The journey felt slightly awkward in the silence. Both women were acutely aware of the nearness of the other in the confines of the car. Kate was busy using the old towel Caroline had given her to clean her hands of oil. The light coloured leather of Caroline's luxury car had Kate worried.

"So Caroline do you often give lifts to damsels in distress covered in oil?"

Caroline smiled. "No, only ones I assault by talking to them whilst their head is under the bonnet of a broken down car!"

Both women smiled.

"How is your head anyway?"

"It's sore but it will be okay. It may knock some sense into me to buy a new car and leave Gerty to the mercy of the crusher!"

"You sound really sad like she is a favourite and don't want to let her go?"

"She belonged to my mum who now lives in America. She's a lecturer in Economics in New York . She was a free gift when my mum left 5 years ago and I have very fond memories going on trips in her."

"Are you and your mum close?"

"As much as we can be, being thousands of miles apart and on different time zones. I'd love to go visit her but it's kind of complicated. We Skype each other most days just to keep up."

"Sorry, I don't mean to pry. My mum lives with me. She has a granny flat so not actually with me. I think I might actually kill her if we lived in the same room."

"I know what you mean. I love my mum but only in small doses. What do you do for a living Caroline?"

"I'm the head teacher at Sulgrave Heath."

"The big posh school in Harrogate? I know it actually. My step older brother attended there. He's in his first year of residency in Kings hospital in London. What is your first subject?"

"Chemistry, I absolutely love science. Most young girls my age were playing with dolls whilst I was busy creating soda geysers."

"Soda what?"

Caroline smiled. It was her favourite experiment to capture young minds and turn them on to the science of chemical reactions.

"You take a large bottle of soda, cola, lemonade, etc and empty some out, then drop a Minty Minto into the bottle and the gas released causes the contents to shoot out the top. The sweets have tiny holes on the surface making contact with the soda causing carbon dioxide bubbles to rapidly form, creating the pressure. I'm losing you aren't I?"

"No I get it, honestly. But I'm more a biology nerd."

Caroline changed the subject again. "How long ago did your brother leave Sulgrave?"

"It must be about 8 years ago now. Crikey time sure flies when you're having fun. David McKenzie, have you heard of him?

"No the name doesn't ring a bell, but he's before my time. I took over at Sulgrave just over 5 years ago. I was at Ampleforth as Deputy before then. What do you do for a living Kate?"

"I work freelance as a researcher for large pharmaceutical companies. I specialise in Dermatology."

"Wow, I am impressed. Have you been working on anything interesting?"

Kate looked across at Caroline not sure whether she could trust her just yet. It was really too soon and her instincts were a little swayed by her beauty.

"I'm studying genetics and skin conditions which are hereditary. The pharmaceutical companies are looking for the new eternal youth serum. I'm trying to help people with conditions such as Vitiligo and Achromia. They can often lead to skin cancer and other skin sensitivities."

Caroline was impressed with Kate. She seemed to have a heart and a conscience as well as beautiful eyes.

Kate felt nervous of the subject and decided to change direction.

"So where are you going all dressed up to the nines Caroline?"

Caroline felt a spark. Was she flirting with her? She couldn't work out of she was simply having polite conversation or flirting.

"I'm going to a fancy dress party actually. My witches hat, broom and cloak are in the boot. I have the obligatory crooked nose too. But I might give that a miss. One of my teachers at Sulgrave is a white witch and she has a lovely nose and no warts!"

Kate laughed out loud.

"Yes the mole is a dead give away in spotting a witch. I remember one of my teachers when I was younger having a huge mole on her chin with big hairs coming out. I went home to tell my mum there was a witch at my school. My mum was mortified."

"Really?" Caroline laughed. "The innocence of the youth."

"I didn't know at the time but my auntie Betty was a white witch. That was a hard thing to explain to an impressionable child. I remember a long debate with mum asking why if she was black could she be white too. I think my mum gave up. When I got older I felt angry about it."

"Why would you be angry?"

"Well a white witch was supposed to be a good witch implying a black one was a bad witch. It's not a good message when you're growing up being different from most of your friends. Why can't we just have good and bad witches? Why choose a colour?"

Caroline felt sad. She had upset this lovely women without saying a lot and feared she had hurt her.

"I'm sorry Kate. I didn't realise the implications of using colour in association of being good and bad. My Teacher calls herself a white witch. I guess society dictates it and not necessarily her."

"It's okay Caroline. I understand it now I'm older but the subtle messages as a child of colour that you are not as worthy, are everywhere. They're only subtle but it's a drip feed into your sub conscious."

"Maybe I'll leave my crooked, mole reddened nose in the boot!"

Kate burst out laughing at Caroline's connection.

"Good idea, ditch the nose. Unless, you want to attract a certain kind of witch at your party then the nose might give out the right message?"

"Oh dear god, no. I'm not looking for romance tonight. I've only recently split from my husband. He went off with a younger model who it turns out has an obsession with alcohol."

"Well, more fool him I say. He doesn't realise what a beautiful women he has lost."

Caroline blushed at Kate's words. She smiled with her earlier thoughts now truly confirmed. This women was flirting with her and she liked it. She glanced across at those exotic brown eyes and Kate smiled back at her. Caroline looked straight ahead not wanting to reveal her blushes.

"So Kate, what brings you out this evening? I'm guessing you didn't simply set out for a drive to test Gerty with your green face paint and witches hat?"

Kate laughed and decided to test the water a little more. Based on what she had felt so far her instincts told her she was definitely on the right track.

"No, I'm on the way to my friend's annual Halloween party in Outerbridge. She is a very dear friend who started out as a simple attraction. We met at a friend's party about 15 years ago and I'm not proud of it but we ended up in bed and one thing led to another. The bed lasted only one night but we became very good friends."

"Caroline smiled. Often those are the best friendships. I've recently met up with an old acquaintance from university and we met at a party. In much the same way we ended up in a relationship and I've only just met her again after many years. But chatting over coffee was like we hadn't been apart at all. What's the address of your friend? I'll put it in the Sat Nav and we'll get there a little quicker."

Kate gave the address to Caroline and much to her surprise the Sat Nav already had it saved. It was then that she realised they were going to the same party.

"Kate, your friend and this party, is she called Pat or Patty?"

Kate looked at Caroline and the realisation dawned.

"Yes, but how did you…. Oh, I see…..we're going to the same party and we've both….been in the same bed."

There was a very short silence before both women burst out laughing at the realisation they had both been Pat's lover at one time. Each time the women stopped laughing it only took one to glance at the other before the laughter began again.

Caroline noticed from the Sat Nav they were 2 minutes away from their destination and the moment wasn't lost on either of them.