March 1914 - Measham Hall - The train arrived at Leicester station exactly on time, the same Police driver was waiting, this time he had not been kept there long as he knew they were coming from London. He recognised them immediately although he was surprised to see them now in Royal Navy uniform, he had guessed Police. “Measham Hall?”, he asked, Dirk gave a little laugh and nodded. People using the railway station were watching with interest as men in uniform were a very strange sight, the children pointed and mothers pulled them back with a scolding, dont point. One man leaving the station paid particularly long attention as the men got into the car, as soon as they had left he hailed a waiting taxi cab. The journey was uneventful, the crossing at Coalville was open, the signal box man there was busy watering his pots, there would not be trains until later on. As they arrived at the hilltop Measham Hall, they were once again met by Joseph, he was also surprised to see the men in their uniform, “I have your rooms ready”. Dirk told the Police driver to return at oeight hundred (8am) tomorrow. This news disappointed him as it would mean none of the Halls food would find its way in him and the last visit had meant an easy, albeit long, day. He was determined to ask the men about the vanishing trick with the mail train and why the interest in the coal train. The motor car dug little furrows in the gravel as it turned and went back down the driveway. It had been bad weather over the past few days and the daffodils had taken a battering, at dawn they lifted their heads expectantly as the sun finally broke through, they would happily gaze at it all day long following its transit across the sky. The driver noticed them as he drove past, the perfume was intense. The gates were still open, the gatekeeper obviously aware of the plans and the car made its way out and towards Heather. The Navy men, who as we now know are not really sailors, carried their own bags into the hallway and set them down by the stairs. Sir William is making his way slowly down, he is holding on to the bannister as he is feeling somewhat fragile, his arthritis playing up. “Gentlemen, it is a pleasure to help the Royal Navy, Lancelot told me you would be coming, he sends his apologies and says he will see you tomorrow. Unfortunately, I am on my way to London, my wife insists”. As he reached the bottom of the stairs he came closer to the men, “I am sure you know what you are doing, just be careful, difficult times are on us it would appear. I just wish I were a younger man”. Joseph took the men upstairs where young Maggie Allen, eyes still red from the grief of loosing her father, was turning down the beds. They were impressed with the accommodation, the rooms were extremely comfortable and significantly better than they were used to. Colins was particularly nice, the wall covered in hand printed Chinese silk, scenes of storks, willow trees and fish were embossed on it. The bed was huge, with blue coverings matching the walls, the carpet so soft he could not wait to walk on it barefooted. As Colin looked out of his bedroom window he could see the two huge winding wheels of the Main and Minorca shafts of the Measham Mining Company and there by the side of the closed gates to the driveway was a small black car and a man looking at the building through binoculars. Backing away from the window he walked across the room quickly this needs reporting to his senior Officer, he snatched at the door and Maggie, carrying an armful of towels, fell forward, he grabbed her as she fell and held her in his arms until she was steady. He looked at her beautiful face and held on for maybe a little longer than he should. He wondered why her eyes were so bloodshot? .
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 11:57:38 +0000
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