It Happened One Christmas Read Online Free PDF Page B

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.
    â€œMiss 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.
    â€œIt is you.” He stared at her, a wide grin on his incredulous face.
    â€œMr. 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.
    â€œWhat a wonderful surprise to see you,” he continued with carefree ease. “You aren’t traveling all the way to Brighton, are you, Miss Hamilton?”
    â€œYes, I am.”
    â€œWell, 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!”
    â€œWell, I am very glad that you did not miss it.”
    â€œNow 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