the bus. As she drove away, she smiled when she glanced back in the rear view mirror and saw his colleagues laughing and patting him on the back, as if he had just accomplished one of the most difficult missions of his life.
* * * *
“You look perfect.” Faith observed as they walked with the other girls from their hut, to the gates where the bus would take them into the village.
“Really?”
“You’ll be fine. Remember, he asked you .”
The bus idled outside the gates, exhaust smoke rose into the cold night air. The men were waiting and Ilona found Ian
“Well done, Lowe. Now go and fetch your lads and take them to work.”
She wondered if Flight Lieutenant Carstairs was her Scottish friend who, once more, winked at her when he stepped onto the bus. Today, he sat slightly farther toward the front of the bus. He wasn’t bad looking, Ilona decided. His hair was a deep, silky gold and looked like it would be soft to the touch and his wide-set eyes were the clear, brilliant blue of an autumn sky, framed by a web of laughter lines below sandy eyebrows and pale lashes. He had a fine jaw and a vague dent in his chin. His slightly crooked nose just added to the charm and she guessed that his cheeks would be scattered with freckles. As before, he was the last off the bus. He paused on the bottom step and turned around. “What’s your name, ACW?”
“Ilona Lowe, Sir.
He gave her a sudden, brilliant grin and saluted. “It's nice to meet you, Ilona Lowe. Flight Lieutenant Ian Carstairs at your service, I’ll see you later.” He shouldered his gear and walked off to join his waiting crew.
* * * *
“I hear you have an admirer,” Faith said.
Ilona glanced up from polishing her boots. Faith was in the bunk next to hers and they had become friends in the three weeks she had been at Catterick. “I have?” She knew what was coming, because Faith had been going out with one of the other Blenheim pilots.
“Flight Lieutenant Carstairs,” Faith said. “My Sandy says he’s quite keen on you.”
Ilona grinned. “He is?” She hoped she sounded nonchalant.
“He’s trying to pluck up the courage to ask you out on Saturday. It’s funny, isn’t it? These men think nothing of climbing in a plane, flying for miles in hostile skies, yet they’re all wobbly when it comes to women.” Faith examined a loose button on her tunic and threaded a needle. “But, according to Sandy, Ian is terribly shy when it comes to these things.”
“So am I. Shall I accept, if he asks? Is he nice?”
“He’s adorable,” her bunkmate replied. “You’d be a fool not to.” She glanced up. “Do you like him?”
“He seems very nice.”
“He is. So, when he asks you, say yes. We always have a great time and you’ll enjoy yourself. I promise.”
“All right then. I’ll say yes, but don’t tell Sandy.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t ruin the surprise, but I’d give a good deal to see Ian’s face when you accept.”
* * * *
Every trip that week brought Flight Lieutenant Carstairs ever closer to the front of the bus so that, by the time she picked the crews up on Friday afternoon, he was in the seat immediately behind hers. He remained behind when the others disembarked.
“Can I help you with something, Flight Lieutenant?” She turned in her seat to look at him.
“Are you busy tomorrow night?”
She was aware that his crew lingered at the bottom of the steps, grinning and waiting. “I had nothing planned, Sir.”
He smiled and confirmed her suspicions about the dimples. “A few of us usually go into the village on a Saturday night, to a pub. I was wondering if you’d care to come along.”
She paused for a moment or two. He looked at her so hopefully. “Yes,” she replied. “I’d like that.”
“Good.” He grinned. “Sandy’s lass will show you where we all meet and I’ll see you tomorrow.” He picked up his gear and ran off the bus. As she drove away, she smiled when she glanced back in the rear view mirror and saw his colleagues laughing and patting him on the back, as if he had just accomplished one of the most difficult missions of his life.
* * * *
“You look perfect.” Faith observed as they walked with the other girls from their hut, to the gates where the bus would take them into the village.
“Really?”
“You’ll be fine. Remember, he asked you .”
The bus idled outside the gates, exhaust smoke rose into the cold night air. The men were waiting and Ilona found Ian
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