Edie sat on the bank lost in her own thoughts for a while. So much had happened in the last week or so, and there were so many things she would have loved to tell Fliss if only she could see her. Then she gave herself a little shake.
“Come on, stiff upper lip!” she said out loud. There was no point in feeling sorry for herself. At least everything had been cleared up with Aunt Roberta. And things would return to normal soon, anyway. With Uncle Peter’s help, Friedrich had convinced the British Government that he really was determined to join the fight against Nazi rule in Germany. He was going to return to London at the end of the month to help with the war effort and work as an engineer. Meanwhile, Gus and Greta would stay on at Three Chimneys for as long as they needed to.
Edie stood up and wandered back across the meadow. Mr Hitler was still waiting to be milked, and there were plenty of other chores to do too…
As she reached the big oak tree, she heard someone calling her name.
“Edie!” Perky was standing in the middle of the meadow, jumping up and down. He seemed to be waving something in his hand.
She saw that the others were all outside as well – the adults were standing in a line by the door and Gus and Greta were pelting towards her.
“Look up!” cried Greta. “Look up!”
“What?” Edie shielded her eyes with her hands and squinted into the sun. What was Greta talking about?
“Look up!” bellowed Gus. “Can’t you hear it?”
Edie pricked her ears. There was a low buzz far off.
“A plane?” she gasped.
“Of course a plane!” shouted Perky. “What else did you think it would be?”
Edie stared up at the cloudless blue sky and saw the shape of an aircraft coming straight towards her.
It was flying fast and low. Too low…
“Oh, no!” she cried. “Not another crash!” She couldn’t bear that. The plane seemed to be so close to the ground.
“A Spitfire!” cried Gus.
“Whoa!” roared Perky.
They were right beside her now with Greta too. They all ducked down as the little plane screamed over their heads. Greta squealed and threw herself flat on the ground.
Edie put her hands to her ears. The plane roared away, circled over the train line and came back.
“Look! It’s not going to crash after all!” she cried.
“Of course it isn’t.” Perky laughed and thrust something into her hand. “I delivered this not five minutes ago and your uncle Peter read it… ”
Edie glanced down and saw that what he’d been brandishing in the air was a small brown envelope.
“A telegram!”
The Spitfire roared over their heads again. It was so close, she could see the pilot waving. She could make out the leather flying cap and goggles.
“Fliss!” Suddenly Edie understood. Excitement tingled inside her like electricity. This was the “beat-up” Fliss had promised for so long. She was here, flying low over Three Chimneys to say hello. She had come … in a Spitfire!
“Hello!” roared Edie. She didn’t care about the noise of the plane any more; she had taken her hands off her ears and was leaping up and down, waving wildly.
The boys and Greta were jumping up and down beside her. She could hear Uncle Peter, Aunt Roberta and Friedrich clapping and cheering from the doorway of the cottage.
“Look!” cried Gus. “I think it’s going to land.”
Sure enough, the Spitfire had turned again over the railway line and was heading back to the edge of the flat meadow for a third time.
It was lower than ever. The boys cheered as the plane touched the ground and began to bounce along the grass.
“Phew!” Perky whistled through his teeth. “That’s skill, that is! To land a plane like that without a runway.”
Edie stood still and put her hands to her mouth. She couldn’t quite believe what was happening. But, when the plane had come to a halt at last, she began to run. The pilot stepped out on to the wing, raised her goggles and lifted her helmet. Long auburn hair tumbled down her shoulders.
“Fliss!” There was no doubt who it was now. “It’s really you. You’re here at last,” cried Edie, tears streaming down her face as she ran.
A moment later, she was in her mother’s arms.
When they’d had tea and all the children had been allowed to sit in the cockpit of the plane, Fliss and Edie went for a walk alone.
They stood above the railway and waved as a little locomotive chugged by below.
“It was very brave the way you saved the train,” said Fliss. She had her arm round Edie’s shoulder, and Edie could smell the scent of Chanel mingling with the wild roses in the hedgerow along the side of the track.
“We won’t get a medal or a fancy gold watch like you and Aunt Roberta and Uncle Peter,” said Edie. “Not now everyone knows we tried to hide a German pilot.”
“There are more ways to show bravery than with a medal,” said Fliss. “You know you did the right thing and that’s what matters. Here. Inside.” She laid her hand on her heart, then slipped her fingers into the pocket of her flying suit and brought out a tiny package wrapped in soft pink tissue paper, tied with a silky white ribbon. “I brought your birthday present, by the way.”
“Trust you to find fancy wrapping even when there’s a war on!” Edie grinned as she pulled the ribbon off and turned the little parcel over in her hand. Inside the tissue paper was a delicate silver chain with a little charm on the end. As Edie held it in her palm, she saw it was a tiny steam engine, just like the Green Dragon.
“It’s perfect,” she whispered as Fliss fastened the chain around her neck.
“The trains have carried your love to me and now
