She made her mind up in an instant, and was on her feet. Ayesha was up again, too, and the poor woman was obliged to apologise once more. There were half a dozen people in the aisle still, but she was small and agile, and she managed to negotiate her way past them, ducking and squeezing through. Ayesha lost sight of her as she got to the doors of the compartment, but the train still wasn’t moving: she might just make it. Sure enough, the seconds went by and there she was, and she had a large rucksack with her that she must have stowed at the end of the carriage. She made it onto the platform with seconds to spare, for the heavy doors hissed shut as a whistle blew, and at once the train slid forward.

Paul had produced a folder of papers, and was reading. The man next to him, however, was looking at Ayesha and the realisation came to them both at the same moment, a full half-minute too late. The woman with the rucksack was standing on the platform looking confused, and they were rolling past her.

The man said, ‘You know… this is the train for Burnley.’

‘You change at Preston,’ said Ayesha. ‘Why did I tell her it wasn’t?’

‘It doesn’t stop at Burnley, but yes, you’re right—’

‘She shouldn’t have got off. She needs to change at Preston. Damn.’

Then they noticed the handbag on the table.

‘Is that yours?’ said the man.

‘No,’ said Ayesha. ‘She’s left it.’

That night, at supper, Paul told the story of his conversation with Ayesha. He was one of five, and he recounted the details as exactly as he could because he wondered if he could have done more. He wondered if he had been crass. He wanted to think that her outburst might have done her good, but what he really felt was a deep wretchedness, that he hadn’t been able to offer any meaningful comfort, and had – instead – exposed her to his own smugness. He had blundered.

‘I enjoyed the sound of my own voice,’ he said.

He had. There had been flirtation, at the start, and he was deeply ashamed. He had sinned.

He was aching with self-loathing, so he asked if he could say a prayer with those who had listened to the story, and everyone knew it was the right thing to do. They bowed their heads, and Paul asked for forgiveness. Then he prayed for Kristin’s immortal soul and implored God to help Ayesha and her family in their wretchedness.

NORTH AGAIN

5

Yes, they would have sacked him for gross incompetence.