Page 70 of The Twelve Dates of Christmas
“You see?” said Kate. “I’m an hour in the wrong direction from you.”
Phil shook his head.
“I’m not leaving you,” he said.
Kate thought for a moment.
“Is anyone going near Blexley?” she asked.
People shook their heads guiltily. The plum puffer rep piped up: “I’m going near the train station,” she said. “I could drop you off if you could make it back from there?”
“That would be great,” said Kate. “Thank you.”
“I’ll take you to the station,” said Phil.
“It’s no bother,” said the rep.
“No, I know,” said Phil. “But I’d like to do it.”
The rep shrugged.
“If you’re sure,” she said.
Phil assured her he was. Around the car park, three other people who would be leaving their cars behind managed to get lifts either to their homes or very nearby. Kate wrote a scribbled note explaining the situation to any eagle-eyed traffic warden who might wander by and propped it up in her windscreen.
The last people pulled gingerly out of the car park, and Phil and Kate hit the road in the direction of the station.
“I’m paying for your ticket,” he said.
“You are not,” said Kate.
“You won’t let me take you to your door; I’m paying to make sure someone else gets you there,” he said.
“Do you always have to be the hero?” asked Kate.
“Only with women I’ve kissed in the snow,” he replied, and winked at her.
Kate checked the train timetable on her phone as they drove.
“I can catch the 14:15 to Great Blexley,” she said.
“What time does it get in?” asked Phil.
Kate checked. “15:20,” she said.
Phil pressed a button on his dashboard control screen and used voice activation to call a taxi firm.
“Preston Taxis,” a bodiless voice boomed through the speakers.
“Hi,” said Phil. “I’d like to order a taxi to Great Blexley train station for 3:20, please.”
Kate shook her head: slightly embarrassed, a little bit exasperated, and a fair amount chuffed to pieces. She tried to argue when he asked the woman to charge the journey to his business account, but it was no use.
“I want to be sure you’re going to get home,” was all Phil said to her protestations.
The traffic was slow going and they made it to the station with moments to spare. Of course, Phil paid for her ticket. He kissed her on the cheek and Kate promised she would call him as soon as she got home. She found a seat in an empty carriage and waved good-bye to Phil the Chivalrous.
The main roads in Great Blexley were mostly clear, and the taxi made it through the blizzard all the way to the bottom of the hill to Blexford, but the hill itself was impassable. The driver was apologetic and promised only to charge half the fare to Phil’s account.
