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“Come on, come on,” Izzie muttered as the balloon slowly began to descend, tugging on its wires.

“Apparently a unit over in Great Yarmouth lost a balloon about half an hour ago. It ripped clean off of its mountings, and one of the wires almost took a girl out,” said Alexandra.

“Oh goodness,” said Amelia.

“That is not happening to us,” said Nancy with determination as they caught the winch cable. Grace scrambled to anchor it to the tether on the back of the balloon truck. As soon as the balloon was secured, audible sighs of relief ricocheted around the group.

“Let’s get out of this wind,” said Alexandra.

They secured the tail rope to the lorry and climbed on. Driving slowly, Molly steered them back to base, fighting against the increasing wind as she went.

“At least we’re home sooner,” said Nancy as the guards opened up the gates and let them in.

“Is there any particular reason you’re happy to be home sooner?” asked Amelia with a sly smile.

“Like the fact that the post should be here by now?” said Lottie with a grin.

“Stop it.” Nancy blushed.

“I think she’s hoping to hear from Flying Officer Charles Gardner,” Amelia teased.

“Oh, you two,” said Nancy, but rather than scowl she was laughing. “I’m not supposed to know anything, but I think he flew yesterday. The conditions were right for it.”

It was true that it had been clear the night before, the perfect conditions for flying. As she lay in bed listening to the sound of planes taking off, Izzie had been incredibly grateful that Jack’s assignment kept him firmly on solid ground.

“Well, I think that means that Nancy’s going to do the post run today,” said Amelia cheerfully.

“Fine,” said Nancy.

“I’ll go with you,” Izzie volunteered.

“Hoping for a letter from the wonderful Jack?” asked Amelia.

“I am actually,” she said, catching Alexandra’s smile.

As soon as Molly pulled into the hangar, the girls jumped off the lorry and set about putting their balloon to bed. Given the conditions they’d just come in from, they took extra time to check over all the ropes and wires, much to their NCO’s approval.

Finally, Izzie and Nancy set off for the base’s post office.

“Are you seeing Charles soon?” Izzie asked.

“He’s supposed to write to me with news of his leave. We’re hoping to coordinate so we can be together,” said Nancy.

“So soon? It’s only been—what?—a month?” she asked.

“About three weeks,” said Nancy. “I know it sounds mad, and I would never have believed it if you’d told me that I would fall in love with a man in three weeks, but that’s exactly what happened.”

“Goodness,” Izzie breathed.

“Don’t you feel that way about Jack?” Nancy demanded, as though wanting to cling to someone else in the whirlwind she was in.

“I don’t suppose I’ve really thought about love. I like him. I really do,” she said.

Nancy tossed her hair behind her shoulders. “With Charles I just knew. He wants to meet my family, and I know he’s written to his mother about me. This is real, Izzie. I know it is.”

“I’m very happy for you,” she said sincerely. Nancy certainly seemed happy. She’d been less snippy, less concerned about being right all the time. If anything, Flying Officer Charles Gardner had made all of the balloon girls’ lives that little bit easier.

The wind tried to tear their hats from their heads as they leaned heavily on the post office door to push it open. They stumbled in, laughing.