Try Begging - Chapter 134.1
“If the Captain finds out I forgot the compartment number, he’ll surely scold me… He’s quite unforgiving, you see. Could you please check without mentioning that I’m looking for him?”
“Yes, yes. Of course.”
How long had it been since she sat on the makeshift chair next to the restroom, gazing out the window? The conductor returned after checking all the compartments, his face betraying his confusion, which almost made her smile.
“Ah… what should we do? It seems there’s no one by that name.”
He hadn’t boarded the train.
Grace pretended to be troubled, her shoulders drooping in faked distress while she hid her true feelings.
“Ah, oh no… what to do…”
“If you’ve boarded the wrong train by mistake…”
“Ah, no, it’s the right train. It seems the Captain missed it.”
After thanking the conductor, Grace returned to her compartment, pulled up her knees, and pretended to sleep.
It was unlikely that he would just sit quietly at the Western Command…
Maybe he was following by some other means. Perhaps heading to the destination he vaguely learned from ‘Mrs. Baker.’ No. If he knew the exact destination, he wouldn’t bother to follow. It was a place where he didn’t need to be.
Suddenly, she felt he might be waiting somewhere easy to follow her, no matter where she ran.
Was it a plan to let her go and watch from afar?
She was once not allowed to step even a few paces out of the annex garden. The man who refused to let her go seemed to be showing remarkable patience, which made her laugh.
“Is there something amusing?”
Mrs. Baker, who had been reading a magazine across from her, asked. Grace opened her eyes, which she had kept shut, and smiled at the woman.
“Oh, no, just… It’s not a very interesting story for you.”
Polite, but she was internally irked.
Would she keep up the pretense and follow even when changing trains? Might she continue to be a nuisance even upon arrival?
Besides, there might be others following her, monitoring as closely as this woman, ready to eavesdrop on a very private conversation that must remain secret from the enemy, sharpening her alertness.
Considering the next steps in her plan, Grace realized she eventually had to shake off those tailing her. She decided it was time to stop pretending she was unaware of the man’s strategy.
“Mrs. Baker, what time is it now?”
The woman checked her wristwatch before answering.
“It’s 4:28 PM.”
This train was scheduled to arrive at Chesterfield, a central hub where lines from the east, west, north and south intersect at 4:30 PM and depart again at 4:35 PM. So far, there have been no delays.
Realizing she had barely two minutes to execute the plan she had devised since leaving Winsford Central Station, she got up.
“I need to use the restroom again…”
“It’s normal to need frequent breaks when you’re pregnant.”
The woman said kindly. Grace, returning the smile, quickly lost it as soon as she stepped into the corridor.
Heading to the right first, where the restrooms were located, she pretended to wait her turn by sitting on a bench and staring at the door leading outside. Soon, the train slowed down and entered Chesterfield Station.
While initially only watching the platform, Grace inadvertently glanced at the opposite tracks and had a sudden inspiration.
‘This might be a better idea.’
Another train was parked on the adjacent track. It seemed less likely to be noticed on the train compared to the platform, where doors frequently opened, and the comings and goings were too visible.
The other train, appearing to start from Chesterfield, was sparsely empty, with porters wearing flat caps boarding it.
This meant there was still time before it departed.
However, the current train only had a five-minute stop—meaning the operation had to be completed in just five minutes.
As soon as the train stopped, Grace stood up and opened the door. She caught the eye of a porter through the closed door of the adjacent train and gestured for him to open it. Despite looking puzzled, the man promptly did so.
The gap between the trains wasn’t too wide and easily jumpable alone, though there was no need to overdo it. Grace gratefully accepted the porter’s offered hand to help her across to the other train. Once inside the corridor, she handed the porter a bill.
His eyes widened at the amount.
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