Connie Willis - All Clear

You did save us, Mike, she thought. Just as you promised.

She reached the group. Eileen had been crying. She wiped clumsily at her cheeks as Polly joined them, and then smiled at her. “Are you ready?” Eileen asked.

No, Polly thought. “Yes.”

“Are you certain?” Colin said. “I know how hard this must be for you. We haven’t a lot of time, but we’ve enough for you to say goodbye, if there’s anyone else you need to—”

I love you, Polly thought.

“No, I’m ready.” She looked back at the stage, where the children, Sir Godfrey, Mr. Dorming, and Nelson were struggling with the collapsed scrim.

“Should we help them?” Colin asked her.

“No, we’ll never get away if we do. Let’s go,” she said, and turned to start up the aisle, and oh, no, here came Miss Laburnum.

“It’s all right, you needn’t go for the carpenter, Polly,” she said. “I found him at last, and he’ll be here shortly. Is the scrim still stuck?”

“No,” Polly said dryly.

“No, no, no!” Sir Godfrey bellowed and Miss Laburnum looked down at the stage.

“Oh, good heavens! What happened?” She started down the aisle.

“We need to go,” Colin said quietly to Polly. “We haven’t got much time.”

She nodded. “I’m ready,” she said.

“Go?” Binnie, who’d been on the stage only a moment ago, said at Polly’s elbow. “Where are you all going?” and Miss Laburnum immediately turned and hurried back up the aisle toward them.

Alf jumped off the stage and tore up the aisle after her, with Trot—and Nelson, barking wildly—in his wake. “Are you goin’ someplace?” he called.

And now how are we going to get out of here? Polly thought.

“Has something happened?” Miss Laburnum asked, seeming to take in Colin’s ARP uniform for the first time.

“Yes,” Polly said. “I’m sorry to let you all down, but—”

“This is Polly’s fiancé,” Eileen cut in.

“Are you going to marry Polly?” Trot asked him.

“Yes,” he said. “If she hasn’t fallen in love with someone else in the meantime.”

“He’s unexpectedly come home on leave, Miss Laburnum,” Eileen was explaining.

And has gone to work for the ARP? Polly thought, but Miss Laburnum apparently hadn’t noticed the oddness of that, or the sudden appearance of a fiancé Polly had never mentioned before.

“Oh, my, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr.—” She looked expectantly at Polly.

“Lieutenant Templer,” Eileen volunteered.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Laburnum,” Colin said. “Polly’s told me about all your kindnesses to her.”

“Ain’t we gonna get to meet ’im?” Alf demanded.

“This is Alf, Trot, and Binnie,” Polly said, indicating each in turn.

“Vivien,” Binnie corrected. “Like Vivien Leigh.”

“Alf, Trot, and Vivien,” Polly said resignedly, and Colin shook hands with Alf and then Trot.

“Did you look for Polly for a hundred years?” Trot asked.

“Nearly,” he replied, and turned to Binnie. “It’s an honor to meet you, Vivien,” he said solemnly, and Binnie shot Polly a triumphant glance.

“Why can’t you be in the pantomime?” Alf asked Polly.

“Can’t be in the pantomime?” Miss Laburnum said, alarmed. “Oh, but Miss Sebastian, you can’t desert us now. Whom shall we find to play the part of principal boy?”

“I’ll do it,” Binnie said. “I know all the lines.”

“Don’t be a noddlehead,” Alf said. “You ain’t old enough.”

“I am so.”

“You’re already a fairy,” Eileen said, “and a bramblebush. You’re too important to the pantomime to play any other parts,” and before Alf could put in his twopence worth, “Alf, go and tell Sir Godfrey that the carpenter will be here in just a moment. And help him put the scrim back up in the meantime. Take Trot with you. And Nelson.”

Which was a cruel thing to do to poor Sir Godfrey, but at least it got rid of Alf for the moment. Now if they could only get rid of Miss Laburnum, who was saying,

“But we shall never be able to find another principal boy at this late date. I entreat you, Miss Sebastian. Think of how disappointed the children will be.”

“I ain’t a child,” Binnie said, “and I am so old enough to play the Prince. Listen.” She flung her bramble-covered arms out dramatically. “ ‘Long years ’ave I searched—’ ”

“Hush,” Eileen said. “Go and fetch Polly’s costume and bring it to me.”

Binnie took off at a run toward the stage, and Eileen turned to Miss Laburnum. “I’ll substitute for her.”

“But you can’t,” Polly blurted out. “You’re going with us,” and then she could have kicked herself because Binnie was tearing back up the aisle, demanding, “What does she mean, you’re goin’ with them, Eileen? You ain’t goin’ away, are you?”

“No. She was talking about my going to her wedding,” Eileen said glibly. “She and Lieutenant Templer are going to be married, and I should love to go, but someone has to stay behind to do the pantomime.” She turned to Polly and Colin. “You must promise to write me all about the wedding.”

“Wedding?” Miss Laburnum said to Polly. “You’re being married? Oh, well then, of course you must go! But couldn’t the wedding wait till after the performance?

Sir Godfrey had his heart set on—”

Eileen shook her head. “She hasn’t time. There are licenses to get and arrangements and things—”

Colin nodded. “We’re going to see Dean Matthews now.”

“And Lieutenant Templer only has a twenty-four-hour leave,” Eileen said smoothly, “but it’s all right. I can play the Prince. Binnie will help me with my lines, won’t you, Binnie?”

What are you doing? Don’t lie to Binnie, Polly thought, even if we do need to get out of here. She’s already had too many betrayals, too many abandonments.

“Eileen—” she said warningly.

“Binnie,” Eileen said, ignoring her, “go fetch Polly’s costume and bring it to me. You’d best go with her, Miss Laburnum. The doublet will need to be taken up. I’m shorter than Polly.”

Miss Laburnum nodded and started down the aisle. “Come, Binnie.”

Binnie stayed where she was. “When I had the measles, you said you wouldn’t leave,” she said. “You promised.”

“I know,” Eileen said.

“The vicar says breaking a promise is a sin.”

Tell her sometimes it’s not possible to keep promises, Polly willed her. Tell her—

“The vicar’s right,” Eileen said. “It is a sin. I’m not leaving, Binnie.”

“You swear you’re stayin’?” Binnie said.

“I swear,” Eileen said, and smiled at her. “Who’d take care of you and Alf if I left? Now, go with Miss Laburnum.” And Binnie ran off after her.

This time Polly waited until she was certain they were out of earshot and then said, “You shouldn’t have lied to her. It isn’t fair. You owe it to her to tell her that you’re leaving.”

“I can’t tell her that,” Eileen said.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not going back with you.”

Parting is such sweet sorrow.

—WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, ROMEO AND JULIET

London—19 April 1941

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU’RE NOT GOING BACK?” POLLY said, staring at Eileen standing there calmly in the theater aisle. She looked from Colin to Mr. Dunworthy. “What does she mean?”

“I’ve decided to stay,” Eileen said.

“Because they need a principal boy?” Polly burst out. “They can get Mrs. Brightford to play the Prince. Or Binnie. She knows all the lines. And how do we know the drop will open again after the pantomime’s over? You can’t—”

“I’m not staying till after the pantomime, Polly. I’m staying for good.” She looked at Colin and Mr. Dunworthy. “It’s already settled.”