Chapter 6
The man with the Jeep was already sitting down in the cosy, old-fashioned waiting room when Vincent and Elizabeth walked in.
It seemed as if he had picked the seat that was the furthest away from the rest of the people in there, to create distance.
There was an elderly lady huddled in tweed, a middle-aged couple and a young woman wearing a fluffy pink teddy-bear coat, an arty white stripe at the front of her dark hair.
Jeep man was the only one who didn’t look up when they entered.
‘Blimey, am I glad this station’s got shelter,’ said Vincent to everyone. ‘Can anyone tell me where we are? My satnav ain’t playing ball.’
‘Derringbury, which I would estimate is somewhere south-west of Whitby,’ replied the elderly lady.
‘We’re waiting for the train to Eskford where allegedly we’ll be able to get our connections.
’ She held up crossed fingers of hope, even if her word ‘allegedly’ didn’t seem to have much of it attached.
She still wasn’t convinced the conductor on the train had given her the correct advice.
‘The coffee machine works and it seems to be giving out freebies,’ said Frank.
He thought he recognised the newcomer’s accent, a fellow Kent county-man, he’d put money on it.
He noticed how he turned to his lady and asked her if she wanted anything.
She was very lovely, expensive camel-coloured wool coat, quality from top to toe.
Grace had been wearing a coat like that when they went out on their first date.
It had been snowing and he didn’t think she’d turn up, she’d use the weather as an excuse.
He could still recall how his heart seemed to expand in his chest when he spotted her coming from around the corner, blowing into her hands as she walked towards him.
‘Cheers,’ said Vincent. Elizabeth didn’t want anything but he took advantage of the free gift of a white coffee.
He took a sip and sat down. Jane was pointing out to Elizabeth where the loos were and Roo followed them both in.
She figured if a train was due, she might as well go here.
Train loos had a tendency to be a bit grotty, in her experience.
‘So where are you headed?’ Frank asked Vincent.
‘Near Durham. Place called Topston, if you’ve heard of it.’
Frank shook his head. ‘Hotel?’
‘House. My fare is going up to her fiancé’s family for Christmas.’
‘Oh’. Just a small sound, but it was obvious to Vincent that Frank had thought they were a couple. If only. Elizabeth Dudley was way out of his league. He’d have had more chance of landing Kate Middleton.
‘You?’ Vincent threw the question back at him.
‘We’ve got a cottage booked for Christmas near the next station, but I buggered my ankle and can’t drive,’ replied Frank. ‘The whole thing has just been beset with disaster, hasn’t it, love?’
He turned for affirmation to his wife, who nodded and added, ‘You could say that.’ Her tone said, And it’s all your fault.
‘Got to think positive,’ said Vincent with some conviction.
‘We’ll all be where we are supposed to be in no time,’ but he didn’t feel that his optimism was shared by anyone else in the room.
He gulped greedily at his coffee, which was surprisingly good, and wished the machine distributed biscuits as well because he was bleedin’ starving.
Just as the three women came out of the loo, he cocked his ear, sure he could sense a faint rumble in the distance.
‘Is that a train?’ asked Jane, tilting her head also.
‘I think it might be,’ said Frank, standing, listening.
‘Finally,’ said Grace with impatient relief. She grabbed her handbag and extended the handle on her case, ready to drag it outside.
It was definitely a train, the sound getting louder with every passing second. Everyone was shifting, preparing to leave the snug waiting room for the arctic platform. In half an hour, Frank thought, they’d be in Eskford and the people here would already be a fading memory.
Tim put his phone back in his jacket pocket because Derringbury was in a black hole as far as telecommunications was concerned.
No telephone service, no internet, no chance to assure the Princess Royal Hotel in Newcastle that their Santa was running late, but he was on his way and wouldn’t be letting them down.