On her third visit to a service at the Universal Humanitarian Church, Robin succeeds in her aim of getting an invitation to a retreat at Chapman Farm.  A church member tells her ‘‘We’ve got a minibus leaving from outside Victoria Station at 10 a.m. next Friday” (Chapter 19).

On Friday 8th April at half past nine in the morning ‘Robin walked out of Victoria Station into the cool, overcast morning.  For a moment, she stood with her half-empty holdall over her shoulder, looking around at taxis, swarming commuters and buses…’ (Chapter 23).

After a few moments she spots a church member wearing an orange tabard and holding up a sign with the church’s logo on it. Seven or eight other people with bags were already gathered in a group.

By five to ten, there are a group of twenty people.

‘Becca led the group across the busy road…’

‘… and up a side street, to a smart white minibus with the UHC logo on its side’ (Chapter 23).

The minibus pulls away from the pavement, and heads through London on its way to Chapman Farm in Norfolk.

Victoria Station is located here: