‘Yes, but you know what he’s like. He’ll muscle in, take over, issue a barrage of instructions, and really, it’s nothing to do with him, is it? It’s my responsibility.’

There was another pause and then she said crisply, ‘Very well, Luke, I’ll be in touch,’ and ended the call.

17

17

Everything healed. Eventually, Luke Parrish was able to assume an upright posture again. Jane’s cuts and bruises mended. Matthew’s hair regained some of its former exuberance. Their memories faded a little. There was no more brawling in the corridors but there was no point in taking chances so they stuck together as much as possible. Whether this strategy worked or whether people had lost interest in them was hard to say, but they were left in peace.

Rather to his surprise, Ms Steel was as good as her word and on his next free day, Luke changed out of his uniform and caught the Regent’s Canal water taxi to Paddington where, obedient to Ms Steel’s commands, he picked up the Hyperloop to the West Country.

Even without the statue of a small, marmalade-munching, catastrophe-laden bear, he’d always liked Paddington Station. Four times winner of the Best Kept Station Award and this year’s front-runner for the prestigious La Voiture D’Or for its luxurious rolling stock, Paddington Station was the jewel in the Great Western Hyperloop crown.

In his pre-Time Police days – in what he liked to think of as his proper life – he hadn’t had to think twice about taking the Hyperloop. These days his circumstances were vastly different, and he was surprised Ms Steel had booked him on this, rather than the overcrowded, dirty and frequently failing motorway system. Hyperloops – or trains, as they used to be known – were luxury transport – right from the moment smiling staff greeted you at the entrance to the station, miraculously whisked your luggage away out of sight and escorted you to the appropriate waiting room where they would supply top-quality refreshments.

Luke accepted a glass of wine and a small plate of smoked salmon sandwiches from another smiling attendant and sat back to admire the platform floral displays that had won Paddington yet another gold medal at the Chelsea Flower Show.

Two small robots chugged past, quietly bickering over which was to pick up a small and extremely rare piece of litter lying nearby. Attendants and porters proudly wearing the crimson and cream insignia of the Great Western happily escorted passengers to their allocated seats and handed them today’s complimentary newspapers together with the beverage of their choice.

A personalised announcement informed Luke that lunch would be served between Reading and Swindon and that Great Western was proud to offer four courses – ravioli with langoustines or heritage beetroot, followed by suckling pig, roast pigeon or Cornish turbot, followed by crème brûlée or lemon tart.