The Excursion Train

'Robert!' she said, pretending surprise.

'Hello, Madeleine,' he said, 'I just wanted to thank you for the help that you gave us and to offer this small token of my gratitude.'

'They're beautiful!' she said, taking the posy and sniffing the petals. 'Thank you so much.'

'You deserve a whole garden of flowers for what you did.'

'I'm so glad that I could help. But you are the only true Railway Detective. You are on the front page of the newspaper once again.'

'Yes, Superintendent Tallis was pleased with that. He feels that our success should be given wide publicity to deter other criminals.'

'He's right.'

'I have my doubts, Madeleine. It only serves to warn them to be more careful in future. If we reveal too much about our methods of detection in newspaper articles, we are actually helping the underworld.'

'Be that as it may,' she said, 'won't you come in?'

'Only for a moment.' He stepped into the house and she closed the door behind them. 'I'm on my way to Bethnal Green to honour a promise I made to Victor Leeming.'

'Oh, yes. You told me that he was set upon at the Seven Stars.'

'That's why I'm letting him lead the raid. I'll only be there in a nominal capacity. We're going to close the place down for a time by revoking the landlord's licence.'

'On what grounds?'

'Serving under-age customers, harbouring fugitives, running a disorderly house. We'll think up plenty of reasons to close the doors on the Seven Stars. And however random they may seem,' he went on, 'I can assure you that those reasons will all have a solid foundation. In his brief and bruising visit there, Victor noticed a number of violations of the licensing laws.'

'And that's where Jacob Guttridge used to go?'

'Only when disguised under a false name.'

'Who was the man who followed him that night?'

'Amos Lockyer,' he replied. 'A policeman from Ashford who was dismissed for being drunk on duty and who took on the commission to make some money. In fairness to him, it never crossed his mind that such dire consequences would result from his work.'

'I'm thrilled that I was able to help you.'

'It will encourage me to call on you again, perhaps.'

Madeleine beamed. 'I'm at your service, Inspector,' she said. 'But while you're here, I have a present for you – though it isn't quite dry yet.'

'A present for me?'

'Close your eyes, Robert.'

'You're the one who deserves a present,' he said, closing his eyes and wondering what she was going to give him. 'How long must I wait?'

'Only a moment.' She took the posy into the kitchen and returned with the painting. Madeleine held it up in front of him. 'You can look now, Robert.'

'Good heavens! It's the Lord of the Isles.'

'I knew that you'd recognise it.'

'There are two things you can rely on me to recognise, Madeleine. One is a famous locomotive in all its glory.'

'What's the other?'

'Artistic merit,' he said, scrutinising every detail. 'This really is a fine piece of work. Quite the best thing you've ever done.'

'Then you'll accept it?'

'I'll do more than that, Madeleine. I'll have it framed and hung over the desk in my study. Then I'll invite you and your father to come to tea one Sunday and view it in position.'

'That would be wonderful!'

Madeleine had never been to Colbeck's house before and she felt that the invitation marked a step forward in their relationship. He had been careful to include her father but she knew that he was giving her a small but important signal. Her own signal was contained in the painting and he could not have been more appreciative.

'Thank you, thank you,' he said, unable to take his eyes off the gift. 'It's quite inspiring.'

'Father was very critical,' she said.

'He is inclined to be censorious. I find no fault in it at all.'

'It was my choice of locomotive that upset him. Mr Gooch built the Lord of the Isles for the Great Western Railway. Since he works for another railway company, Father thinks that I should have done a painting of one of their locomotives.'

'Mr Crampton's Liverpool, for instance? A splendid steam engine. That was built for the London and North Western Railway.'

'Lord of the Isles has a special place in my heart,' she said. 'As I was painting it, I recalled that magical day we spent together at the Great Exhibition. That's when I first saw it on display.'

'I, too, have the fondest memories of that occasion,' he told her, looking across at her with affection. 'When the painting has been hung, bring your father to take a second look at it.' He gave her a warm smile. 'Perhaps we can persuade him that you did make the right choice.'

It was the clearest signal of all. Madeleine laughed with joy.