After a relatively light lunch, Tom asked to take Mima to feed the ducks. I agreed on the condition he wrap her up warmly, it was really cold, a raw penetrating cold. As he left I told him I was going to be busy for an hour or so, and winked at him. His face broke into a broad grin. Stella appeared, lagged to the gills, and went with them, carrying the remains of a stale loaf.

I nudged Simon and said, “Come on upstairs,” the smile on his face was huge. As soon as I got into the bedroom, I started taking off my clothes, so did he–actually, he started taking off his own clothes. I opened my wardrobe and flung his bib-tights to him, while dragging my own over my feet.

“What’s this for? I thought you wanted a bit of–you know…”

“I do, a ride on the bikes.”

“What? It’s bloody freezing out there; let’s stay here and you know.”

“Simon, I need a bike ride, either you come with me or you stay home.”

“But I thought you wanted…”

“There’ll be time for that later.”

“How long are they going to be out then?”

“About an hour, why?”

“It’s hardly worth going for a bike ride if we’re going to dash back, to–you know.”

“What? I was talking about when we go to bed.”

“Yeah, but with the eye of Horus in the room it’s much more difficult.”

“It would be even harder on a bicycle, come on, last one out’s a sissy.” I ‘d slipped on my sports bra, my thermal vest and socks while he was whingeing. Then I pulled on my long sleeved shirt and ran downstairs with my cycling shoes and sat at the bottom of the stairs to put them on, over which I pulled my overshoes. My feet would still get cold, but at least I’d tried to keep them warm. I was feeling very warm, the struggle to get the stretchy overshoes on had made me puff a bit.

Simon swaggered down the stairs, “Is this really a good idea, Cathy?”

“Stay home then, or come with me, just stop whingeing like some schoolgirl who forgot her gymknicks.”

“I beg your pardon, but I don’t believe I have been.”

“Pity the human tape-recorder isn’t here, she’d capture the emotion if not the verbatim evidence.”

“Who or what is the human tape-recorder?”

“Mima the dweamer,” I smiled and pulled on my jacket, zipping it up to the neck. Then pulled on my balaclava and tucked it inside the collar of my jacket.

Simon paused while he pulled his ski mask over his face, it was one with holes for eyes and mouth. “Does our darling hostage to fortune, know you call her names?”

“Sorry can’t hear you, you look like a terrorist or SAS.”

“You look like Sir Gallahad.”

“Come on then, let’s go find the grail.”

“That story is full of holes,” he quipped.

“Don’t tell me, the holey grail?”

“You’ve heard it before?”

No, Simon, I know how your puerile little mind works, “Must have done,” I shrugged and opened the garage. The tyres were okay, I did a few quick stretches and pedalled the Scott out onto the road with Simon just behind me.

We set off up towards Cosham and the hill. Simon began to lag further and further behind, and I thought I was the unfit one. I waited for him at the top of a hill, it was bitterly cold, the easterly wind was taking no prisoners. It was three o’clock near enough. I waited until ten past, then started to worry. I was also very cold.

I set off down the hill, at the bottom on a bit of a bend is a pub. There was no sign of Simon anywhere. Then I spotted the Tarmac–his bike, an S Works Tarmac, one of the fastest made.

I parked mine alongside his, and chained them together. I was going to give him a piece of my mind and possibly park my bike up his backside. Any chance he’d had for a bit of nookie later, had just been frozen out. I stormed into the bar, there were two or three men drinking there, they just looked at me as if I’d arrived from another planet.

I went back out to the hallway and in through the door marked, ‘lounge bar, if the rat was hiding in here, I’ll chew him up in front of everyone, he’ll deserve it. I wasn’t quite so cold, warmed mainly by the volcano which was driven by my temper. Did he think I was so stupid, I wouldn’t notice?

I opened the door and strode in. “Hello, darlin’, you lookin’ for your bloke?”

“Looking for him? Yes, I have to find him before I can kill him.”

“Oh no, darlin’, some bloke with a white van’s just tried that.”

“What d’you mean?” my solar plexus flipped and felt very cold.

“He’s in the back kitchen, the Missus is tryin’ to patch him up.”

“Oh shit!, Can I go through?” my emotions in the form of the volcano, just collapsed in on themselves. I should have had more trust in him, I should have known he wouldn’t let me down like that. I hope he’s not too badly hurt. Oh shit, shit, bloody shit.”

I entered the kitchen more humbly than I had the bar. Simon was sitting on a carver and looking quite pale. A middle aged woman, with huge hips, was bending over him. “Does that hurt?” she asked.

“Ow, yes.” He looked up and saw me, “Oh hi, Cathy. Guess who got knocked off?”

“I didn’t notice anything wrong with the bike,” I said numbly.

“It’s got some scratches, it rolled over with me, bloody van caught my shoulder with his mirror, I’ve done my knee again.”

“Oh ‘ello, dear,” said big hips,” he’s cut his knee, gonna have a nice bruise there later.” She’d put some form of dressing on it. I walked in and could see his leg raised on a stool. “Took a heavy clatter.”

I held out my hand to him, “How are you?”

“I’ll live, but I won’t be riding home I’m afraid.” He squeezed my hand.

“Thank you for looking after him, if there’s any charge?”

“Goodness no, I was disappointed to see he didn’t have blue blood.”

“He did, but the government made him change it, so he’d look less like an alien.”

“So you must be, Lady Catherine?”

“You have the advantage, madam?” I replied, like someone out of a second rate Victorian novel.

“June Wiggins, you met me ‘usband, Alf, in the bar.”

“Very briefly. I’d better go and get the Mondeo if we need to carry the bike back.” I kissed Simon briefly. “Thank you Mrs Wiggins, I won’t be long.”

“No relation to Bradley, I take it?” said Simon as I swept out of the door. I waved to the landlord as I dashed through his lounge bar and out to the bikes. I relocked Simon’s, there were one or two small scratches that I’d missed earlier.

Moments later, I was back on my Scott and pedalling like hell. As I came through the edge of the city traffic, I was flying down the center of the road, with the slight hill behind me, I was easily exceeding the speed limit of thirty miles and hour. The odd car beeped at me, but I was gone, well into my cadence and flying, driven by adrenaline.

I came screaming into the drive passing Tom and the others just before they got to it. I jumped off the bike, and locked it in the garage, then ignoring them, I ran into the house. “These flaming overshoes,” I huffed and puffed as I pulled them off and then my shoes.

Tom called something, but I was halfway up the stairs, I grabbed my trainers and quickly donned them lacing them with speedy fingers. Then back down the stairs and the duck feeding detail were standing in front of me.

“Excuse me,” I reached past Tom to get my car keys.

“Where’s Simon?” he asked.

“He got hit off by some van, he’s back at a pub on the road above Cosham.”

“Two questions, do you need me to come to help? And, are you going to take your cycle helmet off?”

“Oh, shit.” I unclipped it and dumped it on the hall table. “You can come if you like, but I need to hurry.”

“Is he badly hurt?”

“I don’t think so, but I’ll have a better idea when I’ve seen him walk on it.”

“What about the bike?”

“I think it’s okay, least I hope so.”

“Get your priorities right, Cathy,” said Stella, and I wasn’t sure if she was being funny ha ha or queer.

“Can you look after Mima, I’ll be back as quickly as I can.” She nodded her reply and I leant over and kissed the child. “I’ll be back soon.”

“Is Daddy hurted?”

“He’s bumped his bad knee, I’m sure he’ll be alright.”

“Can I come to see him?”

“No, love, you stay here, I won’t be long, we need the space in the car for the bike.”

I watched a large tear fill her eye and roll down her cheek, “Daddy hurted,” she said and began to sob. I wanted to pick her up and hug her but time was important, especially if we had to go to the hospital, at least we were over the right side of town.

“Come on, girl, let’s go and get him.” Tom grabbed my arm and steered me towards the car.