He must have heard something though, as she saw him stop and look around, before shrugging and continuing on his way. She was inching closer to him, though, ever so slowly. “Adam!” She called, and this time he stopped and turned, his eyes searching to find her. Finally he saw her, his eyes alighting on her as she struggled through the crowd. At first he stood motionless, as if in shock upon seeing her, but then he began to move.
“Rachel!” he called out, making his way toward her with much more success.
They reached one another, but stopped as they stood inches apart, taking in each other, unsure of what to say, what to do.
“Are you—?”
“How did—?”
They both spoke at the same time, and Rachel longed to launch herself into his arms and kiss him as she remembered.
“Adam,” she said instead, breaking the silence between them as the noise of the station disappeared and the world seemed to now be composed of only the two of them. “What are you doing here?”
“I came for you,” he said simply, and with that she did what she had so badly longed to do, jumping from the ground into his arms. As he caught her in his strong embrace and held her tightly, he brought his lips down to hers, kissing her with such passion, such promise, that no words in the moment were necessary. He finally set her down on her feet, but kept her close to him, his forehead resting against hers. She couldn’t help the smile that broke out over her face. She could hardly believe he was here, that this was real, that he had forgiven all that had happened to seemingly want her anyway.
“Adam,” she said finally, “I’m so sorry for what my father did to you. He stole your work –your design – and that is unforgivable.”
“That is not your fault,” he said, brushing her cheek with his fingertips.
“I know,” she said, nodding her head slowly. “That is true. However, I was not fair to you, agreeing to marry you, to return to the Highlands with you, and then so quickly turning my back when my father disapproved. It is hardly any wonder that you thought me to be a part of his scheme.”
“That was wrong of me,” he said. “I know you better than that. I know your loyalty. I should have understood why you made the choice you did to follow your father’s wishes of marriage, but that you were not part of the plan to lure me to London. You are far too trusting, far too good a person to ever do anything so deceitful. Forgive me?”
“Of course,” she said. “Always.”
“I should never have left you,” he said, cupping her face in his hands. “I should have fought for you.”
“You’re here now,” she said with a smile. “That’s what matters.”
“Rachel,” he said slowly, and her eyes widened as he dropped to his knees in front of her, on the dirty stone floor of the station. “I told you before I cared for you, that I wanted ye for my wife. But what I didn’t tell you was that I love you. I love you with all my heart, and promise to forever be there for you, providing you all that you would ever want and all ye could ever need. Will you marry me? No matter what happens, I promise to love you for the rest of my days, but I wish to do so not from afar but with you by my side.”
“Oh, Adam!” she said, tears beginning to form in her eyes. “I love you too, with all of my heart and all that I am. Of course I will marry you.”
She gave out a choked cry that was part laugh, part sob, and he rose and gathered her in his arms.
“Do you not want to get away from all of the people?” she asked, realizing that they could not have found a busier place in likely all of London to be standing in. She looked around, suddenly embarrassed when she saw all the people staring at them, though many wore smiles on their faces.
“When you are with me, I see no one else,” he said, and she felt the blood rushing to her face at his words.
“And what has brought you to the train station?” he asked suddenly, not letting go of her hands.
“Oh! I was coming to you,” she said, looking at the clock in the corner of the station, realizing the train was to leave in but minutes. “Should we go back? I realize you just disembarked, but… well, I will explain, but perhaps now is not the time to return to my father’s house.”
“Is that what you’d like?” he asked. “Do ye truly wish to return to the Highlands with me?”
“Well, of course,” she said with a laugh. “I just agreed to marry you, did I not?”
“You did,” he said. “But if you would rather stay here, if you feel London is the only place you can make home, then I will stay here with you.”
“No,” she said adamantly with a shake of her head. “You belong in the Highlands, and I belong at your side. There is nothing and no one holding me here, while you have an entire family at home in the Highlands, a family who I know will welcome me, as they did for those few days I stayed with you. I would love nothing better than to return with you. The question is, when? We have but moments to purchase you a return ticket and be on our way.”
“We shouldna waste any more time then, should we?”
He picked up his old, battered bag as they raced toward the ticket counter and purchased his ticket just shortly before the close of the window for the journey. She led
