The Famous Five Reunited with Friends

Chapter 8: A trip to Faynights - and another shock!

  When Anne suggested it, Julian, Richard and George all dismissed it as a pipe dream. What with work commitments and the like, they doubted that they would have found time to go away anyway. However, as a pre-Christmas surprise for them, Anne arranged a three-day trip to Faynights. 

  "Anne, you are a dear, but none of us will be able to go!" Julian protested when she announced it.

  "Well one, it's in the week between Christmas and New Year, which we all have off. And two, it's already booked. We're staying in a hotel in Faynights, very near the train station. I thought it would be fun to get the train, like old times. Faynights Field is obviously not used for camping any more, so I found the nicest possible hotel. Also, I've booked for us to... what's the matter, Julian?"

  Julian was the same colour as the walls and looked as if he was in great pain. Richard, who knew his brother better than anyone, could almost read his thoughts but said nothing.

  "Anne, you are a dear, but the.... the... the expense!" he stammered, spitting out the word expense as if it was burning his pursed lips.

  "The expense?"

  "Yes, the expense! You know that people pay through the nose for hotels these days! And for trains, too! It's much cheaper to get in George's car and drive there."

  "That village is barely big enough for a fair-sized shopping mall, Julian! Do you really believe that people go to Faynights for their annual holiday? It's as well-known as Shillington."

  "Where's that?" asked Richard.

  "Exactly. Besides, I used Trivago."

  "Hotel? Trivago." George and Richard chorused in unison. It was a tradition for them to mock the advert whenever the company was mentioned.

  "And this hotel has some great TripAdvisor reviews, too. I could have sworn that I screenshot-ed one of them... ah yes! A hidden gem of a hotel, with dog-friendly staff to boost. That's what one person said."

  Julian did look a little calmer. He mulled it over in his mind - the part of his mind not overcome with the sudden desire for some alcohol (mulled wine, as it was the festive season). He was a self-confessed nostalgia-maniac, so the trip would probably do him good, he reasoned with himself...

  "Fine. You win. What date do we go?"

  "December the 26th, until the thirtieth. That way, we can get home and have a day to recover before Mina's New Year party."

  "Fine. You win."

A few weeks later...

  "I must say, these modern trains are far nicer than the rattling machines of yesterday." Julian said, reclining on the cushioned seat and picking up a Guardian. 

  "You sound like a crabby old man, Julian." George said with a grin.

  "Bear in mind that barely any of us got any sleep last night. What with your lamenting about whether the hotel would let Timothy in, plus Richard's stomach doing whale impressions, I honestly feel like dropping off right here."

  "Why don't you, then?" Richard snapped, a little offended and embarrassed. Anne had insisted that they miss out on their nightly Chocolate Digestive binge, so that they would be well-prepared for the nutritious fruit salad breakfast that she had so painstakingly prepared for them. As a result of Richard's stomach crying inwardly for the chocolate-covered wheat biscuits it had become accustomed to, it had started gurgling in protest and would not shut up.

  "Can we have those pickled onion and ham sandwiches now, Anne?" Richard asked hopefully.

  "It's ten-thirty, Richard." George said.

  "So maybe at eleven?"

  "How about one?" Anne suggested. "By that time, we'll be in the village."

  Richard's face fell. 

  "Now remember, everyone," Anne reminded them, "we change at Limming Ho station, onto Platform 2 and our other train should come along after a few minutes."

  But alas for those plans! At the station before Limming Ho, they had some technical difficulties involving the train doors and they were very behind by the time they got on their way again. Anne fretted terribly.

  "That was the only train for two hours that stopped at Faynights!" she wailed at Julian. 

  "Relax, Anne dear. If worst comes to worst, we can Uber."

  "I thought you cared about the expense?" 

  "We're on holiday and I, for one, intend to enjoy it. Forget the work preparation, forget the upcoming bills, just enjoy the holiday while it lasts!"

  "Hear! Hear!" agreed Richard.

  And with that, the train announced their arrival at Limming Ho.

  They did end up with a taxi. As luck would have it, there was one just outside the station, which they nabbed before anyone else could. Once they'd loaded their bags into it, they all sat down and put on seatbelts.

  "Faynights, please." Richard said to the distinctly familiar driver.

  "Yessir." said a distinctly familiar drawl, turning back to grin. There was a stunned silence, before a joyous cry from Richard and Anne:

  "Bufflo!"