My Heart Has Wings Read Online Free PDF

crowding in upon her consciousness as they always did when the preoccupations of work were left behind. The unpaid bills and rejected manuscripts that filled the letterbox every morning, her father’s growing bitterness as failure followed failure, her own increasing fears. In the precarious years since Hungry Har v est —surely a prophetic title!—there had never been so sustained a run of ill luck. At the moment they were existing solely o n her own modest salary, and it wasn’t nearly enough to keep four hungry people and a sizable establishment going. If something pretty extraordinary didn’t happen soon; if her father’s luck didn’t turn, the house would have to be sold. A grim possibility that had lurked, in the backs of all their minds for some months—too terrible to be seriously discussed. But last week, confronted by a stern ultimatum from the bank concerning his overdraft, Hart Ferraby had declared himself beaten. Unless he sold a play, or managed to find regular newspaper work before the autumn, No. 4 Regency Terrace must be put into the hands of an estate agent for immediate disposal. Jan had long passed the stage where the sale of a play seemed remotely possible, and a newspaper job was, she knew from sad experience, even less likely. Once you lost your foothold in the desperately competitive Fleet Street scramble, it was almost impossible to fight your way back again.
    As she hurried along the main road that intersected the airfield her thoughts revolved despairingly. Cars and bicycles whizzed past her in a constant stream as the great airworks emptied for the night. She was only vaguely aware of them, but above the clamour of the traffic she could hear the singing of the larks that rose from the rough grassland on either side. Higher and higher they went, pouring out their wild sweet music. At this evening hour they sounded half mad with joy. Did, human flyers, she wondered know that ecstasy ? She thought of Mike’s plane this morning, soaring up and up until it seemed to reach the very heart of the sun, losing itself in glory .
    A long low red sports car, with a supercharged look about it, slowed as it drew abreast of her—stood still. Mike’s car. “Want a lift?” he called out. She stared at him an instant—blankly; bringing her thoughts abruptly back to earth. But the moment still held a quality of fantasy. Lark-song and sunlight trembled all about her. “I was just making for my bus,” she said.
    Mike opened the car door. “I can run you home quicker than a bus,” he urged.
    She got in beside him with an incredulous feeling. First, tea in the canteen, and now a lift. Small courtesies that meant little, but they could shake her heart. And he had spoken of running her home. “But I live in Chiswick,” she reminded him. “Shan’t I be taking you out of your way?”
    He gave a quizzical sideways grin. “Not exactly. As a matter of fact I was wondering if you’d consider having a spot of food with me somewhere, and then, maybe, take in a flick?”
    The blue sky wheeled about her. For a moment she wondered if she had heard aright. “But I ... I thought you told Erica you had an engagement this evening,” she blurted.
    Mike answered quietly. “I have. This is it. Or at least, that’s what I’m hoping. How about it?”

 
    CHAPTER THREE
    Jan stared, bemused, at the ribbon of road that slid towards them. They were travelling so fast that everything was a little blurred ... adding to the unreality of the moment. Mike drove a car the way you would expect him to; with a smooth superlative skill. He had asked her to have supper with him, and go to a cinema, and was waiting now for an answer. She tried to find her voice, but her breath caught in her throat. Silly to get in such a flap over it ... but it was so unexpected. And it wasn’t just an unthinking impulse He’d planned it beforehand, telling Erica he had an engagement for the evening. What on earth possessed him? It was all most