The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2825 by Angharad Copyright© 2015 Angharad

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This is a work of fiction any mention of real people, places or institutions is purely coincidental and does not imply that they are as suggested in the story.
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Breakfast was okay, I mean just how many things do you need to eat just to get started on the day. Simon tucked into his full English with gusto, I used a knife and fork as I forced down the poached eggs on toast he’d ordered for me. He was full of the joys of spring—okay a few months late, but you get the picture. I was like someone who’d been woken several times in the night, twice with someone testing a RR Merlin engine in the bed alongside me—is that why they call it a test bed? Once I woke because Si went to the loo—could I plead provocation if I killed him?

We packed—right, I mean I packed while Si chatted with his dad. I suspect Monica was doing the same—nice to know we have a purpose in life. I checked around to see if we’d left anything and we hadn’t so Simon called for a porter and asked them to arrange a cab to Waterloo.

We were waiting on the platform minding our own business when I spotted someone who looked suspiciously like they were going to jump in front of the train. They were decidedly not right, twitchy and pacing to and fro. I said this to Simon who looked at him and shook his head, “He’s probably just impatient, perhaps he’s late for a meeting.”

“It’s Saturday, Si.”

“So? I sometimes go to meetings on weekends.”

“Yeah, I’d noticed.”

He glared back his response. “They paid for your dress.” At this I all but threw him under a train. I stepped away from him with a massive pout and to my horror saw our twitchy man move behind an elderly one as the train drew into the station, he wasn’t going to jump he was going to push someone else.

I charged through the waiting passengers and as the guy went to push the old man, I dived onto him knocking him backwards. Someone else also saw what was happening and came to assist me. Turns out he was from Special Branch. Si made the trip alone but did take the all the luggage with him, I got escorted to New Scotland Yard to make a statement. I know, I can’t resist keeping a low profile.

After the interview a statement was drafted and I signed it after reading it, I hadn’t confessed to anything like the Whitechapel murders, mind you they were over a hundred years ago, just to stopping an assault or attempted murder.

“So who was the old chap, he looked quite shaken by the experience?”

“He’s one of the Israeli negotiators.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I’m not telling you this but there are teams of Arabs and Israelis here much of the time negotiating through the Quaker Peace Movement, trying to lay ground rules for release of captives or visiting rights between the state of Israel and the Palestinians. It’s all hush-hush but it’s been going on for years.”

“So who was his would be killer?”

“We think he’s from one of the fundamentalist Jewish groups who want to stop the Palestinians from getting a separate state.”

I shook my head.

“You have a problem with that?”

“No, not at all I just can’t believe the trouble there and how a book of fairy stories is the basis for the founding of a state, I mean the Romans destroyed it two thousand years ago.”

“Careful now you’re beginning to sound anti-semitic.”

“No, I’m not but if the Gauls wanted to reclaim Normandy as their spiritual home, would you support it?”

“Lady Cameron, I’m not getting involved.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t see why two lots of people can’t live in harmony and share the land between them.”

“Is that what you do up on the family estate?”

“I don’t have much to do with that but I know my husband spends a lot of time and money trying to keep everyone up there in full employment, plus trying to balance the ecology of the place.”

“Isn’t that your specialty?”

“In all fairness he was trying to do that with the estate manager before he knew me. Yes, they have shooting parties but at least the natural predators are protected even if things like harriers take the odd grouse. I’d like to run nature holidays up there if I retire, watching eagles or black cocks—capercaillies, pine martens, red squirrels and so on.”

“Wouldn’t that interfere with the shooting?”

“I’m sure it would be possible to work out some sort of accommodation.”

“Perhaps you should be a negotiator too, Lady Cameron.”

“Not if idiots like the one I helped apprehend are about. I might be his next target.”

“I doubt it, I suspect he’s going to be in a cell for several years to come.”

“I hope so.”

I thought his effort was pretty crass showing he was an amateur, probably his first go at a solo run. A professional would have killed the man without anyone seeing him. Neither looked especially Middle Eastern, but lots of Israelis are from European stock. Had he done so, looked swarthy like a Middle Easterner, might I have thought—suicide bomber? He had a coat on. Perhaps I’ll drive next time.

I got a lift in a police car back to Waterloo and was escorted to the train which they were holding for me after the policeman who phoned the station explained, “Look, just two minutes, she’s on her way—if she hadn’t stopped the assassination attempt your trains wouldn’t be running for a day or two from that platform.” It did the trick.

I got stared at by some passengers as I was escorted on to first class and no sooner had the door shut than the guard blew his whistle and off we went. I ignored the stares and switched on my iPad to read my book.

Some bloke stood in front of me, “Thanks to you I’ll probably miss my connection. Who the hell d’you think you are?”

“I’m sorry?” I checked not apologising.

“This train, two or three hundred people held up because of one—some stupid woman.”

“If you insist on standing there, which you’re free to do, at least do me the courtesy of being quiet, I’m trying to read.” It probably wasn’t the right thing to say.

“How dare you, you stupid cow.”

“That’s twice you’ve called me stupid and a cow is a large quadruped of the family Bovidae, sub family Bovinae, genus Bos, species Bos taurus. They’re quite large animals but we do have one thing in common, we get assertive in self-defence or protection of our young—so be a good lad and piss off before I call the guard and have you put off the train.”

“Why you, you bitch,” he drew back his hand to slap me and a rather tall and good-looking man grabbed his hand.

“Why don’t you do like the lady asked?” said my rescuer in an American-sounding accent. My would-be attacker went red in the face and stormed off muttering to himself.

“Thank you,” I said.

“Any time.”

Just then the refreshments trolley came into the carriage.

“Allow me to buy you a coffee,” I offered.

“How could I resist a lovely lady?”

Oops, I hope he doesn’t get the wrong idea but it’s probably going to be more fun than the journey up was.