On my way from Edinburgh to London I observed
a woman in her mid-50's sitting in the seat
two rows in front of me. Next to her was a cane
she apparently relied on for aid and comfort.

I recognized her whole body was quite athletic
as though she exercised often. She obviously took
quite good care of herself--or was naturally thin.

During the four hour train ride back to London
she was reading a novel about lost love.

However, her suitcase was large and heavy;
she had been away for the Christmas Holiday,
I thought, 7-10 days, visiting family.

Looking further, she wore no wedding ring.
And when we arrived in London, no one
was at the station to meet her.

On the way down the aisle of the train, she was
struggling with the size and weight of a nearly-bulging suitcase.
Her cane became somewhat useless at this point,
as her final struggle was yet to unfold.

As the woman in question was departing the train (mind the gap),
I noticed, after several attempts, she was unable
to lift her suitcase from the train platform to the station ground.

Based on thees observations, I suddenly lifted her suitcase
from the train to the floor while her back was facing me.
She then looked around but was uncertain how her suitcase
found its way to the train station.

My guess is she was unmarried and not meeting anyone
at the station. I came to imagine she was living alone.

On reflection...she stopped and read newspaper headlines at
a newsstand while leaving the train terminal, a sign she was
in no hurry to get home to an empty house.

While in London, one must consider the deductions of
Mr. Sherlock Holmes, who resides at 221b Baker St.