We reached in and took Adam’s arms pulling him free of the car. We were all bruised and bloody but seemingly in one piece despite the carnage. I turned Kate and Adam away from the scene inside the car. In the distance there were sirens. “Can you move?” They nodded, clearly in shock. “Let’s get out of here, there are too many questions to answer.”
***
We stumbled our way from the car before the police and fire brigade arrived, pushing through thick woodland in the half-light. Eventually, we came to a fence which we climbed over. There was a small stable yard, we agreed that we needed to rest before we went on so went into a small open barn and sat on some bales of hay intending to regroup and catch our breath.
***
“Who the hell are you and what are you doing here?”
My eyes snapped open. The woman stood in front of me, a pitchfork raised at my eye level. The day was bright and the birds singing. “Shit!” I sat up slowly as the woman stepped back. “Please, don’t hurt me.”
“Who the hell are you? What are you doing in my barn? And why are you wearing breeches?”
They were likely the first three questions I would have asked also. Who was I? What was I doing here and possibly ‘where’s your horse?’ I had of course been dressed for work when I’d found Adam and had’t changed before going to London. I hoped a fellow equestrian would understand.
“Hello… I am very sorry. I’m Amanda, this is my brother Adam and Kate, one of my working pupils. We were involved in an accident.” The woman lowered the pitchfork, considering us carefully. “I’m really sorry, we were pretty much in shock and tried to get away from the accident and, well sort of ended up here. We can go.” I tried to stand up but fell back down.
“No…” The woman sat down in front of me. “I’m sorry, you need help. It was just a shock finding you here. I’m Ruth, are you okay? I’ll call an ambulance for you.”
I raised my hand. “No, please.” I smiled. “We’re a bit bruised and battered but we’ll be okay. Please don’t trouble anyone, just tell me where we are.”
“Well, you are near Rayleigh in Essex.”
“Okay. We just need a taxi to the nearest station, we can get back home.”
“Oh no…” She looked shocked. “I can’t just let you go like this. Please, let me take you to my place, you can get cleaned up and I can dress your wounds. I’ll take you to a station then if you want.”
“That would be really great Ruth… Thank you.”
***
Ruth was amazing, we discovered she was a nurse who kept her horse at the small private yard off the main road near where the car had crashed. She had tried to probe us for information but gave up when it was clear that we were not in the mood for that type of small talk. We had soon arrived at her house where she very kindly allowed us to shower and even offered us clothes which she refused to accept money for.
I had explained as little as possible when Ruth had asked what had happened to us. She was concerned we may have had a concussion, but I told her we would be fine. She was not comfortable, but was true to her word and dropped us off at the local railway station.
“Thank you, Ruth… I owe you massively.” I had showered and stripped off my blood-stained breeches and blouse and was wearing leggings and a t-shirt which had been kindly donated by her. I waved as she drove away, turning to Adam and Kate who were standing beside me looking similarly shell-shocked.
“What now?” Adam had his arm around Kate who was shaking.
“I need to go back to Cumbria.”
“But they know that’s where you’ll go?”
“Adam, they know everything about me, they pretty much know everywhere I would go.”
“So escape, go abroad, somewhere far away. You’ll just be a sitting duck there.”
“I have the horses, the girls.
“We can close it down. Sell up.” I shook my head. Adam sighed. “Okay, then we have to be prepared.”
“No…” Kate’s voice was quiet. “No, I’m not going back.” She took Adam’s hand. “Come with me, let’s get out of here.”
“But Kate?”
“But what?” There was an anger in her eyes. “Go with her and just wait for them to come and kill you or getaway, this is not a difficult decision. Please, Adam, you’re not that stupid, you said so yourself.”
“She’s my sister…” I looked up as I heard the sound of a train arriving at the station.
“Okay, you make your decision, but I’ll be on that train and it’s up to you if you want to be with me, or stay with her.” Kate started walking down the platform, the train was approaching in the distance.
Adam turned to me. “Go… No, really. I wanted you and her to be safe. I’ll find a way to survive this.” I hugged him. “Right, don’t miss her.”
My heart was torn as he walked away, calling after Kate and approaching the train which was standing on the platform. They both stepped on-board, I could see Adam and Kate speaking, the train started beeping as the doors started to close. Adam kissed Kate and squeezed through the closing doors.
He stood on the platform mouthing ‘sorry’ to Kate, she caught my eye giving me a look which seemed to be a combination of anger and sorrow.
“Why did you do that?”
“Sis, I need to protect you. When I have done that. I’ll find Kate, I know she’ll hate me but I need to do this.”
“I’m never going to get you to listen to me am I?” I sighed. There was
