common. It is
astonishing how many likes and dislikes we share. We could be
kindred spirits.”
“Really?” he said
sceptically.
“Yes, we are both of us
orphaned, vulnerable and alone in a foreign land.”
“You sound like Little Nell in
the jungles of darkest Africa!”
She ignored the facetiousness.
“Miss Dee has promised to give me some golf lessons on her free
days. She agrees it is the perfect sport for a young lady, not as
perspiring as tennis or badminton. She dreams of establishing a
golf club exclusively for ladies. When I told her I have a few
spare acres out by Hampstead Heath she became quite excited. She
has lots of ideas on how a golf course should be laid out. She has
a keen sense of humour and is the most charming, witty, gay, and
kind person I have met for ages.”
“We cannot possibly be talking
about the same Miss Dee. I’m thinking of the one who is rude,
aloof, cold and brusque.”
“You were the one who knocked
into her,” reminded the Countess, “and almost ruined a new set of
expensive clubs which, to her, are more than just a plaything. Oh,
look! The train is cutting through the middle of a Stone Age
circle!”
He glanced out of the window as
she disappeared into the bathroom. A few moments later, with her
luxuriant brunette mane re-coifed and all the loose wisps neatly
tucked back, and a fresh application of rouge highlighting her
Slavic cheekbones, she reappeared, smiling the carefree smile of
those born bright and beautiful.
“What was so important about
that letter that caused such a fuss anyway?” she continued
interrogatively as she moved to the door and stood with one hand on
the brass handle and the other poised dramatically on her hip. “If
I didn’t know better I’d say you were working undercover for The
Foreign Office. You certainly behaved most peculiarly. Ce qui
est ?”
He was getting better at
telling lies and barely paused for breath – a job at The Foreign
Office was definitely a future possibility. “An old chum from my
time in Afghanistan wrote that he would be visiting London over
Christmas. I may have mentioned the name Colonel Haytor to you,
anyway, he mentioned some dates we might get together. I didn’t
want to make a hash of his visit by losing those dates.”
She rolled her smoky blue-grey
eyes as she whirled out the door and disappeared in a perfumed haze
of musk, civet and scented violets.
She certainly must have hit it
off with her new best friend. They had probably designed an entire
golf course on a napkin by now, including the perfect club house
and the perfect wardrobe of sporting attire to go with it, in
herringbone, houndstooth, Prince of Wales check and every
combination of plaid dreamed-of to date. She did not return to the
compartment until moments before the train pulled into Glasgow
Central Station at five minutes before six.
The Royal Scot waited a mere
five minutes on the platform before rolling out again. By the time
it chugged into Princes Street Station in Edinburgh the train had
covered 400 miles in less than eight hours. An engineering marvel!
They arrived in the Scottish capital with ample time to check into
their hotel and make a reservation for dinner.
5
The Caledonian Boar
The Caledonian Boar Hotel was
situated on a leafy square just off Princes Street, a stone’s throw
from the train station, making it a comfortable and convenient
staging post for travellers who preferred not to journey-on after
dark.
“Guess what?” the Countess
trilled, as several porters took charge of her luggage, relieving
Xenia and Fedir, her personal maid and manservant, of the task.
“The Dees are staying at this hotel too!”
Dr Watson’s face fell and he
couldn’t bring himself to speak.
“This will restore your good
humour,” she continued cheerily, “Lady Moira is staying here
too.”
They had mounted the grand
sweep of stairs leading to the first floor when he paused mid-step
and turned to look at her. “How do you know
astonishing how many likes and dislikes we share. We could be
kindred spirits.”
“Really?” he said
sceptically.
“Yes, we are both of us
orphaned, vulnerable and alone in a foreign land.”
“You sound like Little Nell in
the jungles of darkest Africa!”
She ignored the facetiousness.
“Miss Dee has promised to give me some golf lessons on her free
days. She agrees it is the perfect sport for a young lady, not as
perspiring as tennis or badminton. She dreams of establishing a
golf club exclusively for ladies. When I told her I have a few
spare acres out by Hampstead Heath she became quite excited. She
has lots of ideas on how a golf course should be laid out. She has
a keen sense of humour and is the most charming, witty, gay, and
kind person I have met for ages.”
“We cannot possibly be talking
about the same Miss Dee. I’m thinking of the one who is rude,
aloof, cold and brusque.”
“You were the one who knocked
into her,” reminded the Countess, “and almost ruined a new set of
expensive clubs which, to her, are more than just a plaything. Oh,
look! The train is cutting through the middle of a Stone Age
circle!”
He glanced out of the window as
she disappeared into the bathroom. A few moments later, with her
luxuriant brunette mane re-coifed and all the loose wisps neatly
tucked back, and a fresh application of rouge highlighting her
Slavic cheekbones, she reappeared, smiling the carefree smile of
those born bright and beautiful.
“What was so important about
that letter that caused such a fuss anyway?” she continued
interrogatively as she moved to the door and stood with one hand on
the brass handle and the other poised dramatically on her hip. “If
I didn’t know better I’d say you were working undercover for The
Foreign Office. You certainly behaved most peculiarly. Ce qui
est ?”
He was getting better at
telling lies and barely paused for breath – a job at The Foreign
Office was definitely a future possibility. “An old chum from my
time in Afghanistan wrote that he would be visiting London over
Christmas. I may have mentioned the name Colonel Haytor to you,
anyway, he mentioned some dates we might get together. I didn’t
want to make a hash of his visit by losing those dates.”
She rolled her smoky blue-grey
eyes as she whirled out the door and disappeared in a perfumed haze
of musk, civet and scented violets.
She certainly must have hit it
off with her new best friend. They had probably designed an entire
golf course on a napkin by now, including the perfect club house
and the perfect wardrobe of sporting attire to go with it, in
herringbone, houndstooth, Prince of Wales check and every
combination of plaid dreamed-of to date. She did not return to the
compartment until moments before the train pulled into Glasgow
Central Station at five minutes before six.
The Royal Scot waited a mere
five minutes on the platform before rolling out again. By the time
it chugged into Princes Street Station in Edinburgh the train had
covered 400 miles in less than eight hours. An engineering marvel!
They arrived in the Scottish capital with ample time to check into
their hotel and make a reservation for dinner.
5
The Caledonian Boar
The Caledonian Boar Hotel was
situated on a leafy square just off Princes Street, a stone’s throw
from the train station, making it a comfortable and convenient
staging post for travellers who preferred not to journey-on after
dark.
“Guess what?” the Countess
trilled, as several porters took charge of her luggage, relieving
Xenia and Fedir, her personal maid and manservant, of the task.
“The Dees are staying at this hotel too!”
Dr Watson’s face fell and he
couldn’t bring himself to speak.
“This will restore your good
humour,” she continued cheerily, “Lady Moira is staying here
too.”
They had mounted the grand
sweep of stairs leading to the first floor when he paused mid-step
and turned to look at her. “How do you know
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