It Happened One Christmas (4 page)
Read It Happened One Christmas Online
Authors: Kaitlin O'Riley
Filled with an unspeakable helplessness, Tom watched his mother, exhausted from working her fingers to the bone, and wished fervently that he could ease her burdens somehow. He longed to make her smile as she used to. His eyes moved across the room to where the little sack of money lay hidden under the floorboard beneath the trunk. He needed to fill that sack, fill it to overflowing. There had to be a way. Once he overheard some of the lads talk about the trains. Tom thought about Victoria Station and all the fancy people that traveled and how much money they might carry with them on a trip. He might just have to visit Victoria Station.
4
Follow Me in Merry Measure
Tuesday, December 2, 1873
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“I promise I will meet your train on Tuesday when you return,” Henry Brooks said as he held Lisette's gloved hand in his. They stood among the crowd of travelers at Victoria Station waiting to board the train.
“Why, Henry, that would be lovely! Thank you,” Lisette said with a smile of appreciation. Henry's sandy brown hair was covered by a tall black top hat, and his gray eyes looked into hers. He had never escorted her to the station before, and Lisette had been touched by this show of caring on his part.
“I shall miss having you with me at the dinner party this evening, Lisette, but duty toward your mother and your family comes first. You are a good daughter.”
She gave him a bright grin. “The week shall fly by before we know it!”
He returned the smile and nodded in agreement. “As will this year. You have been so patient with me, Lisette. Next year at this time, we shall be a married couple.” He paused a moment for a bit of a dramatic effect. “We can have our wedding in June.”
“Oh, Henry, do you mean that?” she exclaimed in delight. Lisette had been waiting for this for three long years. At times it had seemed as if Henry would never settle on a date for their wedding.
“Yes. My uncle has decided to retire for good and will let me take over his practice completely. He told me the news just last evening. With what I have saved now, I can afford to buy us a little house. We can start planning our wedding in earnest when you get back, my dear. Something modest, of course.” He squeezed her hand tightly.
“Oh my!” A little thrill raced through her, and she couldn't stop giggling. “That is wonderful news! I cannot wait to tell my mother and sisters! They will be so pleased.”
They had waited so long to marry, delaying until he had enough money to support her. It seemed he had finally amassed enough to satisfy himself that he could properly take care of a wife. She had never seen Henry's sweet face so alight with happiness. His eyes twinkled at her, and he smiled broadly beneath his neatly trimmed sandy mustache and beard.
The train whistle blew with a pronounced shrillness and steam billowed around them. In an impulsive gesture, Henry leaned down and brushed her cheek with the lightest of kisses.
“Henry!” she squealed, pleased by his sudden display of affection. Henry had never kissed her in public before. In fact, he was so proper, he had rarely kissed her at all.
“Now, hurry before the train leaves without you. The porter has already taken your bag inside and your seat is in the first-class compartment in this car right here,” he instructed her as if she had not been there when the porter took her portmanteau. As if she had not taken the train to visit her mother a dozen times before without his help. Yet she knew it made Henry happy to take care of her, so she nodded obediently.
“Thank you,” she said as she ascended the steps of the car. “Good-bye!”
He waved to her as he watched her board the train. Lisette entered the car and found her seat in the elegant first-class compartment. There were no other passengers but herself, which she was pleased to notice.
“Is there anything else I can do for you, miss?” the barrel-chested porter inquired, popping his head in the compartment to check on her.
“No, thank you. I'm just fine.”
“Let me know if you need anything then. Good afternoon, miss.” He nodded politely and left, closing the door behind him.
Just as she'd settled herself on a dark green velvet seat, the train emitted another ear-splitting whistle and jolted into motion. She pulled back the dark velvet curtains and peered out the window, but Henry had already gone from the platform. He would never waste time standing there when he had work to do. Pretending her fiancé was watching her departure, she gave a little wave with her fingers anyway as the engine chugged with slow determination away from the station.
Lisette relaxed and loosened the ties around the neck of her black velvet, white fur-trimmed cloak, setting aside her matching fur muff. Still brimming with surprise over Henry's announcement, she kept her eyes on the window. It was her favorite part of traveling. Watching the landscape change as the massive train sped through the countryside, seeing all the buildings and the houses and the roads and the people, and wondering about all the different lives and what was happening with them fascinated her.
She especially wondered about the people and what their stories were. Were they happy or sad? Was there a life-and-death emergency happening somewhere? Was it another routine day in their lives? Endless stories abounded while she watched from the train window.
Now there was a nicely dressed woman standing on the platform, holding the hand of a little girl with long dark curls. The little girl was crying. Were they just saying good-bye to someone on the train, her father perhaps? The woman stood stoically, no expression on her hardened face.
Then she caught the eyes of a small boy with a tattered tweed cap covering most of his red hair. The ill-fitting jacket he wore was too thin to keep him warm during the winter. He had an angelic face with a serious, world-weary expression, and his large blue eyes locked with hers. He stood there by himself, watching the train. Who was with him? Was he lost? Where did he live? She could tell by his clothing he was a street urchin. But what worried her more was that he seemed to be alone and this pulled at her heartstrings. She offered a smile through the train window but he did not smile in return. Fascinated, Lisette could not take her eyes off the child as possibilities of his circumstances flitted through her head.
It was then that the door to the compartment flew open and a man entered. A bit disappointed that she would have to share the compartment but lost in her musings, Lisette barely glanced away from the compelling scene outside the train window as the man continued to stand at the doorway.
“Miss Hamilton?”
Her heart raced as soon as she heard his voice. The little boy forgotten, with slow anticipation she faced the gentleman who had just entered the compartment.
“It is you.” He stared at her, a wide grin on his incredulous face.
“Mr. Roxbury!”
Surprised she found her voice so swiftly, Lisette wondered what in the world had happened to allow this man of all men to be on the same train with her. He stood above her, his face clean-shaven and his warm smile melting her into a million pieces. He wore a black top hat, but the golden edges of his blond hair were visible beneath. His tall and very masculine presence seemed to take over the entire compartment and she found it difficult to breathe. Especially when he turned the force of his blue eyes on her.
“What a wonderful surprise to see you,” he continued with carefree ease. “You aren't traveling all the way to Brighton, are you, Miss Hamilton?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Well, this is a most pleasant coincidence, for I am as well. It seems we are sharing this compartment and will be traveling together today.” He sat upon the seat across from her and let out a sigh of relief. “That was a close one. I almost missed the train!”
“Well, I am very glad that you did not miss it.”
“Now that I see you, I am even more thankful I did not miss it. It's lovely to see you again, Miss Hamilton.”
For a moment Lisette thought she might very well faint from a combination of panic and delight. Quinton Roxbury was so very male. His tall muscular form filled the space, his long legs almost touching hers. There was a magnetic energy about him and it made her giddy. The man sent shivers down her spine simply by looking at her. And now he was sitting with her in a confined space for the entire duration of the journey to Brighton.
They were on a train heading to the seaside on an overcast day. Together. Alone. How wonderful that she had decided not to travel by carriage after all! That wild thought made her sit up straighter.
“What a surprise to see you again so soon!” he exclaimed. “I would not have expected this.”
“Neither would I.” Although she had not stopped thinking about him since yesterday, she hadn't expected to see him ever again. Now here he was, sitting across from her. “It is quite a coincidence after yesterday.”
“Yes, but it is much more pleasant to be seated with you on a train than being tripped over in a back lane.” The warmth and intelligence in his eyes, as well as a definite twinkle of humor, drew her to him.
“Our meeting
was
most unusual,” she admitted with a little laugh. “I've never met anyone before simply because they knocked me down.”
was
most unusual,” she admitted with a little laugh. “I've never met anyone before simply because they knocked me down.”
“Nor have I ever knocked anyone down before. At least not by accident. And never anyone as lovely as you.”
“Thank you,” she murmured softly, and a little shiver of excitement raced through her at his words. Was it only yesterday that his body covered hers? His lips had brushed against her cheek the day before, and she had wished that he would kiss her. Had he wanted to kiss her? Did he remember that part of their encounter? His full lips fascinated her, and she could not stop her eyes from focusing on his mouth.
“I apologize once again for running into you the way I did, Miss Hamilton. I still feel terrible about hurting you. You are not experiencing any ill effects from your fall, are you?”
The genuine concern in his voice touched her. “No, none at all. I assure you, I am quite well. I believe I forgave you yesterday.”
“That you did and most charmingly. So please tell me, what brings you on this journey today?” he asked.
Lisette relaxed somewhat as the conversation turned to a more ordinary subject and she could put aside the memory of this gorgeous man lying on top of her and almost kissing her. At least for the moment. “I am going to see my mother. She's not feeling well and wishes for me to visit with her for a bit.”
His brows drew together in concern. “Nothing serious, I hope?”
Lisette smiled and shook her head. “No, I do not believe so. My mother . . .” She paused a moment, searching for the most polite way to phrase it. “My mother tends to overemphasize quite minor ailments.”
Quinton Roxbury tilted his head in sympathetic understanding, a knowing smile playing around the corners of his luscious mouth. “Ah . . . I understand. I have an aunt with a similar type of nature.”
“Yes, I am most certain that my mother will be quite recovered by the time I arrive.”
He laughed and the rich sound wrapped around her like a warm, velvet gown. “Well, that is good news.”
Curious, she ventured to ask, “What takes you to Brighton today, Mr. Roxbury? This is not the usual time of year to visit the seaside.”
“No, it's not, is it? The month of December is a little cold and dreary for most people in general, but I actually enjoy the sea air no matter what the season. However, in answer to your question, I'm going to Brighton on business, not pleasure.”
“I wish you the best of luck with your business then,” Lisette said.
“Thank you very much.” He settled back in his seat.
In the silence, Lisette could not take her eyes off him, and it felt like there were a thousand butterflies in her stomach. Well, she certainly had not overemphasized how handsome he was in her recollections from yesterday. The man was like a golden god from a mythology story come to life and plopped down in front of her. It was most disconcerting. She forced her gaze away from him and out the window
They sat in companionable silence as the train continued its journey, leaving behind the bustling thoroughfares and crowds of London and moving into the placid English countryside.
“I gather you are traveling alone, Miss Hamilton?”
She blinked in rapid succession, realizing he was staring at her. “Yes.”
“I'm a little surprised Lord Waverly would not provide you with an escort or a companion of some sort.”
“My brother-in-law always offers and at times I do travel with one. But I prefer to be on my own,” she explained with a matter-of-fact air. “We Hamilton women are notoriously independent.”
“I'm just beginning to notice that.” He raised a brow at her, his expression one of appreciation.
Flushing a little under his blatant regard, she continued, “I have traveled to Brighton many times before on my own. I'm quite capable.”
“That's a pity.”
“I beg your pardon?”
Grinning, he attempted to clarify. “I did not mean that it's a pity that you are a capable woman, for certainly that is a good quality. What I meant to say was that it's a pity that you are alone.”
She sighed in exasperation, becoming slightly irritated by his attitude. “That statement did not improve upon your last comment in the least, Mr. Roxbury.”
His eyes sparkled with good humor. “I see I am digging myself into a hole and I apologize. What I meant to say, but did so rather clumsily, was that the unfortunate consequence of your being alone deprives someone of the pleasure of your company.”
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