A Romantic Train Ride - Part Two By English Author SD HUDSON

This is the second episode of a romantic sleep story written by S D HUDSON. Allow the soothing voice of Stephanie Hudson to guide you to a calm relaxing sleep. Join her on this journey into a new Scottish town, when our leading lady battles the snowy blizzards to attend an interview that takes an unexpected turn...

Transcript

Hello,

This is Stephanie Hudson.

Welcome to part two of my first ever romantic sleep story.

This sleep story will guide you into a night of calm and restful sleep where you can relax using my voice to guide you.

Come with me and meet the star of our story with long auburn hair and dark grey eyes.

Rebecca Tregoren was considered in her town to be quite something to look at.

Not that that mattered to her.

She was more interested in helping out at the local church or looking after the young children at Sunday school.

When we first met her she had boarded a train from her small hometown in order to find work and she was traveling through the Scottish countryside overlooked by a broad mountain range and a canopy of dark cloud waiting to shed this snowy load upon the long track cutting through the moorland ahead.

But before we begin let's take a moment to find comfort and peace where we are now.

As you close your eyes relax into the support beneath you.

Feel your warm covers that protect your body and know that you are safe.

Take a deep full breath in through your nose and let it out on a long sigh.

That's it.

It is time to relax and fully let go.

Sink deepest still into the support beneath you as your soft pillow cradles your head.

It's been a long day and now it is time to relax.

Here and now is the time to care for yourself.

There is no rush,

No expectation,

Just the need to be kind to yourself as you listen to this calm sleep story.

And we're back with Rebecca.

Rebecca was a shy girl although it hadn't always been that way.

The handsome man sitting across from her could testify to that.

She had teased him ruthlessly when they were children.

Then years later when she was old enough to know better he left town with his family before she had a chance to say she was sorry.

It had been about an hour since they had last spoken.

He had laughed at her and seemed to enjoy her discomfort in seeing him again.

So she decided to stay silent rather than make an even bigger fool of herself.

The snow fell hard and all at once a telling shriek came from the track below and Rebecca sighed with relief.

Within minutes she will be able to leave and she would never have to be humiliated like that again.

I'll take that from you dearie,

Said a sweet voice from down the carriage and Rebecca sat up straight cup and saucer in hand.

The train jolted to a halt and Rebecca stood up reluctantly.

The last thing she wanted to do was face Jake Fairmore,

The once toothless youth who had grown into a tall,

Dark,

Handsome mountain of a man sitting across from her in the carriage.

But to Rebecca's great surprise Jake left without so much as a goodbye having draped his long wool coat over his broad shoulders as he ventured out into the snow.

She watched him walk away through a soft flurry that dazzled in the light of the station lamps.

It was bitter outside and she knew she must prepare for what was to come.

The next day dawned cold and bright.

The piercing sunlight woke Rebecca from her restless slumber.

The room she stayed in was nice enough.

She'd been lucky to secure a place in the town hall at such short notice so she should be grateful for that.

But this wasn't home,

This was a new place and she was finding it hard to come to terms with walking away from all that she loved.

She looked out over the snow-capped skyline and felt a pang of regret.

Why didn't she just say sorry the night before and be done with it?

Jake deserved that,

Didn't he?

She'd been the one in the wrong after all and he was owed a little revenge.

When all was said and done,

Taking a laugh at her expense was much kinder than what she'd done to him all those years ago.

It was only after her father died Rebecca realized how much she had taken for granted in life.

She had been arrogant and stubborn and had refused to acknowledge the feelings of others.

But suffering such a huge loss made her rethink the person she was and the person she wanted to be.

Hadn't she promised her mother she would turn over a new leaf?

Heaven knows she'd spent the last five years trying to make up for the spoiled young girl she was.

But she still hadn't managed to do the right thing on the train and say sorry to the young man she'd hurt all those years ago.

What kind of a person did that?

No,

She must stop thinking like this.

She had an interview to get to and time was running out.

It was now a quarter to ten and the waiting room Rebecca found herself in was luxurious to say the least.

This office block was more prestigious than anything she'd ever seen in her hometown.

With leather clad sofas and highly polished table tops,

This place was beyond anything she would have expected from a business that prided itself on its charity work.

Rebecca straightened her skirt in a vain attempt to look as if she hadn't weathered a snow blizzard just to get there.

But she had and it showed.

She was late.

Unlike the other girls lined up perfectly in their best suits with their best makeup intact,

Rebecca was a walking disaster and the receptionist appeared to find it very amusing.

Rebecca Tregoren,

She called with a supercilious look on her face.

This way please.

She led the startled and somewhat ill-prepared Rebecca into a bright and airy room overlooking the snow-covered town square.

And as the heavy wooden doors clicked shut behind her,

Rebecca sighed.

She could have kicked herself.

This room overlooked everything she wanted to forget.

Whoever worked in this office would have seen the fool she'd just made of herself when she tripped up the steps and landed in a heap in the freshly fallen snow.

Perhaps she was not cut out for this new life,

But she had no choice.

Her mother was getting older and she must provide for her come what may.

So she sat down,

Frantically tugging at her bedraggled hair and tried to straighten herself up and make herself presentable for the interview ahead.

Then,

To her horror,

From behind a distant door came the last voice she expected to hear.

This won't take long,

It said.

Rebecca froze.

Surely this couldn't be happening.

It was some kind of a joke.

That was the voice of Jake Fairmore and it sounded like he had written her off already.

Rebecca panicked and got up to leave.

She must escape before he saw the mess that she had become.

But to her dismay,

There was a huge wet patch where she'd been sitting.

Rebecca was mortified.

How could she possibly maintain the upper hand when her skirt was soaked and dark streaks of mascara ran down her face?

Well,

Well,

We meet again.

And all at once he was there,

Standing behind the desk and looking at the bedraggled creature in front of him.

Rebecca froze,

Her hand gripped tight to the chrome doorknob.

She had her back to him and he could see the wet patch seeping across the back of her skirt.

Going somewhere?

Rebecca sighed.

It would be so easy.

She could just turn the handle and never have to see him again.

But she was a proud person and she'd promised her father on his deathbed she would try and be the best version of herself.

Come what may.

She turned reluctantly,

Determination seeping through the black smudges on her face.

Okay,

Have your laugh Jake,

You've earned it.

But to her surprise,

Jake Fairmore didn't laugh at all.

Suddenly a fierce defiance shot into her chest.

The same defiance she had been known for as a child.

Her mother said her red hair had a lot to answer for.

And she was right.

Who did Jake think he was anyway?

Why didn't he just laugh like any normal self respecting person?

Heaven knows she deserved it.

Sit down.

His voice was low and serious.

He meant business.

Rebecca's expression dropped.

You are here for an interview,

Aren't you?

Said Jake.

Then sit down.

So Rebecca did as she was told.

For what else would she do in the circumstances?

Do you have a copy of your CV?

He demanded.

And Rebecca reached into her bag without thinking.

This was surreal.

It was as if they had never met.

Usually that would be a blessing in this situation.

And yet somewhere deep inside her,

She needed him to acknowledge who she was and what she had once meant to him.

Jake studied the papers for some time,

His face expressionless.

And try as she might,

Rebecca just couldn't read what he was thinking.

She looked back down into her hands.

They were shaking.

This was ridiculous.

She must get a grip of herself.

And all at once,

When she was reaching the point where she could bear it no more,

Jake Fairmore placed her CV on his desk,

Stood up,

Pushing his chair aside and said,

Yes,

I've seen enough.

Come back tomorrow,

Rebecca.

But this time,

Don't be late.

Reviews

This is absolutely amazing 🤩 I love your calming voice and the plot twists!

Such a enchanting story full of new adventures and intriguing moments, I relaxed and drifted off to sleep with ease. Thank you. 💐

Find your voice soothing, puts me into a wonderful slumber..
Mahalos🤙🏽

I love the story. And your voice is my favourite! Thank you.
Looking forward to the next part💫