Glamour Girls by Marty Wingate

Author:Marty Wingate
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: CROOKED LANE BOOKS

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The next afternoon, she collected a Miles Magister and took off for Biggin Hill near London, where the RAF used the light aircraft as a trainer. Open cockpit. The wind whipped her hair into a frenzy, but she was heading east, and so the sun wasn’t in her eyes. All in all, it was a pleasant flight until, near her destination, her engine cut out.

The world went silent in an instant. The aeroplane floated on as every nerve in Rosalie’s body came alive. She tried restarting the engine. Nothing.

Out the window, she could see Biggin Hill growing closer. It was a large aerodrome, but she knew her destination and made for it. She was at five hundred feet and pushed the stick forward to drop gradually, attempting to slow her breathing, although her heart was racing. She cleared her head except for one goal—to put down in one piece. She’d never wanted to be the pilot of a glider, but here she was and she’d make the best of it.

No time for circling the field for a proper look at her surroundings, but a quick glance round told her there were no other aeroplanes about. Then she remembered how that Anson had come out of nowhere. If another plane appeared, it would be the other pilot’s job to keep out of her way, because she could do nothing. Perhaps someone on the ground had seen her already and realized there was a problem and would … what? Well, at least they would have the fire tanker waiting. With that thought, cold fear shot through her veins. Don’t think that. It will be all right. If she could touch down at a reasonable speed, she would be able to brake and everything would be fine. But with no engine, she had no way to throttle back while she was still in the air.

Perhaps I should make that circuit after all. Yes, that’s what I’ll do. I don’t think even Biggin Hill has a runway long enough for me to touch down at this speed. Once on the ground, I can brake. And that will work fine, won’t it? Perhaps their field is plenty long enough. Keep that in mind, Rosalie—there are always options.

There are always options—that’s what Reg used to say to her during lessons, and when she remembered that the Magister was much like her old Gipsy Moth, a sob caught in her throat.

She took in a ragged breath. Flaps down. Now, then, get hold of yourself, Wright. What would Snug say if he knew you were falling to pieces? This’ll be a good one to tell him, won’t it? Better than the cows, that’s for certain.

Rosalie hadn’t realized it before, but the purr or rumble or roar of an engine always seemed to underscore her safety, and now she felt so alone. She took the circuit as the plane continued to descend.

No one about, that’s good, isn’t it? Clear the decks now, here we go.

She lowered her landing gear, and the ground rose up in a rush to meet her.

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