"R. Garcia y Robertson - Wendy Darling, RFC" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robertson R Garcia Y)

A week later, a full quarter of the infantтАЩs class was lowered into a common
grave at East End Cemetery, with the Bishop of London doing the services.
Condolences came from King and Queen. Black floral wreaths read тАФтАЭTo our
children murdered by German airmen.тАЭ Only two of the dead were more than five
years old. Feeling ran so high the King swiftly changed the royal familyтАЩs name тАФ
Windsor sounded more British than Saxe-Coberg-Gotha.

Wendy never went back to North End Schools. She never wanted to be in the
building, which heartless people were busy repairing. What could she say to the
children who survived? She hardly knew what to say to herself. She had always lived
full out, with a childтАЩs absolute abandon тАФ now she felt ragged and faded, overrun.
The War had been a far-off brainless endeavor that tootled along without her, as
distant as Neverland, something in the papers to be taken with morning tea.
Zeppelins prowled at night, scattering bombs. Endless тАЬpushes.тАЭ Draft after draft of
young men sent off. Michael was a railway engineer тАФexempt. John was a balloon
observer, somewhere in France. Peter was in Neverland, fighting pirates. One was as
real as the other.

Mother used to rummage through her mind at night, tidying up unpleasant
thoughts. But now Wendy had grown up тАФ a day ahead of other girls -and she
lacked PeterтАЩs knack for forgetting. Images stayed with her, a smashed chair,
charred rubble atop a broken child. If she could not forget, she needed to do
something, or die inside. Mother thumbed through the papers, hoping to find a place
for her. тАЬThey say they need nursesтАЩ aides.тАЭ

тАЬShouldnтАЩt wonder,тАЭ Wendy grimaced, тАЬtrying to patch up boys as fast as
rapid-fire guns puncture them тАФ thereтАЩs a useless task.тАЭ She had seen enough of
mangled young bodies.

тАЬThere are great cries for young women to do munitions work.тАЭ Wendy made
a mouth. тАЬTotally ghastly. Sitting in rows, screwing fuses into shells. A thundering
bore, unless your shop chances to blow up. IтАЩd rather be a balloon observer.тАЭ

тАЬReally, dear?тАЭ

тАЬMy, yes. Open air work, getting GodтАЩs own view of France. I could plot
shell bursts as neat as John.тАЭ

тАЬNo doubt. But they arenтАЩt asking women to do that.тАЭ

тАЬOr IтАЩd even bomb a German aerodrome.тАЭ Wendy had no desire to kill
Germans тАФ not the way she and Peter had cut pirate throats when she was a child.
But bombing them back seemed letter perfect. тАЬThey say the Wong-wongs are
based in Belgium.тАЭ

тАЬThey donтАЩt want women for that either.тАЭ

тАЬWhy not? The Russians have women pilots. Two princesses have already
signed up.тАЭ