‘Sure.’ She was so relieved not to have to return to his compartment.
Ten minutes later, she pointlessly wiped the already gleaming silver handles and tried to rationalise it. She could avoid him, right? She wasn’t working at that ultra-elite end. But the train wasn’t huge. There were only ten carriages in total.
‘Violet?’ Colson came up behind her.
‘Sir? Is there something you...?’ She frowned. The poor guy was sweating even more than before.
‘Look...ah...you can’t come on the journey.’ He sighed, a gust of pure stress. ‘I don’t know where I’m going to...but you can’t stay on board for this trip. It’s against the rules.’
‘What rules?’ Violet was shocked. ‘Why not?’ What had she done wrong?
He ran a hand under his collar. ‘Your test—’
‘Should have been fine.’
‘Showed you’re pregnant.’
Their simultaneous statements clashed but she still heard what he’d said.
Pregnant?
‘That’s not possible.’ Violet broke the sudden silence. ‘The medic must have mixed up the samples.’
‘He repeated the test.’ Colson couldn’t hold her gaze.
‘Itcan’tbe right.’
‘We need to offload your gear—’
‘What’s the problem?’ Another voice interrupted. An authoritative, arrogant voice.
Violet wanted to disappear. Why was Roman in the dining car? Why was he here at all—and listening in? She glared at him. It was easier to get angry than absorb what Colson had said. She wasn’t having Roman involved in this mix-up. That was all it was—a mix up.
‘Mr Fraser.’ Colson went from shocked to terrified. ‘Nothing that need concern you, sir.’ He pressed his lips together.
Roman looked from Colson to Violet. His gaze narrowed and he stepped forward. ‘I would like to understand the problem.’
Violet stared, thrown by the double whammy of discoveries. MrFraser? Fraser, as in Fraser Holdings, the logo of which was on the paperwork she’d signed only minutes earlier?
Frankie’s words came back to her:the boss is boarding. Surely not? But Colson’s reaction... If it was true, it meant technically he washerboss. And she’d hadnoidea.
Meanwhile Colson had no trouble throwing her under the bus. ‘Ms Summers hasn’t passed our final health and safety check.’
‘Your final health and safety check is wrong,’ she muttered.
‘That means she’ll disembark immediately,’ Colson added, ignoring her.
‘Leaving you a crew member short for this journey?’ Roman queried.
Violet glanced at him but his mood was impossible to determine. He had his frozen face on.
‘We have contingency plans. But we cannot have someone on board who—’
‘It’snotpossible,’ Violet gruffly interrupted and glared at Colson. If he dared disclose that result to anyone!
Colson swallowed, nervously shooting a glance between her and Roman. ‘This needn’t concern you, Mr Fraser. The test is an operational matter. Violet, let’s go into the station office and sort it out privately.’
‘Would you like to retake the test?’ Roman asked as if Colson hadn’t spoken.