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CHRISTMAS EVE

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1

‘Happy Christmas.’

The station platform was so tightly packed with Christmas Eve travellers that Josephine hadn’t seen Marta fighting her way through the crowds. She turned and gave her lover a hug, shivering as the snow on Marta’s coat and hair touched her face. ‘Happy Christmas. I was beginning to think you’d had a better offer.’

Marta waited to catch her breath. ‘It’s bedlam out there. Nothing’s moving. I’m only here now because the taxi driver ditched his cab on Craven Road and helped me with my bags.’

‘I hope you tipped him.’

‘The fare cost more than the hotel room, but it was worth it.’ She smiled, and squeezed Josephine’s hand in the crush. ‘Typical. You’re on the sleeper from Inverness and I’m five minutes round the corner, and still I’ve kept you waiting.’

‘It doesn’t matter. As you can see, no one’s going anywhere in a hurry.’ She looked round as the crowds continued to spill into Paddington, some taking the crush in good heart as part of the holiday mood, others frustrated by the threat to their plans. The Cornish Riviera Express had laid on three extra trains to cope with the pressures of Christmas Eve, made worse by the heavy snowfalls of the previous week which had forced many travellers to delay their journey or choose the train over a perilous drive out of London. Now, 56an air of suppressed panic had begun to take hold as people imagined the empty places around the dinner table and the presents left unopened, and Josephine was glad that their reservations were for the first scheduled train, before the chaos had a chance to build. ‘We could just stay here,’ she suggested, watching as an angry couple stopped an already overburdened porter and added more luggage to his trolley. ‘I fancy a quiet Christmas, with just the two of us. No house parties, no strangers, no awkward parlour games.’ She smiled at Marta and shrugged. ‘After all, if the trains aren’t running, there’s really nothing we can do.’

‘But the trains are running, and Archie would never forgive us. He’s promised we’ll be there, and then there’s his big surprise …’ The shrill sound of a whistle cut through the noise and Josephine’s fate was sealed as the passengers for the Cornwall train were encouraged to start boarding. ‘Anyway, it’s not just Archie who’s made plans,’ Marta called back over her shoulder as they forced their way to their carriage. ‘I’ve had your present sent on ahead.’

‘That was uncharacteristically organised of you.’

‘Perhaps I’m turning over a new leaf.’

‘Not too new, I hope.’

The train settled down quickly and Josephine glanced round the carriage, pleased that fate had seated them with other couples who seemed content to keep themselves to themselves. ‘I suppose some of our fellow guests might be on here somewhere,’ she said.

‘How many people are going?’

‘About a dozen, I think, including us. I’ve got the details here somewhere, and a copy for you, too.’ She searched through her bag for the letter from Hilaria which had arrived 57by special delivery before she left Inverness, a short note of welcome accompanied by a brief history of St Michael’s Mount and a list of those coming for Christmas. ‘Right – Detective Chief Inspector Archie Penrose and guest.’ She rolled her eyes, and Marta laughed. ‘I really don’t know why they’re stringing the suspense out like this. It’s going to be very embarrassing when the big reveal comes and none of us have ever heard of her.’