“So much for my welcome,” Mary let out under her breath as she sat down at the one and only bench on the platform of Oakford station.
As far as she could make out there was no welcome at all and she started to wonder what she should do when the train she arrived on got moving to leave the station. She looked around, but the few people that were milling about the place when she arrived were already gone and the platform appeared deserted. Letting out a sigh, she got to her feet and walked across to the exit to step out onto a dusty street to see if anyone was waiting for her there. It was only then that the sound of a voice caught her attention.
“Are you Mary Gray?”
The noise of an approaching wagon almost drowned out the voice, but when Mary turned to look she realized it was the woman
