Roz had said she wanted to tell him something before Bernie had arrived at the station, yet it was obvious that she hadn’t expected him to turn up, so she wasn’t about to tell him the truth for fear of getting caught out. He mulled this thought over for a moment or so. If that was the case, then it meant that Roz, despite not having to, was going to tell him the truth because she thought he should know. Another thought crossed his mind. If she’d doubted her love for him once, what’s to say it wouldn’t happen again? He didn’t think he could stand to have his heart broken for a second time, because finding out that the woman he loved most in the world had been spending time with another man, no matter what the reason behind it, had cut him to the quick. He might love Roz with all his heart, but sometimes love just wasn’t enough.

Roz watched the fields roll by, the trees bare of leaves, the skies grey and threatening rain. The scenery matched her mood. It was just her luck that an old lady had decided to share her carriage, meaning that Roz couldn’t wallow in self-pity and cry the journey away. She ran through the scene on the platform for the umpteenth time, wondering how she could have handled things differently, what she could have said or done that would have led to a better outcome, but nothing sprang to mind, not that it mattered now. Her actions had come back to haunt her, and even if Bernie hadn’t turned up, and she had managed to tell Felix whilst on the train, she very much doubted the outcome would have been different apart from the fact that they would have had to spend a very uncomfortable journey together, with Felix probably leaving the train at the first station they stopped at.

The lady leaned forward in her seat and held out a bag of sweets to Roz. ‘Here you go, duck, you have yourself a sherbet lemon, that’ll make you feel better.’

Forcing a smile, Roz politely took one of the sweets. ‘Is it that obvious?’

Taking a sweet for herself, the woman popped it into her mouth and stowed it inside her cheek whilst putting the paper bag back in her handbag. ‘Not that I meant to pry, but I couldn’t help noticing the fracas on the platform.’

Roz grimaced. ‘I should imagine half the station saw that.’

‘When I were a girl, I thought that I’d meet a wonderful feller, fall in love, get married and have me a gaggle of kiddies.’ She sucked the sweet thoughtfully before continuing, ‘It was only when I’d been married for a few years that I realised that marriage ain’t a bed of roses, and you have to work hard to stop yerself from throttlin’ the bugger.’

Roz laughed.