Free Hide in Time by Anna Faversham

the full
implications of her situation and Laura hoped Xandra was doing the
same. Evidence that she was came as Xandra added, “The thought
of the gang’s retribution for my being unfortunate enough to
identify them as robbers, kidnappers, arsonists and attempted
murderers, narrows my options. And one of them’s a mad man.”
    The mention of the gang provoked fear,
and fear brought haste, but Laura knew with overwhelming certainty
that they were racing with destiny on their side.
    Within moments, one twenty-first
century lady got into the driving seat and one passable nineteenth
century lady slid into the passenger seat clutching a heavy brown
leather bag.
    They drove in silence until they
reached the motorway.
    “Xandra, suppose you don’t
like where I’m taking you? You may not e able to return.”
    “Stop worrying, Laura. I’d
led a very solitary existence until I found the courage to answer
your agency’s advertisement. I was happy enough but knew I
couldn’t continue forever working alone day after day with no
family and little opportunity to make friends.” Xandra seemed
to be considering carefully before she added, “I felt I had at
last taken a step towards changing my life. Everyone I met was so
friendly; Andy, Nick, you. It sounds ungrateful, I know, but still I
felt something, maybe someone, or a raison d’etre was missing.
I now feel I’ve found the courage to live a life true to
myself. It’s as though I’m going on a much longed for
adventure and that you know more about it than you’re telling.”
    A barely visible smile crept across
Laura’s face. She checked her mirror for the umpteenth time.
No, they were not being followed. “You’re right to feel
it will be an adventure. I think you’ll love it.”
    Xandra looked across at Laura, then
pulled her poncho out to catch her eye. “So you are not asking
me to join the circus or a strolling group of troubadours?”
    Laura laughed. The thought of Xandra as
a strolling minstrel or pirouetting on the back of an elephant was as
far from the approaching reality as her beloved Micra being given a
thumbs up by that guy on ‘Top Gear’. She relaxed and
reduced speed as they took the road towards the coast.
    ~
    Laura hated making decisions. Should
she park close, so that Xandra was unlikely to be seen, or should she
be more cautious?
    Yet again, destiny intervened. It
started to rain as they approached the sea at Merrygate and the rain
became heavier as the car wound its way up the hill towards Clifton.
Laura always kept a pocket, plastic raincoat in the boot; a vast,
hooded coverall was exactly what was needed now.
    She parked carefully, rummaged in the
boot, ordered Xandra to put the rain cape on, checked she had all
they’d prepared, locked the car and called, “Follow me.”
Xandra, swamped ghost-like in white plastic, ran through the streets
trailing Laura under her umbrella. The torrential rain emptied the
neighbourhood of all sensible people. Only Billy Beggar saw them
hurrying towards the boarded entrance to the caves and Billy never
told on Laura for he adored the girl who saw beyond his old greatcoat
into the life he once had fighting for his Queen and country. A
justly proud soldier in The Royal Engineers, brought down for lack of
care. Neglect of our warriors who protect…it was ever thus,
she remembered. She slowed as she passed Billy, pulled her reserve
chocolate bar from her pocket and dropped it in his lap.
    She pushed her way through the
overgrown hedging, followed by Xandra who was endeavouring to wrap
her long skirt around herself underneath her over-sized cape. Laura
took Xandra’s bag; it would be a precarious journey and she was
more familiar with the difficulties to come and unencumbered by
Xandra’s bulky garments. They passed the old entrance, also
overgrown but just visible, and went further along to what had once
been the advertising hoardings. ‘Step Back in Time,’
enticed one slogan, though the paper advert below