‘Bailey,’ Olivia said promptly.

‘That’s right,’ Maude continued. ‘Officer Bailey seemed to think we’d do well, and it would make a pleasant change from sewing.’ She hesitated, thinking she might have sounded as if she was unhappy with her work. ‘Don’t get me wrong, I know that sewing’s an important role, but we don’t get to see much action, and we did say we wanted adventure and excitement …’

Olivia agreed heartily. ‘The only thing we have to fear is pricking our fingers on a needle, and I know we should be grateful that we’re tucked away relatively safe and sound, but I’d rather be out there in the thick of it, helping to thwart Jerry.’

Maude smiled. ‘That’s exactly how I feel, so I say we give it a go and see how we get on.’ Her eyes glistened. ‘We’ll be the first female balloon operators, Liv.’

‘Pioneers,’ Olivia agreed.

With their minds made up, the girls wasted no time in seeking out Officer Bailey and informing him of their decision.

He beamed down at them. ‘Well done, girls! You’re the sort of women we’re after, the kind who aren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty. I admire your courage, because I daresay you’ve seen these balloons when something goes wrong – it’s not a pretty sight!’

Maude nodded uncertainly. Now she came to think of it, they had seen balloons which had practically been ripped to shreds, and whilst it was hard work piecing them back together, it was probably a far cry from being there when disaster struck. Once out of Officer Bailey’s earshot, she wasted no time in voicing her concerns to Olivia.

‘Every time we get a balloon in for repair, it’s always been up in the air when things have gone wrong, so the only way you can get hurt is when it comes back down. I should imagine you’d have plenty of time to get out of the way – what do you think?’

Olivia wasn’t so sure. ‘Those balloons are tethered by thick wires; I should imagine they could cause a lot of damage when they break free.’

Maude looked down at her petite frame. ‘On the other hand, it can’t be that hard if he thinks I could do it.’

Olivia glanced at her own ample figure. ‘Perhaps he thought I was enough to keep us both grounded?’