Chapter 12

David checked his watch. 05:00. He yawned and pulled his greatcoat around him more tightly. It was windy out here on the street in front of Victoria Station. With no bombing raids through the night, people were now negotiating their way through the debris strewn streets of London. The wind brought with it a hint of rain and David stepped back closer to the wall.

05:07 — Still no sign of Julia. As he glanced around, he noticed a small crowd gathering near the taxi stand. Not that there were many taxi's operating in London anymore. Petrol and other fuels were being rationed like everything else. David observed that there were some photographers amongst the crowd. And that a Telecine camera with light and all was being arranged. People were very excited.

Soon the reason for all the preparations came into sight. A Bentley cruised up with a police motorcycle escort. Cameras started flashing. David craned his neck to get a view. The car stopped and a porter opened the door. Out stepped Liz to cheering crowds and popping flashes. The Telecine whired. David straightened and started to move toward her.

"Not too quickly boyo!" a voice whispered in his ear.

"Damn! Julia, you startled me!" David was perturbed at how stealthily she had crpet up on him.

"Just stay here out of the way," Julia ordered. "The show isn't over yet."

As David's attention was once again drawn to the crowd, he admired Liz's figure, shown to perfection, in a well cut fawn coloured ensemble. Liz turned back to the car and had a large smile on her face as a very handsome young man stepped out and put his arm round her waist.

David was puzzled. "Who's that?" he asked. He was pretty certain that she didn't have any brothers.

"You really are thick sometimes" Julia laughed. "That's you!"

It dawned then on David that Liz's smile was perfect. There was no damage to her face. "Who is she?" he whispered.

Julia laughed again. "You're not a morning person are you? That of course is her royal highness, Princess of Wales Elizabeth Windsor, and the gentleman holding her affectionately around the waist is her new beau, Sir David Ogilvy, heir to the Barony of Westford. Off to see his family in America, before coming home to settle down to domestic bliss."

'Liz" and 'David' were not taking time to answer questions from reporters, and the police were making a way for them to enter the station. The film camera stopped

whirring and the crowd dispersed quickly. The bright lights were dimmed and the car and its escort drove away.

"Let's get inside" Julia was shivering. "Its cold out here and our carriage awaits."

The inside of the station was full of military personnel. Troops movements and men and women returning to their stations from leave filed noisily through the station. There were many men and women clinging to each other. Lots of kissing and groping. David smiled. Some things didn't change. A few children ran through the crowd. But very few. Hardly any children were left in London.

Porters yelled last boarding messages. The loud speaker garbled unintelligibly. Trains hissed and chugged. Steam and coal dust floated in the air.

"This way David" urged Julia. She was actively threading her way through a squad of young men who, while fairly polite, were offering her certain blandishments to come and spend some time with them.

David growled, "You guys have more respect for my girl, or I'll rearrange your faces so your mothers wouldn't recognise you." A few of the group turned to give him a mouthful, but on seeing a six foot two inch solidly built soldier who looked like he was not joking, quietened them down.

As David caught up with Julia, who was waiting next to an iron grating fence, queried, "So I'm your girl am I?"

"Julia, it seems that old times are beginning to be new times once again!" He smiled, and she raised her hand and stroked his cheek.

"Enough of this — we have a train to catch."

A couple of yards up the fence was a gate. A Bobby stood there eyeing the passers by. Julia approached him and flashed some card. She pointed to David. The Policeman nodded and tipped his helmet.

"Come along Colonel" called Julia. They passed through the gate and stood facing their train. It contained several royal carriages and people were moving in and out preparing them for the trip ahead.

"Julia, while I agreed last night to this little adventure. You were a little reticent about the details. Just where are we going? To Bristol?" David was thinking of the Irish ferry that would get them to Ireland and the flying boat service that operated out of Dublin.

"Oh!" Julia was surprised! "David! You don't think we would leave anything more to chance than we can help with the future queen of England? No, this train takes us to Scarpa Flow. We then fly to Reykjavik, then on to New York. Of course the 'Liz' and 'David' you saw will be going to Ireland and flying from there. Now lets find out about our sleeping arrangements."