clambered out of the car, shaking his head to clear it. “I’m fine. It’s okay.” He shook off the woman’s proffered hand.
“I didn’t see you until it was too late,” the woman said. “That great blast of snow just came out of nowhere and …”
“At least you’re both all right. Where were you trying to get to?”
“The motorway, to get back to Edinburgh.”
“You wouldn’t have got through anyway. The road’s shut just the other side of Dairsie – there’s big snowdrifts. I doubt they’ll clear them today. Is there somewhere local you can stay?”
Josh saw his mother’s shoulders slump in defeat. “Yes, if we could just get the car back on the road.”
“That’s easy. I can pull you out of the ditch. Get in the cab to keep warm and I’ll hook her up.”
They climbed up into the high cab of the tractor, squashed together beside the driver. He reversed back to the car and jumped down again with a rope which he attached to the tow point of the car and the front of the tractor.
“Let’s see now,” he said, climbing back up. He put the tractor in reverse and they watched as the rope grew taut. For a second, nothing else happened, then the car began to move, and in a moment it was free of the ditch.
They all climbed down again to check the car for any obvious signs of damage, but apart from a broken indicator, it looked fine.
“See if she’ll start,” suggested their rescuer. Incredibly, the car started first time, as he removed the tow rope and coiled it up.
“I’m going through St Andrews to Brownhills farm. You can follow me if you’re going that way – might make it easier.”
“Oh thank you, yes, we will.” Anna was close to tears. Shock, Josh supposed. His own head ached dully, and so did his left shoulder, where he’d been thrown against the seat belt. His feet were so cold he could hardly feel them.
He climbed back into the passenger seat and they set off behind the reassuringly solid bulk of the tractor. It seemed to shelter them from the worst of the snow, and the going seemed a bit easier in this direction. Probably just because they didn’t have so far to go, thought Josh, and there was a reasonable chance of them getting there.
Forty minutes later, they were waving goodbye to their good samaritan as he turned off into Brownhills farmyard.
“Not far now,” Anna said, “and it’s not nearly so bad here.”
It was true; although the snow was thicker than when they had set out, there was less of it lying than there had been even as close by as St Andrews.
“I hope the Fergusons really meant it when they said we were welcome to stay. If not, we’ll just have to get the keys to the cottage back.”
***
“I’ll get it,” said Callie and went to open the front door. She gaped with astonishment when she found Josh and Anna standing outside.
“Josh … thank goodness. You came back.”
“We had to,” said Anna, as Rose and George appeared in the hallway. “The road was blocked, and anyway, we came off the road and ended up in a snowdrift.”
“Oh.” Callie had thought somehow he’d come back because of her message.
“Let them in, Callie, for goodness sake. They look half-frozen.” Rose shoved her aside and pulled the door wide.
“We were hoping your offer of a bed was still open.”
“Of course it is. Come away in and let’s get you warmed up. The car came off the road you say? Are the two of you sure you’re not hurt?” Rose was in full flow now, shepherding them towards the kitchen.
“Yes; there was this awful flurry of snow and then a tractor …”
Callie caught Josh’s arm and pulled him back. “Did you get my text?”
“No. My phone’s in the car boot.”
“I found something – in the box from the chimney. I think I’ve found what was taken from the Queen of Summer.”
He looked completely bewildered. “I don’t understand.Can I get warm first? I’m frozen.”
“Sorry. Of course.” She gave up for the moment,
“I didn’t see you until it was too late,” the woman said. “That great blast of snow just came out of nowhere and …”
“At least you’re both all right. Where were you trying to get to?”
“The motorway, to get back to Edinburgh.”
“You wouldn’t have got through anyway. The road’s shut just the other side of Dairsie – there’s big snowdrifts. I doubt they’ll clear them today. Is there somewhere local you can stay?”
Josh saw his mother’s shoulders slump in defeat. “Yes, if we could just get the car back on the road.”
“That’s easy. I can pull you out of the ditch. Get in the cab to keep warm and I’ll hook her up.”
They climbed up into the high cab of the tractor, squashed together beside the driver. He reversed back to the car and jumped down again with a rope which he attached to the tow point of the car and the front of the tractor.
“Let’s see now,” he said, climbing back up. He put the tractor in reverse and they watched as the rope grew taut. For a second, nothing else happened, then the car began to move, and in a moment it was free of the ditch.
They all climbed down again to check the car for any obvious signs of damage, but apart from a broken indicator, it looked fine.
“See if she’ll start,” suggested their rescuer. Incredibly, the car started first time, as he removed the tow rope and coiled it up.
“I’m going through St Andrews to Brownhills farm. You can follow me if you’re going that way – might make it easier.”
“Oh thank you, yes, we will.” Anna was close to tears. Shock, Josh supposed. His own head ached dully, and so did his left shoulder, where he’d been thrown against the seat belt. His feet were so cold he could hardly feel them.
He climbed back into the passenger seat and they set off behind the reassuringly solid bulk of the tractor. It seemed to shelter them from the worst of the snow, and the going seemed a bit easier in this direction. Probably just because they didn’t have so far to go, thought Josh, and there was a reasonable chance of them getting there.
Forty minutes later, they were waving goodbye to their good samaritan as he turned off into Brownhills farmyard.
“Not far now,” Anna said, “and it’s not nearly so bad here.”
It was true; although the snow was thicker than when they had set out, there was less of it lying than there had been even as close by as St Andrews.
“I hope the Fergusons really meant it when they said we were welcome to stay. If not, we’ll just have to get the keys to the cottage back.”
***
“I’ll get it,” said Callie and went to open the front door. She gaped with astonishment when she found Josh and Anna standing outside.
“Josh … thank goodness. You came back.”
“We had to,” said Anna, as Rose and George appeared in the hallway. “The road was blocked, and anyway, we came off the road and ended up in a snowdrift.”
“Oh.” Callie had thought somehow he’d come back because of her message.
“Let them in, Callie, for goodness sake. They look half-frozen.” Rose shoved her aside and pulled the door wide.
“We were hoping your offer of a bed was still open.”
“Of course it is. Come away in and let’s get you warmed up. The car came off the road you say? Are the two of you sure you’re not hurt?” Rose was in full flow now, shepherding them towards the kitchen.
“Yes; there was this awful flurry of snow and then a tractor …”
Callie caught Josh’s arm and pulled him back. “Did you get my text?”
“No. My phone’s in the car boot.”
“I found something – in the box from the chimney. I think I’ve found what was taken from the Queen of Summer.”
He looked completely bewildered. “I don’t understand.Can I get warm first? I’m frozen.”
“Sorry. Of course.” She gave up for the moment,
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