Tony Walker

As fast as we poured water in it simply ran out again into the road beneath.

It was quite evident that she'd been driving with the radiator bone dry and that her engine had seized right up.

I told her so.

She said, ''Does that mean I've got to stop here all night?''

I explained that it wasn't as bad as all that.

That is, if she cared to accept the hospitality of my poor roof.

And it was a poor roof.

It let the wet in.

But she wouldn't hear of it.

By the by, she didn't know the circumstances, so it wasn't that.

No, she wanted to leave the car where it was and go on on foot.

I said, don't be silly, it's miles to anywhere.

However, at that moment we heard a car coming along the road, the same way as she'd come.

We could see its lights, too, although it was a very long way off.

You know how flat Norfolk is, you can see a terrific distance.

I said, there's the way out of all your troubles.

This thing, whatever it is, will give you a tow to the nearest garage, or at any rate a lift to some hotel.

One would have expected her to show some relief, but she didn't.

I began to wonder what she jolly well did want.

She wouldn't let me help her to stop where she was, and she didn't seem anxious for anyone to help her to go anywhere else.