Page 78 of The Trip of a Lifetime

She handed me a hardback, cloth-bound copy of Anne of Green Gables and I had to close my eyes for a moment and breathe deeply before I took it. I stood up and hugged her. Harrison walked away and I did allow a couple of tears to fall. You will always feel this way and that’s okay, he had said. I really did think that was true.

We had been booked into a charming guest house not far away. It was all themed around the books of Lucy Maud Montgomery and Erin and I found ourselves in the Anne suite. The decor was beautifully done with an antique writing desk, pretty patterned wallpaper, jugs of flowers and books, of course. We could look out to the sea from our room and it made me realise how close we were to the end of this race.

‘I wonder how much Harrison and Sam are enjoying all the chintz,’ Erin said and chuckled. ‘Not much I would imagine.’

I didn’t consider either of the men as particularly blokey but I knew what she meant. It was definitely decorated with a feminine touch.

After we had time to relax and refresh ourselves there was a dinner for all of us in the dining room. We were all washed and even dressed up a bit, but there was still a general air of everyone being a bit rumpled.

‘One checkpoint to go,’ Femi said. ‘I don’t mind admitting that I’m on my last legs, literally.’

‘Same,’ was the ripple around the table.

‘So, who’s most likely to win, then?’ Liz asked with a cheeky smile. ‘Femi might be on his last legs but I’ve got more to give.’

‘Well, it won’t be us,’ Tara said, resignation thick in her voice.

‘Won’t it?’ Priya said. ‘My daughter doesn’t speak for both of us.’

‘Harrison and Sam have a three-hour lead on us,’ Tara said, sounding a little deflated at her mother’s words.

‘Anything can happen,’ I said, picking up the glass of crisp white wine that had been poured for me and drinking some. It was delicious and very welcome. ‘Some of us know shortcuts, some of us are just super quick, and some of us use any means available to get ahead.’

I stared at Priya then, hard, and she didn’t look away. There was the ghost of a smile on her lips.

‘I’ve been thinking about our first race all those years ago,’ Femi said. ‘It was so much easier then when we were all younger. I never really understood why you didn’t win, though, Martha. I thought you might have been the best of us.’

‘Thank you for that,’ I said raising my glass to him. ‘The trouble was, I missed the train on the last leg and just couldn’t catch up. Bob had a similar problem in France, I seem to remember.’

I continued to stare at Priya and knew that it was all being caught on camera. Let people make of it what they will. I had no wish to out Priya. I would look like a sore loser, that was all.

‘A good night’s sleep and it will all look different in the morning. Of course, we won’t be around to see how quick off the mark you all are, what with our huge head start,’ Harrison said and everyone laughed, even Priya.

Once we had eaten, we dispersed. Erin and Sam disappeared out to the gardens, in fact they practically skipped out there, and I found myself sitting in the lounge alone with Priya. Neither of our crew were about. I guessed they were setting up for our piece-to-camera. I nearly got up to leave but she stopped me with a question.

‘Is there something going on between you and Harrison?’

I was taken aback for a moment.

‘I hardly think it’s any of your business,’ I said, trying not to sound as if I was rattled by her.

‘I admired and then envied you, all those years ago,’ she said and I wondered if she might be a little drunk. ‘You really were a bright, young thing.’

‘Weren’t we all?’ I said, surprised. ‘I vividly remember you running across the station platform to catch a train in northern France. You looked like a goddess with your dark hair like silk flying out behind you. I was sitting on that train, watching you through the window and willing you to catch up. That might surprise you.’

She looked sad for a moment then and I nearly asked her, I nearly said that I knew it was her. I knew she’d paid Sergio to trick me. I nearly asked her if it was because of Harrison, remembering how she’d looked at him at the beginning of this race. I took a breath and let all those thoughts float away.

‘Good luck tomorrow,’ I said, getting up and walking towards the door. It was only as I was about to leave the room that she said anything at all and I might have misheard her because her voice was so faint. It sounded very much like she said ‘sorry’.

Piece-to-camera

Cally: So, one leg to go. How are you both feeling about that finish line being in sight? Martha, let’s start with you. Can you summarise your race in a few short words?

Martha: Tiring, exciting, life-changing and revelatory.

Cally: Goodness, that’s something to pick apart. And what about that all-important finish line? Are you ready to go?

Martha: It’s all I’ve had in my mind from the very beginning. Winning this race, beating the others is all I’ve wanted to do.