TAOL Extras

Romance on the Orient Express - Part 2

When they returned to their compartments, it was late, but neither of them minded. In the corridor, they stood beside each other. "I wanted to thank you for such a lovely evening Ellie, I had a really good time and I hope I will get to enjoy your company tomorrow at breakfast."

"I would like that as well," Ellie said with a smile. "What time do you get up, usually?"

Brian chuckled. "If I answer honestly, you will judge me. But I was thinking of asking to be woken at 9 tomorrow."

"That sounds good to me," Ellie agreed. "I don't mind having late simple breakfast."

"Wonderful," Brian said with a smile. "I'll place our request with the conductor then. You go ahead and relax. I hope you have a good night, Ellie, and I'll see you tomorrow, yes?," he asked and gently placed his hand on her arm.

Ellie nodded and smiled. "You will, yes. Thank you for a lovely evening, Brian, and I hope you sleep well."

They said goodnight, and Ellie returned into her comportment. As she closed the door, she exhaled deeply and smiled. What a lovely evening it had been... an unexpected acquaintance, and they had gotten along so well much better than she had anticipated. He was funny, he was kind, and he took her seriously, and Ellie simply felt so very comfortable around him in a way that she rarely did with men she barely knew. As she got ready for bed, Ellie went over their conversation in her mind again. She smiled at her reflection and glanced at the connecting door to Brian's compartment. Breakfast couldn't come soon enough.

Despite the constant noise of the train, Ellie slept very well. She woke up shortly after eight, which gave her enough time to freshen up and get dressed before she was supposed to meet Brian for breakfast. When she was ready, she closed the window of her compartment. From her small backpack, she got out a book before she wrapped herself up in a light blanket and sat on the bench by the window.

Given that Brian would only be woken at nine, and he would probably need a few minutes to get ready and dressed, Ellie still had some time to relax. She had the book in her hands, but her attention was on the landscape outside the window. They had crossed the border into Bulgaria during the night, and the Bulgarian landscape was lovely. They would be arriving at Sofia in a few minutes, and Ellie decided that she would have a short walk along the platform.

The open window had told Ellie that it was a chilly morning, so as they arrived in the city she put on warm clothes, before she left and locked her compartment. When the train had come to a stop and the conductor opened the door, Ellie felt the cold air rush inside. She pulled her coat a little tighter around herself and stepped outside onto the platform. The sun was out, and Ellie smiled when she felt the warmth on her face. It was a beautiful day here in Sofia.

"Good morning, Miss," she heard an unfamiliar voice.

Locating the origin, she turned around and saw the young man she had spotted at dinner the evening before. He had dined alone, and he seemed to be traveling alone as well.

"Good morning," Ellie returned the greeting. He was English, as it seemed.

He glanced at the sky and smiled. "A lovely day, isn't it ?," he asked, seeming determined to initiate a conversation.

"It is," Ellie confirmed, and wrapped her arms around herself.

"Have you had a good night, Miss ...?," he asked, in an attempt to learn her name.

Ellie smiled a little. "Bennett, Miss Bennett," she informed him. Anything else would have been rude. "And yes, I have, thank you. And yourself?"

"Yes, thank you. The border was a bit of a nuisance, but what can you do, hm?," he asked rhetorically. "I'm George Smith," he finally introduced.