Page 2 of Your Carriage Awaits in Crumbleton
He’d taught her to drive in his old taxi, patiently sitting beside her as she bunny-hopped her way along the marsh road and back again. Despite the occasional exasperated sigh, he’d never shouted or lost his temper.
Michelle eased her foot off the accelerator, shifted into first gear, and inched forward. Her heart leapt into her throat as the water splashed up around the bonnet.
This wasseriouslydeep.
‘Oh no, oh no, oh no,’ she chanted, her fingers gripping the steering wheel so tightly that her knuckles turned white. The car made a sound like an asthmatic walrus, but it kept moving forward, inch by terrifying inch.
Just when she was sure the engine was about to give up the ghost, the front wheels left the puddle. With a final, desperate splutter, the little car hauled itself out of the water.
‘See?’ said Michelle, her voice decidedly shaky. ‘Told you we’d be fine.’
As if to punish her for her premature relief, the car’s engine promptly let out another long wheeze. The dashboard lights flickered ominously.
‘No, no, no!’ cried Michelle. There was a tiny layby to the right a little way ahead. She steered towards it as the engine coughed and spluttered. ‘Come on, don’t do this to me.’
As if on cue, the car gave a final gasp of protest and died completely. Luckily, there was still just enough momentum to coast off the road and into the layby before she rolled to a complete, silent stop.
For a long moment, Michelle just sat there listening to the persistent drumming of the rain on the roof.
‘Damn,’ she breathed.
Then she slammed her palm against the steering wheel… instantly regretting it as a sharp pain shot up her wrist. Shaking it out, she glared at the unresponsive dashboard.
Dead. Not even any warning lights!
‘Now what?’
Michelle leaned back in her seat and tried to assess the situation. She was stuck on a back road that very few people used. It was pitch black outside and still raining heavily.
Well, there was nothing for it. She was going to have to call for help. Grabbing her handbag from the passenger seat, she rummaged around until she found her phone. The question was… who could she call?
The obvious choice would be her dad, but tonight was darts night. His phone would be off. It meant her mum wouldn’t be any help either, as she’d be in the Dolphin and Anchor showing her support while nursing a ginormous G&T.
‘Who else?’
If Murray Eddington, the Marsh Ranger, was currently at home on his stranded trawler, he was probably the nearest living soul to her sad little layby. Even so, there was no way Michelle was about to call him for help—not when he’d have to row through the treacherous, swirling floodwaters just to reach her.
But if not her parents or Murray… thenwho?!
‘Caroline Cook?’
Michelle cocked her head while she considered it. Her old friend might be one of the most capable people she’d ever met, but somehow, she had a feeling that even Caroline might struggle to help her out of her current predicament.
Michelle flicked her phone on, hoping to find inspiration in her contacts list. Unfortunately, instead of inspiration, she found desperation.
‘No signal? Are you serious right now?!’
She waved the phone above her head… but no luck. She was well and truly on her own.
Perhaps she could fix the problem herself?
Michelle tried to remember what her dad had told her about water damage to engines. Something about not trying to restart it right away? Or was that the opposite of what you weresupposed to do? She wasn’t mechanically minded, despite her dad’s best efforts to teach her the basics of car maintenance.
That said, Michelle had a feeling that even her dad would struggle to repair a waterlogged engine in the pouring rain… in the dark… with no tools.
Slumping in her seat, Michelle rested her head against the steering wheel as a wave of self-pity washed over her. This was just typical, wasn’t it? If there was a puddle to be found, her car would find it. If there was a back road that led nowhere, she’d take it. If there was a way to end up stranded in the back end of beyond, she’d discover it.
‘Some things never change,’ she mumbled into her uncomfortable pillow.
