A Christmas Wish on Arran (Scottish Romances #4)

Prologue

Twenty-five years ago

It was early afternoon on a hazy September day as Elizabeth watched the steady stream of passengers hurrying across the concourse at Glasgow Central station. The constant mass of people were checking the noticeboard to find out which platform their train was departing from, clutching takeaway sandwiches, bags of crisps and glossy magazines. Elizabeth yawned, slightly bleary-eyed. This had to be the earliest she had been in this station for quite some time. Usually she would be out with the other weekend revellers, arriving several hours later and sprinting to catch the last train home after a night at the pub.

The train to London Euston was leaving from Platform One in just over twenty minutes. She really hoped he wouldn’t be late. Elizabeth had arrived almost half an hour ago, positioning herself right under the clock in the middle of the station. When they had started making their plans, they had discussed meeting at the other popular spot, the Hielanman’s Umbrella, where the trains came out of the station on Argyle Street between Hope Street and Union Street. But they settled on the clock. Elizabeth thought it would be more romantic, more like a scene from a movie, though she hadn’t voiced that thought out loud to him of course. She didn’t want him running for the hills.

As she continued to people-watch, she thought about the different characters who would come and go all day here; some being warmly welcomed off trains by loved ones, others slipping away quietly, unnoticed and unseen. Everyone had a story after all. Her eyes were drawn to a couple saying their farewells just a few metres away, and she felt herself well up as the sobbing girl clung to the boy. She was glad she would soon be throwing her arms around her boyfriend and saying hello and, at this rate, hurry let’s go catch the train , rather than having to bid a sad goodbye. Looking at the couple, she wondered when they might next see each other. With a swirl of excited anticipation in her stomach, she realised she would be seeing her boyfriend again in just moments. Although it had only been a couple of weeks since she’d last seen him, it felt like months. This was a new adventure for them and she couldn’t wait.

Tugging at her rucksack, she moved it closer to her feet, along with the large holdall that contained all she would need for this next chapter. A policeman sauntered past, clutching his walkie-talkie, his eyes darting around, as he half-listened to the drunk bloke who had befriended him talk intently about the weekend’s football scores. Glancing at her watch she started to feel slightly anxious. Where was he? They had arranged to meet twenty minutes before the train departed. There were now fifteen minutes to go. Tapping her foot against her bag, she scanned the concourse, but there was no sign of him. A flash of worry rippled through her. Were they definitely meeting here at the clock? Maybe it was the Hielanman’s Umbrella after all and she’d got her wires crossed. What if he was waiting round there for her and thinking the same thing? A few metres away stood an older lady, with soft white curls, who was dressed head to toe in purple tweed. Elizabeth caught her eye and smiled. Gesturing at her bags, she said, ‘Do you mind watching these for a minute please? I’m worried that my boyfriend is waiting somewhere else. I just want to run and check. Our train is due to leave soon.’

‘Of course dear,’ said the woman, moving closer to take up guard. ‘Off you go.’

Elizabeth ran as fast as she could, her eyes wildly scanning the crowds, looking for that familiar face she had fallen in love with. But when she reached the corner, hot and panting, he wasn’t there. She spun on her heels just in case he was coming in the opposite direction. Looking at her watch she saw she had ten minutes to get to the platform and onto the train. She couldn’t afford to miss it, and didn’t have time to go to a payphone to call. And would he be home to answer, if he was here? Think , she urged herself, think .

When they’d spoken briefly on the phone a few days ago, he hadn’t said anything that made her think he wasn’t going to come with her. She quickly replayed the conversations they’d had about this move to London. When she was offered the job, she’d urged him to come with her. He had initially been reluctant but then seemed to warm up to the idea — and then he’d seemed excited. Or so she thought. Maybe he’d had a change of heart? Perhaps she had completely misread the signs. Maybe he had changed his mind, or actually didn’t ever want to come and she hadn’t listened to him. She knew she was headstrong and sometimes only heard what she wanted to hear. She thought back to their conversation several weeks ago when she had started making her plans. ‘How about if you want to come . . . then I will wait at the clock for you,’ she said.

He had smiled lazily at her and leaned over to kiss her on the lips. ‘I will be there.’

‘But if you decide not to come that’s okay.’ She gave him a lingering kiss back.

At the time he hadn’t really responded to what she’d said, so she hadn’t given it much thought. Now, as she jogged back inside the station and to her bags, she realised that she had obviously got it all completely wrong. She wondered, had he ever wanted to come with her? Her cheeks flushed with exertion and utter mortification. How could she have been so stupid to think that he would give up everything for her? Thanking the woman in tweed profusely, she grabbed her bags.

‘Was he not there, dear?’ The woman’s tone was sympathetic.

Elizabeth muttered something about a mix up and she hoisted her rucksack on her shoulders. ‘Thanks anyway.’

The woman smiled kindly at Elizabeth.

‘The train for London Euston will depart from Platform One in five minutes. If you’re not intending to travel on this train, please will you now leave the carriage before the doors close.’

‘Bye,’ Elizabeth mumbled to the woman, turning and walking briskly to the platform, where she hovered outside her carriage.

‘Are you getting on, love?’ asked the conductor. ‘The doors are about to close any minute.’

Elizabeth desperately looked down the platform, willing him to appear and prove her wrong. But it was no use. There was no sign of him. She had to face facts. He wasn’t coming.

‘If you’re intending on getting this train, I will have to ask you to board now please,’ urged the conductor.

Elizabeth nodded. ‘I was just waiting for my friend and . . .’

‘Well if you don’t get on the train in the next second, you might well find yourself waiting on an empty platform. Looks like your friend isn’t coming.’ The conductor raised his eyebrows and made a tutting noise.

She climbed on board, struggling to heave her bag on, trying her best to not consider what this meant. Storing her luggage in the rack, she took a breath — stifling back the tears, she made her way to her seat, urging herself to be strong. As the train blasted its horn and pulled out of the station, she dabbed her eyes with a tissue. She had to accept that he wasn’t coming. They wanted different things and she had been too self-absorbed to realise. As she stared out the window, the train moved across the bridge, across the River Clyde and away from the sprawling city. Leaving Glasgow was what she wanted. She had always been determined to move to London, no matter what. This was her new start, and she now had to focus on making the absolute best of it — an exciting job in a city she’d always wanted to live. If he didn’t want to come then she would just have to go it alone. She just wished he had been honest with her from the start.