That only worked for a moment.
His arms caught her around the waist, and he pulled her back in. “I’m not sure we were quite finished,” he said as he lowered his mouth to hers, and she had to admit, his kiss was a whole lot nicer.
Chapter Ten
The bathtub remained unslept in, which actually suited Beth fine because she’d been soaking some curtains in it anyway. As she set a plate of muffins on the table and slid into her seat, Samuel smiled at her, and her heart gave another flip-flop. She supposed it had just been taking its time before.
“I’ve been thinking,” she said. “Sinead and Molly and Claire all have things going on in their lives right now, and I’d like to have some kind of additional cause as well. The house is clean, the mending is done, I have bread rising—I have quite a lot of time on my hands. What if I were to start up a ladies’ Bible study class of some sort? Do you think there would be an interest?”
Samuel nodded. “I think that’s a great idea, and I believe you’d handle a class well. As far as interest—well, you could post a flyer at the general store and see what happens.” Then he paused. “What’s Claire doing to keep herself busy these days? Aside from spoiling me and Nathaniel with lunches?”
Beth felt a chill run down her spine. She hadn’t meant to say that much—she couldn’t give her friend away. “That’s what I meant,” she replied, hoping lightning wouldn’t come down from the sky to zap her because of her lie. “She enjoys finding nice things for you to eat.”
“Well, I sure enjoy eating them, but eating here at home with you is a lot more fun.” He gave her a grin, then stood up from the table. “I’ve got to run. I’ll see you tonight.”
“See you,” she replied, then cleaned up the table and rinsed out her curtains and smoothed out the bed that was already smooth and was basically very bored for the next half hour. Then she contemplated how odd it was to hang curtains up to dry when she’d just be hanging them up again anyway.
“I’m going to drive myself nuts at this rate,” she muttered. She grabbed a piece of paper and sat down, determined to do something about her anxiety. She was worried about Sinead, she was worried about Claire, and she didn’t know if she ought to be worried about Molly, but why not? Everyone else was getting their fair share of attention—it would be a shame to leave Molly out. She sighed—it was time to get control of herself.
Using a fine-tipped pen and her best handwriting, she drew out a handbill that read, “Ladies’ Bible Study Group.” She hadn’t discussed a time or location with Samuel, but if she did it during the afternoons when he was gone, he shouldn’t have reason to object. “Thursday afternoons at three, Murray cabin.” She sat back and looked at it. Hmm. The lettering on the second line wasn’t quite centered, so she drew a little flower there to balance it out. But then it looked silly with just one flower, so she drew another. By the time she was done, she’d created quite a garden of flowers and curlicues and doodads, but the sign looked nice. She’d take it down to the store and see if she could post it.
She had just reached the front steps of the mercantile when she caught sight of the shopkeeper through the window, the one she’d been trying to avoid. Oh, dear. She’d given herself a reputation as being a drunkard, and now she wanted to advertise a Bible study to be held in her home and to be taught by none other than her. Could there be any worse contradiction?
She nearly kept walking. She didn’t need to put herself through that kind of humiliation. But then she caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. It was Rocky, watching her from the trees, and he gave a faint nod of his head. He’d told Claire no, but he was telling Beth yes. She laughed aloud. Was he trying to give them advice? Were reindeer the great mystics of the animal kingdom, ready to reveal all the secrets of the universe?
He did have a point, though—she should go for it. If she didn’t go inside, she’d be shy to enter the next time too, and she and Samuel could very well starve to death if she never bought groceries again. So she took a deep breath, climbed the porch stairs, and opened the door.
“Hello,” she said to the shopkeeper. “I wonder if you remember me. My name is Beth Murray.” She smiled brightly and held out her hand. She was going to tackle this problem head-on—there really was no other way.
“Yes, Mrs. Murray. I remember.” He accepted her hand, his tone wry.
“I’ve come to apologize for my disgraceful behavior the last time I saw you,” she said. “You see, I’d been given something to drink quite unexpectedly, and I’m not a drinker. I’ve never had a drop in my life. You unfortunately got to witness my introduction to the world of alcohol. I appreciate you for delivering me safely to my husband—you’re a true gentleman.”
As she hoped he would, the man puffed out his chest a little. “I was just doing what needed to be done,” he replied.
“I’m certainly glad you did. Can you imagine if I’d tried to leave on my own? I could have ended up floating in one of the hot springs!” All right, maybe that was a little melodramatic, but she needed him to forgive her bad behavior. “And I hope you don’t mind if I ask for yet another favor, but I wondered if you might be willing to post this in your store.” She handed him the flyer, and while he looked it over, she said, “Our very first meeting will be to decry and denounce the evils of liquor. I will use myself as a cautionary tale.”
He looked up from the page and smiled. “All right, Mrs. Murray. I’ll hang it right there between the castile soap and the whale oil.”
Two very unattractive products, but she wasn’t going to complain. “Thank you so much,” she told him. “This means a great deal to me.”
“It’s my pleasure,” he replied, and she left with a smile on her face. Thank goodness that he’d been willing to accept her apology. She didn’t know how she’d get into his good graces otherwise.
Now she just hoped she’d get some attention for her class. She needed something to do that would keep her mind off the accusations about her father—Miss Hazel was taking care of that, and there was really nothing more Beth could do, certainly not from nearly two thousand miles away. Claire was being headstrong, but hopefully not foolish. All Beth could do was put her trust in a higher power that everything was going to work out the way it should.
As she left the general store, she thought she heard voices coming from the next street over. She followed them and found Dr. Kinderhawk there, giving his same speech, and she was filled with fury. Her first instinct was to barge up there and cause a scene, but then she thought better of it. Maybe she was inspired by the fact that Claire was currently doing some undercover work of her own.
She went over to the Mountie station and asked Samuel to come with her. Then she went back to the street where she’d seen Kinderhawk and blended into the crowd.
“That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, pain relief can be yours in every bottle! Why, I’ve seen men cured of palsy, women cured of dropsy, and children cured of wetting the bed. No matter your ailment, I have a cure! You’ve come to the hot springs for your health, but your recovery isn’t complete without a hefty dose of Dr. Kinderhawk’s elixir. Don’t travel all this way for only half a cure—step right up and get yourself a bottle today!”
Beth raised her hand, and Dr. Kinderhawk spotted her. “Here’s one of my satisfied customers now! Young lady, would you come forward and tell these good people about your miraculous cure?”
“Of course!” Beth moved through the throng of listeners until she was next to the doctor. “The other day, I saw Dr. Kinderhawk’s presentation and was completely amazed. That’s right—I was completely amazed that one man could be so arrogant as to think he could fool all you good people.”
Kinderhawk had been smiling, but now his expression was frozen.
“He forced me to take a draught of his elixir, and it made me drunk for the rest of the day,” Beth continued.
“In that case, sign me up!” yelled one man from the back, and several others laughed.
“It�
��s all very well for an adult to get drunk knowing full well what they’re doing, but what of the damage being done to the children who are taking this?” Beth motioned at the bottles on display. “I smelled like a sailor—or at least, that’s what I’m told. I have to confess, I’ve never smelled a sailor for myself.” Another laugh went up in the crowd.
“What are you doing?” Kinderhawk hissed near her ear. “Get away from here at once.”
“You invited me to speak, so I’m speaking,” she said loudly enough for everyone to hear. “These elixirs will hurt you if you take them over a long period of time, but even if you don’t, they’re a waste of your hope and your money because they aren’t effective. You should be investing in real nutrition and real medication that will benefit you.”
“You must be friends with that Negro doctor woman who’s been giving me such a hard time,” Kinderhawk seethed.
“I am, in fact. And I’m married to that Mountie.” She motioned toward Samuel, who was approaching the stage. “Mountie, I’d like to press charges against this man for false advertising. And probably a few other things, too, once I’ve had the chance to consult with legal counsel.”
“I never took any money from you,” Kinderhawk protested, his eyes looking a bit wild. “How can you press charges when I didn’t harm you?”
“Oh, you harmed me all right. I consider throwing up in the bushes harm enough.” The audience laughed again, and Samuel had a smile on his face as he led Kinderhawk off. Beth felt good about that bit of progress, but she wasn’t quite done.
“Dr. Jenkins who worked up at the health institute is currently under investigation, and he ran away rather than facing charges. I encourage all of you to think very carefully about what sorts of medical advice you take in future. We all want to be cured, but we must understand that the body has its own ways and means, and sometimes we must be patient with them. In fact, maybe that’s why we’re called ‘patients’ when we’re sick.” She smiled, then stepped away from the makeshift stage. Hopefully she’d done a little good, and Kinderhawk would get the reward he deserved.
***
Beth and the other three brides gathered in the dining room at the hotel to have a celebratory lunch. They had so much to be grateful for. Eating out was a bit of a luxury, but if they wanted to see Sinead, they had to come to her—she was so busy at her new office, she could hardly sneak away.
“Three cheers to Sinead for taking on her twentieth new patient since arriving in town and ousting Dr. Jenkins,” Molly said, raising her water glass high. “May the citizens of Cougar Springs forever remember what you did for them.”
The other ladies joined in the toast. “I just wish Samuel had been able to do more than just throwing Dr. Kinderhawk out of town,” Beth said after placing her glass back on the table.
“It’s all right. The more shysters we can send packing, the better, regardless of how it happens,” Sinead said. “The important thing is that everyone will have access to qualified medical care—and midwifery,” she added, smiling at Molly.
“Do you like working with Dr. Porter?” Beth asked. Sinead had been so busy, they hadn’t seen much of her.
“I do, very much. He’s a professional—unlike some doctors we’ve seen in this place.”
Claire was being very quiet. Beth suspected it was sheer exhaustion keeping her from speaking. She’d been sewing at every possible moment. Not only was she making a dress for one of Roger Hastings’ daughters, but for the other one as well, and she had to do it on the sly so Nathaniel wouldn’t suspect anything. The ball was fast approaching, though, and that meant this would all be over soon. Claire would no longer be in danger, and maybe she’d get some rest.
Beth leaned forward and rested her hands on the table. “I’d like to invite all of you to attend my first Bible study class,” she said. “It’s on Thursday, so I know the chances of Sinead making it aren’t good, but I want you all to know you’re welcome.”
“Do you know if anyone else is coming?” Molly asked.
“I’ve had one lady tell me she was looking forward to it, but that’s all,” Beth replied. “If we only have a few come, I guess that means more leftover cake for Samuel, and he won’t mind.”
Everyone laughed. “So, who’s ready for the Christmas Ball this weekend?” Claire asked, finally contributing to the conversation.
They talked about dresses and different styles of dancing, sounding more like young girls preparing for their first party than married women. Beth loved hearing their laughter and their gaiety. Each of them had been through a few struggles to reach this point, and it was so nice hearing a bit of joy thrown into the mix.
When at last it was time for her to go home, she did so with a light heart, knowing for certain that Cougar Springs was her true home. Of course, Samuel might get transferred to a new post at some point down the road, but she wouldn’t worry about that. For just now, she’d be thankful for every moment she got.
Chapter Eleven
“And so we can see right here in the Bible that we’re cautioned not to be deceived by those who promise us miracles,” Beth said to the ladies gathered around her kitchen table. Four had shown up, Molly being one, and of all the surprises, Dr. Porter’s wife being another. Beth hadn’t meant to launch into a discussion about flimflammery, but the topic had come up, and one of the ladies wanted to know God’s word on the subject. “We must be careful in everything we do so we can be wise.” She glanced at the clock. “I believe that’s all the time we have for today, but if you can come again next week, we can go back to the chapter in Romans we were discussing originally and answer Gertie’s question about it.”
The ladies thanked her as they filed out of the house, and she turned to Molly as soon as the door closed. “Did that go all right?”
Molly laughed. “You did an excellent job. You asked thought-provoking questions, you welcomed comments, you considered all angles—you were born to do this sort of thing, Beth.”
“My father was an amazing student of the Bible. I can’t even guess how many hours a week he spent reading.” Beth sank back down into her chair. “It’s so hard to believe that he’s gone.”
“I guess his daughter was very much like him.” Molly put her hand on Beth’s shoulder. “Have you heard from Miss Hazel yet? Any idea why that awful Berry woman was spreading such horrible stories?”
“Not yet, but I expect to any day. Miss Hazel was mad enough to march all the way back to Ottawa from here if it would have gotten her there any faster.”
“I’m glad she’s on our side and not working against us,” Molly said. She stood up and smoothed down the front of her dress. “Are you all ready for the ball tomorrow?”
“I believe so, yes.” Beth still wanted to create a little something for her hair, but she’d worry about that later. Her brain was still buzzing after the Bible class, and she needed a moment to sit in the quiet.
After Molly left, Beth pulled in a deep breath and listened to the ticking of the clock, the only sound in the room. Then the silence was broken by the stomping of Mountie boots on the steps, and she smiled. That was a sound she’d never tire of hearing.
As soon as he opened the door, Samuel waved an envelope in the air. “I have a letter here for Mrs. Murray from a certain Miss Hazel Hughes.”
“What? Molly was just asking about this.” Beth leaped up, gave Samuel a quick kiss on the cheek, then took the envelope from him. She ripped it open eagerly, nearly tearing the letter itself and not just the envelope.
My dear Beth,
I’m sure you thought I was never going to write. It took me a little longer to get to the bottom of the situation because as it turns out, Esther Duesenberry never wrote that letter at all!
When I went to see her and told her what had happened, she was absolutely mortified. I had expected her to lie because really, who wouldn’t, but when I saw her face, I had to admit that she was telling the truth. No one could act that convincingly. Her face went all purple and he
r mouth opened and closed like a fish—it was quite entertaining.
We talked for several minutes, and she asked me to convey her deepest regrets that her name was attached to something so malicious. I did point out that she’d been unkind to you, and she apologized for that as well. I think she’s probably not a bad sort of woman—just one who is very used to getting her own way.
At any rate, we talked for quite a while, trying to figure out who would have sent the letter. It had to be someone who knew where you were going. Finally, Esther remembered that she’d told her son, George, about your departure and showed him the thank-you note you left, explaining where you had gone. Well, you’d better believe I marched to Mr. George Duesenberry’s loft and demanded to speak with him.
As it turns out, he was affronted by your rejection and decided to stir up some trouble. He’s a very spoiled young man who, like his mother, is used to getting his own way. Esther was horrified by what he’d done and asked me to convey her sincere regret that any relative of hers could be so dreadful. Or perhaps that’s not actually what she said, but I do have a bit of creative license in my own letters, don’t I?
So that mystery is solved, and you can rest assured that all is well. If I even whiff out a hint that any of his accusations about your father have been spread around, I’ll stamp it out like a fire.
Take care, my dear, and I hope you are well.
Beth looked up at Samuel, her eyes wet. “I can’t believe it,” she said.
“Are you all right?” He was at her side in an instant.
“These are happy tears. It was all a stupid joke.” She handed over the letter, and he read it to himself. When he finished, he chuckled.
“I’m sorry for his actions, but I can’t blame this George fellow for being disappointed at losing you,” he said. “Had you been courting long?”
“That’s the strangest part. He’d asked me to go walking a time or two, and that was it. I never made him any promises or even encouraged him.” Beth shook her head. She didn’t understand his motivation at all. But that was neither here nor there. She stood up and threw her arms around Samuel’s neck. “I’m just so glad it’s been resolved. My class went well today, this letter has put all my anxiety to rest, and tomorrow’s the ball. I think I’m very nearly happy.”
Bride for Samuel Page 6
