THE MYSTERIOUS MISS MARY BUCKINGHAM.

By Bob French

Hatfield Paverel Station

It was late Thursday afternoon as James Clayton stood staring out across the village playing fields of Hatfield Peverel.  It had started snowing and people around him seemed to be hurrying home to prepare for the New Year celebrations, but James ignored them. He just stood staring out over the slowly changing countryside. It was New Year’s Eve, 1885 and he felt glad that the year had ended. 

Minutes passed before he turned, brushed the snow from the bench and sat down, thrusting his hands deep into his coat pockets. His eyes never leaving the now, snow-covered playing field.

His concentration was interrupted by an elderly woman who had walked past him, stopped, and returned to stand in front of him.

“Ay love, you can’t stay here.  It’ll be dark soon and the wind’ll pick-up.  You’ll catch your death.  Do you want me to give you a hand home lad?”  But James smiled and quietly thanked her.

The snow slowly started to cover his cap and overcoat as he began to go back over the days and weeks he had met and courted Mary; a dark haired, rather beautiful young woman who had been out shopping in Chelmsford, where he worked as a bank clerk. 

They had met by chance, well he thought so, on a Friday.  He had just delivered the days mail to the Post Office, when a motor bicycle back-fired, causing everyone to turn and look. At that moment they had collided on the pavement and after helping her to her feet, apologized to her and asked after her health.

“My sincere apologies Miss, please forgive me, I was not looking where I was going.”

She thanked him and explained that she was not hurt.  But James, not used to encountering young women panicked, and blurted out that “after an accident, one should drink a sweet cup of tea.”

It was her large brown eyes that suddenly made James feel strangely different. 

“There’s a tea house just around the corner on Duke Street.  I would be honoured if you’d allow me to make sure that you are alright Miss.”

They stood in the middle of the pavement just staring at each other, then she seemed to come to a decision, smiled, and took back one of her packages James had picked up. 

“Thank you, Sir, I would like that.”

They sat in the crowded tea shop for nearly an hour and talked about nothing and everything until a rather grumpy serving maid asked if they wanted another tea in a tone that suggested they had overstayed their welcome. 

James suddenly realized that his boss back at the bank, would be wondering where he had been.

“Look, I am so sorry Miss, but I must get back to work, but would you think it impertinent if I asked to see you again?”

“I’d like that very much.  Thank you.  When?”

“Would this Sunday be suitable, say 2 o’clock in the grounds of the cathedral here in Chelmsford?”

He remembered how, as he held open the door for her. He had blurted out that he did not know her name.

She seemed to hesitate at first.  “Mary Buckingham, and yours Sir?”

“James, James Clayton Miss, and I very much look forward to Sunday…. Mary.”

The temperature in October was near freezing but it did not bother them. They met outside the cathedral's West Door and held hands as they strolled through the grounds and out into the town.  This time he recalled they spoke of where they lived; their families and what they did for a living.

“Papa works in Whitehall, and I have two brothers and two sisters.  Sadly, I’m the youngest and so must keep Mama company.”

James, realising that his newfound lady-friend was part of the gentry and if things become serious between them, it may become a problem, but said nothing, allowing her to tell him her past, rather than bombard her with questions.

“And you, my love?”

“I work in a bank and have a sister who is five years older than me.  She used to care for me until I reached the age of twenty-one, then she moved up north, Carlisle I understand, and married a farmer.”

“And what does your Papa do?”

“He was a librarian.”

“Was?”

“Yes. My Ma and Pa were killed in a train crash six years back.”

It dawned upon him as he sat on the bench covered in snow, that their relationship had grown quickly, as did the questions about where he worked and the daily routine of the banking staff, but realized that when you were in love, the obvious didn’t always become clear.

They would always meet in Chelmsford, and after spending three or four hours enjoying the town and each other's company, she would insist that she would take a handsome cab back home after seeing him safely on the train back to Hatfield Peverel. 

Sometimes they would meet on a Saturday, when she would visit various shops to pick-up parcels for her Mama.  James didn’t mind, as long as he spent time with his Mary.

He gradually became aware of the cold wind that had picked up around him as he sat on the bench.  His thoughts settled on Saturday 17^th November.  They had decided to go to the music hall on Waterloo Lane. To watch the 2 o’clock matinee.  When the matinee had finished, Mary explained that she had to pick up a package from a tobacco shop, about a hundred yards down from his bank. 

When they turned the corner, they were stopped by a police constable and after questioning the officer, discovered that his bank had just been robbed and the area was cordoned off.  James quickly explained that he worked at the bank and demanded that he be permitted to pass, but the constable refused. 

Mary had insisted that as he could do nothing, they proceeded to the tobacco shop to pick up her mother’s parcel before it closed. 

Mary became concerned that the shop would be closed and that her mother would scold her, but as they approached the shop, the tobacconist quickly opened the shop door, handed her two parcels, and then closed the door, without saying a word.  James thought this behavior strange but didn’t question it. Then, as they walked to Liverpool Street station, he noticed that she kept looking over her shoulder, and again, though strange, didn’t question her.

It was as they approached the barrier to the platform that things became confused.  James, who had been carrying the two parcels was stopped by one of the station masters and asked where he and the young lady had been.

As James started to answer the man’s questions, the whistle blew on their platform.  Instantly Mary grabbed the two parcels from James and ran for the moving train. The station master and James stood bewildered at Mary’s behavior, then a police constable came rushing up.

“Was that her Fred?”

“Could be, but don’t worry, we can board the train at Hatfield Peverel.  Excuse me while I make a telephone call.  I’ll get my boys to call your chaps and they can board the train and arrest her and her ill-gotten gains.”

The police surrounded the train as it pulled into Hatfield Peverel and stayed on it until they had searched the train, but they never found her.

At an inquiry, it was discovered that the thieves had a thorough knowledge of the layout of the bank and what type of safe it had.  Then the damming indictment came out, that James had been identified as an accomplice to the robbery. Even though he pleaded his innocence, the inquiry still found him guilty by association.  He lost his job and the woman he had fallen in love with.

The snow was falling heavier now, and the bench he sat on was totally covered in a deep soft layer of snow. As James slowly glanced around at his surroundings, a figure moved in front of him.  Thinking it was the kind old woman returning, he looked up at her and realized that it was Mary.

“Mary my love, what are you doing here?”

“I had to come and see you.  To explain what happened.”

“It’s alright. I’m fine, but the police could not find you.  The newspapers said that you simply vanished. What happened?”

“Not a lot of people know, but just before Hatfield Peverel, there is a private stop for the folk who work at Boreham House. That was where I got off the train, met Mama and gave her the money we stole from your bank.  That is why they never found me. I’m so sorry I got you into trouble.”

He tried to reach out to her but found that he could not move his arm.

Mary realized that he was close to death, sat down next to him took his hand, and held it.  “Don’t worry my love, I will stay with you forever.

The following morning, James was found dead on the bench.  Frozen to death.  Beside him was an imprint where someone had sat with him for most of the night.  After an extensive search, no one could remember seeing this person, who seemed to have simply vanished in the night.

Copyright Bob French