by Ellie Hall
They both got to their feet at the same time but the train jerked. He bumped into her and gripped her waist to steady them both. The heat of her skin hummed beneath his fingers. It radiated off her despite the frigid northern air.
They stood there, frozen.
They were a whisper apart.
Her lips were so close to his.
All he had to do was lean down.
Their eyes met and he held the question in them. Could he kiss the queen-to-be? Her eyes danced over his features as though avoiding answering or perhaps trying to suggest a place to land. Politely on the cheek? Gently on the forehead? Perhaps the neck. It’d been a while since he’d been this close and he’d never felt this strongly about a woman. It’d been building but came over him like a wave then. He wanted her. There was no use in denying it any longer.
“About that tea?” she asked at last.
“It’s top secret. If I told you I’d have to kiss you.” The word slipped out of his mouth and he felt his cheeks heat. They stared at each other for a long time as though asking what happens next?
Desire hung in the air between them. They were alone. They were to be married. Surely, she felt the same way.
Again, the train shifted abruptly and they both tilted before straightening. “I suppose we should sit until we pass this rough patch,” Oliver said sensibly.
“It seems so quiet,” she said, gazing out the window. “And still.” Her voice was low.
When he answered, his was rough. “After spending so much time in London, I’d say you’re right, but probably not for long, at least not at first when we arrive.”
“Um, this might sound like an odd question, but what’s expected of me? I mean, what do I do? How does this work?”
Kiss me. Let me kiss you.
He cleared his throat. “Be yourself.”
“I’m not cut out for queen.”
“Queen Beatriz has the utmost faith in you,” Oliver said assuringly. His first duty as king was to make Penelope, his queen, feel like one: confident, beautiful, capable… But since the ball, she seemed preoccupied. “Is something on your mind?” he asked.
Before she could answer, the train car jolted.
Her eyes widened.
“Probably just some ice on the track,” he said. “I imagine we’ll have to slow down.” He didn’t mind how long the trip took since they were together, alone.
The car lurched again and he instinctively reached for Penelope’s hand and drew her closer. Close enough to kiss. She tilted her chin up. Their eyes met. Hers sparkled like sunlight on snow. Like gold, warming him through. His pulse increased, making his heart feel like it was going to jump out of his chest.
He dipped his head. He couldn’t fight the feeling off. He had to ask her. “Penelope, can I—”
The train jerked severely. He reached for her. The world fell from beneath them but his lips weren’t on hers even though he held her tight. They were careening, falling, tipping over and sideways and upside down. He gripped the rail, pressing her against the wall of the train to keep from bouncing from wall to wall like jelly beans in a jar.
The world was white. They were weightless before landing hard on the solid ground as the train crashed into a ravine.
Chapter 17
Penny
Penny blinked her eyes and once more, Oliver hovered over her, much like when she’d passed out during the ball. This time though her thoughts weren’t foggy or confused. Something terrible happened and by the way the air was sucked out of her lungs and the concern on Oliver’s face it was bad. Really bad.
“Penelope? Penelope, thank God.” He dropped his head to her chest, hugging her close. “I thought maybe you’d hit your head and were in a coma.”
“What happened?” she muttered as she came to.
“I’m not sure, actually.” The concern etched into his features confirmed how bad she sensed it was.
She started to sit up but he put his hand on her shoulder. “Hold on, go slow.” He eased her to sitting and she took in her surroundings. Out the window it was white but the window was where the ceiling should have been. The train was luxurious but she didn’t recall it having a skylight.
“Our carriage somehow disengaged from the rest and I think we fell into a ravine.”
Penny recalled the sudden floating sensation, then plummeting and how it happened so fast. Fear chilled her veins.
“Are you hurt? Can you move your legs?”
She wiggled her toes and then legs, moving cautiously. Her entire body ached. Oliver had a scratch on his forehead and another on his cheek. His sleeve was torn and she sensed the adrenaline coursing through his body.
“I feel some bruises and I have a bump—” She brought her hand to the lower side of her head. Then remembered how he’d held her, cradled her as he gripped the rail on the wall, letting his body absorb the blows as they toppled from the tracks.
Their eyes met and he exhaled with relief. He gently gripped the edge of her jaw. “I’m so sorry. I’ve taken this train hundreds of times in all weather. We’ll get out of here and find out what happened.”
“It’s not your fault. I—” But the air was light in her lungs and she could say no more as shock caught up with her.
Oliver must’ve recognized as much because he bundled her up in blankets and offered her a sip of water. “I tried my phone but it’s dead.”
Her phone had been in her bag under the seat. Everything in the train car that wasn’t bolted down laid in disarray. “I’m not sure where mine is.”
“Stay here for a moment and I’ll go evaluate the situation outside.”
Oliver struggled with the door at the end of the train car before it opened, letting in a gust of cold air.
Despite the blankets, Penny shivered.
She had to find her phone so she got up and scrambled through the loose items: decorative pillows, a newspaper, pillows, broken teacups. The curtains were torn from the window and hung loose, billowing sadly in the cold air. Glass was smashed and crunched under her feet. She found her bag buried under a bookshelf. The screen on her phone was broken. It was still powered on but there was no signal. The image of a cute puppy from the animal shelter smiled back at her. Warmth and determination surged through her. The light brown fur, the whiskers, and the single, floppy ear gave her something hopeful and purposeful to cling to. She whispered, “If I survive this, I will find you a good home.”
But she didn’t want to be alone so she got to her feet, feeling the full force of the accident in every inch of her body.
She peered through the window of the train door first. Everything was white but she caught sight of Oliver’s blue jacket against the blank canvas. She stepped into the snow, glad she’d worn the boots she’d arrived in London wearing. Oliver disappeared over what appeared to be a small hill and Penny followed his tracks in the snow. The wind made the blanket flap around her and as she looked up and up some more, she saw they were in a deep ravine. She wished she could somehow fly them to safety.
A scratching sound came from the other side of the hill then Oliver appeared. “You should wait in the rail car. It’s safer.”
She knew he meant well but she was shaken, afraid to be alone right then. “Where are we?” she asked.
“Come on, you’re shivering,” he said, leading her back to the train.
When they got inside, he blew into his hands to thaw them. After a few minutes, he looked outside then to her. His brow was one big wrinkle. “I have a rough idea where we are given where we were located when we fell. As far as I can tell, our car is located on solid ground, but the caboose of the train is half buried in the snow. I’m going to try to at least get to the door to see if there are any survivors. I wasn’t paying attention but I don’t think anyone went back there.”
“I’m not sure either.” She pulled her blanket tighter. “Do you know what happened?”
He tucked his hands under his arms to warm them. “I think an avalanche separated our
car and the caboose from the rest of the train. Routine controlled avalanches are conducted throughout the winter season, however, this one might have been natural, unforeseen.” He wiped his brow. “I just hope everyone else is okay.”
It was clear he felt responsible for all of the people on the train—they were his people and he was to be their king.
“Addie,” Penny said. “My lady’s maid.”
“And dozens of others.”
“If they’re okay will they come looking for us?”
“Of course. The royal guard and rescue from both countries will search since there were citizens of both nations onboard.”
The wind whipped outside the window, reminding them it was nearly dusk and how vulnerable they were.
“I’m going to check the caboose. While I’m gone, I’d like you to stay here and find anything you can to assist our survival: food, water, matches, blankets. Just in case.”
As he exited into the frigid weather, the words just in case hung in the air.
She stumbled through the rail car, on its side, trying to salvage items that could be useful. She found several bottles of water and a box of tea. She gathered the blankets from the secondary compartment, along with pillows and a Bible.
Next, she sifted through the heap of broken wood, the books, and other items that had come loose during the fall. Throughout, her body screamed in pain, begging her to stop, to rest, but she pushed herself to shift heavy things aside and found a bevy of crackers, cookies, and other packaged treats.
But that was all. She paused by the door, searching for Oliver, but it had started snowing and what little light available from the sun that far north had already started to dip behind the mountains.
She jogged in place to warm up but a shooting pain ran from her low back down her leg. She arranged the pillows and cushions into something resembling a place for the two of them to sit, since the chairs they’d been comfortably sitting in before the accident were attached to what was now the wall of the carriage after it had landed on its side.
Minutes later, Oliver blustered in. His cheeks were red from exertion. “The good news is there must not have been anyone else in the caboose. The bad news is I didn’t find any food, water, or way to make fire. He gazed to the sky. I could’ve sworn there were emergency flares in there.”
“I found water and some cookies.”
“Of course, you did,” he said, smiling. “I bet they’re not as good as the cookies you baked though.” There was a measure of affection in his voice and it brought her a bit of relief.
She passed him a package. “It’s against my better nature but we should probably ration these cookies.”
He nodded. “I should’ve eaten more at brunch.”
She’d hardly had a thing to eat but her appetite was dull due to the dire situation.
They nibbled on their cookies and the rail car grew gradually darker.
“We should get comfortable now before we lose light.” He pulled several of the blankets closer.
“I found my phone. It still works but I don’t have service. I tried the emergency call but nothing.” She clicked it on and demonstrated.
“No surprise since we’re so remote but let’s conserve it just in case.”
There were those words again. She knew he was being cautious but they sent shivers through her that had little to do with the cold.
He edged closer as though sensing the impact of his comment. “I’m sorry, Penelope. About all of this.”
“It was an accident. I’m glad we’re both alive.”
“Me too.” He drew a deep breath. “I take a survival course every year. Part of my training as a prince.”
“Like Boy Scouts?” she asked.
He chuckled. “Not quite. We had several Scout Packs visit us one year from overseas and they demonstrated their skills. No, this is a few notches up. Mostly it was intended to help me if I was ever abducted, but it also covered being lost in the wilderness among other places. I also learned to sew, know thirty ways to tie a knot, and I can build and shoot a slingshot.” He winked at her.
“Good. This was my favorite pair of pants and now they’re torn. You can sew them up for me.”
“Gladly.” He snorted a laugh. “What’s most important at this stage and with the temperature dropping is that we stay warm.”
He nudged even closer and she knew what he meant at the same time as she welcomed the warmth he generated.
“We’ll need to keep close and use all the blankets for insulation.”
They heaped the blankets over them. Penelope was curled up in a ball. Oliver pulled the blankets over their heads, leaving a small hole for ventilation.
He clicked on her phone, illuminating them both in soft, blue light. “You okay?”
“Well, I’ve been better. I thought the trip was supposed to be smooth sailing.” She didn’t mean it as a dig, more as a joke, but Oliver flinched.
“I know. I feel terrible. Responsible. I promise I will get you out of this mess.” He extended his arm, drawing her closer.
She let him, welcomed his strong arms around her. She felt small in his embrace yet protected. Nonetheless, in the passing silence, Penny felt her jaw tremble and her eyes water. She didn’t want to cry, but tears tracked down her cheeks. She sniffled.
Oliver gripped her tighter. “It’s going to be okay,” he whispered.
In the darkness, his fingertips found her cheeks and wiped away her tears. Despite the awful situation, his calm and protective presence calmed her and he was warm. A human furnace if there was ever such a thing. She nuzzled closer.
“We should try to sleep.”
The wind howled, beating against the thin walls of the train. Penny’s thoughts squalled with worst-case scenarios: them being buried in another avalanche, never being found, freezing to death… She burrowed closer to Oliver for warmth and comfort. She picked up his woodsy scent and breathed him in. She felt his heartbeat, a steady thrum against what felt like chaos in her mind. Then her thoughts took a turn. If and when they were rescued, her image would likely be plastered all over the news and everyone would know her true identity. Not that it mattered much at that point, but she already felt dreadful over the situation, she didn’t want the entire world to know—the public would probably think the accident served her right for the lie she’d lived.
“You still awake?” he asked after a while.
She nodded.
“Wiggle your fingers and toes every few minutes for circulation. And—” He hesitated. “And tell me how do you make the number sixty-six bigger without doing any maths?”
If they weren’t huddled under a mass of blankets and smooshed together Oliver would’ve seen Penny’s eyebrows creased.
“It’s a distraction,” he explained. “Something to occupy your mind in case you’re worrying.”
“How’d you know I was worrying?” she asked.
“I had a hunch. So, do you know the answer?” he asked.
“Um…”
“Flip sixty-six over and you get ninety-nine.”
She shoved him with her shoulder. “That was cheesy.”
“Golly, you mustn’t talk about cheese right now.”
“Why not?”
“I could go for a cheese toasty.” He groaned.
“What’s that?” She meant the food, but the low noise had sent warmth shooting through her low belly.
“Like a grilled cheese sandwich. Thick, doughy homemade bread, slathered in butter and crisped to perfection plus melted provolone, cheddar, and swiss on the inside.” She could practically hear the drool in his voice.
“That does sound delicious.”
“My favorite nanny, Eloise, would have them made for me when I wasn’t feeling well.”
“Do you not feel well?” Her mind spiraled to anything happening to Oliver. In this situation, she depended on him. The harshest winter environment she’d ever had to survive were a few blizzards that kept New Yorkers in for a day. Once the
power had gone out, but it gave her a good excuse to spend the better part of a day in bed reading.
“No, I feel fine; it’s just a form of comfort, I suppose, a craving.”
“I could go for some cookies.”
“I think I can reach them if you’d like another.”
“No, I mean my grandmother’s recipe.”
“Really? I never knew she baked.”
At the slip of the tongue, Penny fell silent.
“How about this one, there is something you own that other people use far more often than you do. What is it?” Oliver asked.
Penny thought for a moment. “Um, not my toothbrush, or any of my clothing, hmmm.”
“Want a hint?”
“Sure.”
“It’s something you inherited from your grandmother.”
Penny’s stomach sank because she knew very little about her alleged grandmother and didn’t want to put her foot in her mouth by saying the wrong thing. “I give up.”
“Your name. You were named after your grandmother Penelope.”
She laughed nervously.
“Okay, last one. How do mornings and evenings end?” Oliver asked.
Penny got the gist of how the brain teasers worked and hardly gave it a thought. “They end with the letter G.”
“You got it right. And they both end with us being rescued.” He squeezed her tight.
Her heart still raced at his touch, lighting up her skin, drawing her lips into a smile. She felt steadied, assured. Sandwiched between his arms the future didn’t seem quite so bleak.
Chapter 18
Oliver
The morning dawned cold and bright but it had stopped snowing. The sun barely touched the far north locale. Oliver had spent much of the night reviewing the survival techniques he’d learned and options if the rescue teams didn’t appear. He determined they’d search the other rail car more thoroughly for supplies.
He hugged Penelope close and wouldn’t let anything else happen to her. It was bad enough their train crashed.
For the next couple of hours, he did as many word puzzles as he could to keep away the memory of that sudden weightlessness as the train left the track, how he’d clung to Penelope to keep her from banging around the compartment like the books, bags, and their belongings. He transcribed Latin verses, had a mental conversation with one of his schoolmates in French, and rehearsed chess moves—anything to keep him from thinking of that freefall and what could’ve happened. What had happened to his parents on a different train on a different continent and how they didn’t make it.
