He turned to Eleanor. ‘Yes, Mrs Dunlevy, I feel sure we are safe enough. The station is sending down a carriage to take us to Penrith. Though, as there is no very good road nearby, I fear it may take some little time to reach us.’

‘Then I suggest,’ said Alasdair, ‘that we wait in the relative safety and anonymity of this compartment until such time as it arrives.’

‘We shall be very late for the mayor’s reception,’ said Eleanor.

They were very late. The carriage when it came could get no nearer than a drover’s track that passed close to the railway some five hundred yards up the line and so the party was required to alight from the stranded train and make its way on foot along the track to the place. Their journey along the five hundred yards of railway track in the chilly air of the lower mountains was made for the most part in silence, Eleanor—a step or two behind her husband, who had set a demanding pace—holding her skirts with as much decorum as the situation allowed for and leaning heavily on Mr Greensmith’s arm. And when it generally became known that a carriage had come to take the stranded passengers on to Penrith there was a great rush of persons exiting the train and making their way along the track only for a nasty scene to follow when it became clear there was only one carriage and only four passengers could be taken. It also transpired that two officials—councillors from neighbouring districts—were aboard the train and were also making their way to the mayor’s reception, which meant Mr Greensmith found himself turned out of the carriage and told to make his way as best he could by other means.

News of the incident had proceeded them.

‘You poor dear things!’ exclaimed the mayoress, who was a mature lady with a great many children and so understood about mishaps and unforeseen circumstances, even if they did not usually involve wrecked trains and stranded ministers. Cups of warm punch of an alarming red colour were produced and the special guests and the two councillors from neighbouring districts—who had made themselves indispensable during the bumpy thirty-minute carriage ride to Penrith pointing out various local landmarks—were made welcome.