Soldier's Daughters Read Online Free Page B

preened.
    ‘Well, I’m going to use a year’s supply of cam cream and come as Princess Fiona in ogre mode,’ said Sarah.
    There were hoots of derision but there was a definite air of excitement in the mess as the cadets discussed the arrangements.
    ‘Hang on,’ said Sam. She grabbed a notebook. ‘We need a committee. Michelle, as it was your idea, I vote you to be chairman. All agreed?’ She looked around the anteroom. ‘Carried. And I’ll take the minutes.’ She began to write notes as the cadets came up with ideas thick and fast.
    Later, when they were returning to their rooms, Michelle turned to Sam.
    ‘We don’t really need a committee, do we?’
    ‘No, probably not. But now we’ve got one, and you are chairman, it makes it all rather official. And it has the added bonus that if I’m going to do my job properly the minutes need to be published. And that way the DS will know exactly who is responsible for the idea. If not, someone like Sarah is bound to get the credit just because she’s Sarah.’
    Michelle stopped in her tracks. ‘God, you are such a genius, Sam. Respect.’
    The plan worked and shortly after the party, which was a roaring success, Michelle’s warning was removed.
    ‘I’m back in the game,’ she announced, skipping into Sam’s room without knocking.
    ‘Phew. Just make sure it stays that way,’ said Sam. ‘It’s all about survival and doing what it takes to get to the end.’
    She had a vested interest in Michelle’s survival – when Michelle got into trouble she sometimes caused a lot of collateral damage, and Sam had no desire to be caught up in the fall-out if Michelle screwed up. Michelle was huge fun, wonderfully generous and kindness itself, but she was wild and impetuous and often acted before she’d considered the consequences – and with Michelle, Sam knew, the consequences could be serious, unforeseen and far-reaching.
    In the meantime, they had the rest of their second term to get through, although with regard to their skills, experience and ability they’d come a zillion miles from their starting point the previous September. Sam felt as if they had been climbing a mountain, concentrating on plodding upwards, one foot in front of the other, eyes only on the path ahead, and now they were allowed to turn around and look at the view. And to see how far they’d come was stunning. She knew that, as a result, they all stood a little taller, their backs were a little straighter, and they held their chins an inch higher.
    Their progress through the Sandhurst mill continued, punctuated by days of real fun, like when they were taken for a week’s adventurous training, to times of utter torment, when they were on a field exercise for days in one of the coldest and wettest Februaries on record. But they survived and, with each challenge they overcame, their own Sovereign’s Parade came closer. The lectures, the fitness training, the drill, the fieldcraft and all the other military skills they would one day need continued and then suddenly they were allowed another two weeks’ leave and on their return they were the senior intake. Wide-eyed juniors looked up to them with real respect, and even the attitude of the training officers was friendlier. Now, instead of being knocked into shape, they were being polished to a final, shimmering finish. Military tailors arrived at the Academy to fit them for their uniforms and the various corps and regiments of the army sent representatives to interview the cadets, to see which ones they wanted to select to join their ranks.
    It was with trepidation that Sam waited to be called for her interview with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers to see if they thought her worthy of becoming a REME officer. And if they didn’t…?
    Michelle’s goal of becoming a helicopter pilot had taken a huge knock as she’d failed the aptitude test. Sam had wondered privately if Michelle’s ambition hadn’t been a bit of a stretch – given