His Diamond Bride

up.

‘Come down,’ yelled someone. ‘Be sensible.’

Fatal. Be sensible! Like a red rag to a bull, Dee thought frantically.

At last he tightened his grip, raised his head to the sky and began to climb again. The pole swayed but this time the crowd didn’t scream. Instead, there was silence, as though the universe had stopped until they knew what would happen.

Four more rungs, then three-two-one-and finally-

The roar was deafening as Mark reached the summit and threw up one arm in victory, waving down at them as the applause streamed up to him in waves.

‘Did you see that?’

‘What a hero that man must be!’

‘He’s not afraid of anything.’

Gradually he descended while everyone in the crowd crossed their fingers, willing him to succeed, until at last he vanished into their open arms and the roar exploded again.

‘Hey, aren’t you with him?’

Dee opened her eyes to see a young couple.

‘We saw you talking,’ the boy said. ‘Are you his girlfriend?’

‘I…er…yes.’

‘You must be so proud of him,’ the girl sighed. To her companion she said, ‘You never do things like that.’

‘Then you’re very lucky,’ Dee said with a tartness that even took herself by surprise and moved away quickly.

Mark saw her coming and threw up his arms, his eyes alight. Everything in his manner said, How about that?

‘Are you all right?’ she asked.

‘Of course I’m all right. It was nothing.’

‘It was reckless and stupid,’ said a man who’d appeared behind him. He was middle-aged and heavily built. ‘I’m the owner of this fair and I’ve a good mind to hand you over to the police for damage to my property.’

There were cries of indignation. ‘You can’t do that-we’re gonna need fellows like him soon-’

‘I didn’t say I was going to,’ the owner defended himself. ‘I’ve never seen anything like it.’ He shook Mark’s hand. ‘Just don’t do it again.’

Roars of laughter. More applause. Congratulations. Dee watched, wondering why she couldn’t join in the general delight, but she didn’t want to spoil it for him so she tried to smile brightly as she approached, playing the role of the woman proud to bursting point of her man.

Clearly it was what he was expecting, for he flung his arms around her and drew her close in an exuberant embrace. The crowd loved that, clapping their hands, laughing and hooting.

She never heard them. The feel of his lips on hers almost deprived her of her senses. It wasn’t the kiss she longed for, intimate, loving, personal. It was a kiss for show, but it was the best she could hope for and she would relish every moment. She kissed him back, putting her heart into it, wondering if he could ever recognise that she even had a heart.

The crowd’s applause brought her back down to earth. Embarrassed, she drew back and began to walk away.

‘You’re very quiet,’ he said as he caught up with her. ‘Are you annoyed with me?’

‘You’re an idiot!’ she told him.

‘No question!’ He rested his hands on her shoulders. ‘I know I’m a fool, but you’ll forgive me, won’t you? It’s just me, it’s the way I am. Once a fool, always a fool.’

She pulled the toy bear out of her bag and held him up so that they could look at each other, face to face.

‘You hear that?’ she said. ‘He admitted he’s a fool. I suppose you’re on his side. Mad bruins, both of you.’

He chuckled. ‘Mad Bruin. I like it.’

She knew a little flare of anger at his lack of understanding. She’d suffered a thousand agonies watching him, but that had never occurred to him. He’d seen only what he wanted to do and the satisfaction it gave him. Now he was up in the clouds, bursting with delight, and no thought for her.

But then, she thought, why should he think of her? He didn’t know that she was in love with him. It probably hadn’t occurred to him that she suffered.

Stop complaining, she told herself. You chose to become engaged to a man who’s not in love with you. Live with it!

‘Wait here,’ she said, rising suddenly and darting away.

In a few moments she was back at the stall where he’d won the little bear.

‘He’s lonely,’ she said, holding Bruin up. ‘He wants his mate. How much to buy her?’

‘You’re supposed to win her,’ the stall-holder protested.

‘With my aim, we’ll be here all night. How much?’

He haggled briefly but gave in and sold her the little toy, identical to the other except for a frilly skirt. Then she raced back to Mark and thrust her trophy into his hand.

‘There you are! Now we both have one.’

‘You won this? I’m impressed.’

Briefly she was torn by temptation, but wisdom prevailed. ‘No, I persuaded him to sell her to me.’

‘How much?’

She grimaced. ‘One shilling and sixpence.’

‘How much? That’s a fortune. You could buy several pints of beer for that.’

‘I buy only the best,’ she assured him. ‘This is female Bruin, and she’s going to keep an eye on you for me.’

‘Going to nag me, eh?’

‘Definitely. And spy on you, and report back to me if you get up to mischief.’ But then she added in a quieter voice, ‘And look after you.’

‘Stop me doing stupid things?’

‘Something like that.’

‘Then I’d better look after her,’ he said. He made as if to tuck the toy into his jacket but held her up at the last minute.

‘She says it’s getting late and we ought to go home,’ he said.

‘And she’s always right.’

Hand in hand, they strolled out of the fair.

She remembered that evening long afterwards, for it was the last one of its kind. Soon after that, the lights of London went out one night, leaving the city in darkness and people groping their way home.

‘It’s only a trial,’ Joe reassured them, holding up a candle. ‘When the war starts, London will have to be blacked out for its own safety every night. This is to warn us to get ready.’

Sure enough, the lights eventually returned, but the sudden darkness had brought the truth home as nothing else could have done. Now it was real. Mark was no longer an Auxiliary but a part of the official Air Force, his skills honed to a fine edge, waiting for the formal declaration of war, and at last it came.

Now nothing would ever be the same again.

Mark managed a brief visit. Helen treated him as an honoured guest, preparing a special supper and leaving Dee only a few moments alone with him before he had to leave for the airfield where he would always be on call. As she watched him walk away, she wondered when or if she would see him again.

All around her the world was changing. Children were evacuated out of London to distant farms, men joined up or were conscripted, young women also joined up or went to work in factories or on farms, replacing the men. Dee briefly considered joining the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, an ambition that Mr Royce crushed without hesitation.

‘You’re a nurse-or you will be when you’ve passed your exams, very soon. I expect you to do well, and you’ll be far more use to your country exercising your medical skills.’

It was the closest anyone had heard him come to a compliment.