by Cassie Hayes
“Where’s it at, sir?” the man asked.
Without a second’s hesitation, Colton pointed to the shell on the right. He already knew how he’d spend his winnings — a small bouquet of flowers for his bride. The very thought clenched his gut with anxiety and hope. The man flicked over the shell and Colton’s shoulders drooped with disappointment and confusion. He’d been so sure…
“Aw, you picked the wrong one,” the man said, pushing the other two shells forward. “Just ten cents for another guess.”
Colton dug into his pocket, ready to pick the center shell — it just had to be under the center shell — when a hand landed on his shoulder. Fear filled the eyes of the shell man, and before Colton could pull the money out, the man was gone, sprinting down the street, then darting behind a building.
“Constable Leeds, are you always this gullible?”
Colton turned to face Malcom Wilson, the commanding officer of their newly formed squad. “What do you mean?”
Malcolm shook his head and herded Colton down the street. “That chap was a swindler, Colton. The pea was hidden in his hand the entire time. It’s called sleight of hand, and he just suckered you out of your hard-earned money.”
Colton frowned, his confusion fading and anger growing inside him. “You mean he cheated me? On purpose? Why would he do something like that?”
“Where are you from again?”
“Randolph, New Brunswick,” Colton said proudly.
“Let me guess, a small town where everyone is noble and honorable?”
“Of course!” As if there was any other option.
“Listen, Colton, you’re going to have to learn how to spot a liar. We see lots of them as Mounties, and we can’t have one of our own getting cheated at a silly shell game by a confidence man.”
They’d learned about confidence men during training, but Colton had assumed they’d be few and far between. He certainly hadn’t expected to meet one right off the bat, before he even made it to his first posting. Now he felt like he should be wearing a dunce cap and sitting in a corner.
Malcolm must have noticed the flush creeping up Colton’s cheeks, because he patted the younger man’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about it, kid. You’ll learn how to spot a liar and a cheat quickly enough. I’m sure you’ll never play another game of chance on the street again, will you?”
“No, sir!” All he’d ever wanted was to be the best Mountie he could be, and that meant learning everything he could from the more experienced men. “Can you teach me? How to spot a liar? No one ever lied where I come from.”
Malcolm snorted, almost as if he didn’t believe Colton, and hid a smile behind his hand. Colton wasn’t sure whether he should be offended or amused that Malcolm was so cynical that he couldn’t believe most people — at least most people in Randolph — were honest and true.
“Sure, I’ll teach you a thing or two. The first thing to look for is eye contact. If someone isn’t looking you in the eye, they might be hiding something. They also look down a lot, at the ground, their hands, the tips of their shoes. You can catch someone in a lie just by the way they look at you — or don’t, as the case may be.”
Colton filed the information away for future use. “That’s useful. I suppose I’d use it a fair bit in a big city like this, but what about in our new posting?”
“Oh, we’ll have a whole different set of problems in Reindeer Rock. It’s so remote and small, it’ll make Randolph look like the big city. The people there probably aren’t nearly as ‘honest and true’ as the folks from your home town, so I’m sure you’ll get the chance to practice your new skills at some point or another.”
“What kind of problems, do you think?”
“From what I understand, pretty minor stuff, such as fur traders trying to cheat the Indians, or worse, sell them alcohol. But nothing like murders and the like. Mostly we’ll be making sure everyone plays nice instead of rigidly enforcing the law.”
“Wait, we won’t enforce the law?” Colton asked, totally puzzled.
“Of course we will, but our role in the more remote areas of Canada is to protect the people, rather than arrest criminals. That takes priority over following the letter of the law.”
This made no sense to Colton, who’d been raised to believe in right and wrong. There was nothing in between. One grew up following the law, no matter what. Or else.
“Besides,” Malcolm continued, “there are far scarier things than a scuffle between French trappers.”
This piqued Colton’s curiosity. “Such as?”
“Blizzards, for one. We’re heading to the middle of Ontario in the dead of winter. It’s a safe bet we’ll see some cold weather, colder than you’ve probably ever experienced. Hope you have some warm clothes.”
In fact, Colton’s mother had loaded him down with a pile of hand-knitted mittens, scarves, hats and sweaters, once she’d learned where he was being stationed for his first assignment. He had enough to share with his new teammates, as well as his future wife. His stomach lurched again, just thinking about her and what she might be like.
“I dunno,” he said, swallowing hard. “I think where we’re going now is scariest of all.”
Malcolm chuckled, but didn’t disagree. “Nervous, huh? But I thought you wanted a wife to take with you.”
“I do, it’s just…” He shot Malcolm a sideways glance, wondering if he should admit his true feelings. If he couldn’t trust his fellow Mounties — and everyone else in the world were apparently big, fat liars — who could he trust? “I never had a girlfriend back home, and now I’m on my way to marry a gal I don’t even know.”
“Having second thoughts?” Malcolm sounded almost relieved.
“No! I want a family like my own more than anything. A kind and gentle wife who’s a good helpmate for me. Naturally, she should be a good cook and housekeeper.”
“Children?
“Three,” Colton said without hesitation. “Maybe four, if she wants. I grew up with a brother and sister, and we were the best of friends. I also hope she has a good sense of adventure, since we’ll be moving around a bit when I get reassigned.”
“I think we’re all hoping for that,” Malcolm said.
His tone left Colton wondering if he hoped for a bride at all. The rest of them had rather talked him into this crazy plan of marrying women they’d never met before heading up to Reindeer Rock. Hopefully Miss Hazel knew what she was doing in the matchmaking department.
They met up with the other two members of their squad — Calvin Montrose and Robert Barret — standing in front of a big, beautiful old house. Suddenly, Colton was drenched in sweat, even though there was snow on the ground and a chill in the air. This was it, the moment he’d been dreaming about and dreading. The door swung open and a portly older woman hurried out to greet them.
“Welcome, gentlemen! I’m Hazel Hughes, but everyone calls me Miss Hazel. Are you ready to meet your brides?”
Each man answered in turn, leaving Colton last.
“Yes.”
“You bet.”
“Sure.”
“Um…”
Chapter 2
Gemma had been hiding out at Miss Hazel’s for about week — training to become a wife and failing miserably — since she’d ditched her mother, and finally the day had come. She had to decide whether to go through with this absurd plan to marry a Mountie, the very picture of law and order, or high-tail it out of there. Before the thought had even fully formed, Gemma dismissed it. The minute Bronwen found her daughter again, she would undoubtedly keep her word and deliver Gemma to the police on a silver platter, even if it meant jail time for herself. No, this was Gemma’s only choice if she wanted a chance at a normal life.
If only she didn’t feel so guilty. She had no intention of staying married to the poor, unsuspecting Mountie she was about to bamboozle, but this was the only way she could be certain to escape her mother’s clutches. Gemma was destined for more than marrying a man she didn’t k
now. After a lifetime of heartache, she deserved to marry a man she loved — far from the conniving eyes of Bronwen. She just had to flimflam one more person, then she would never tell another lie for as long as she lived.
The door to the library cracked open and Miss Hazel poked her head in. “Are you ready, dear?”
Miss Hazel had assigned her charges to separate rooms where the young women would wait to meet each of the Mounties in turn. Apparently, Miss Hazel usually escorted her brides to their new home, but since the Mounties in question were stopping in Ottawa on their way to the middle of nowhere, she’d arranged this round robin.
Gemma plastered her most convincing smile on her face and gave her hostess her most enthusiastic, “Yes!”
The door swung open wide and a tall man in bright red serge and tall black boots stepped into the room. He was older than Gemma by about a decade, if she wasn’t mistaken. His air of confidence hinted he was an officer — clearly a man who had lots of experience dealing with the likes of her. His keen eyes scanned the room, taking in every detail until they landed on her. A cold chill ran up her spine in warning.
Gemma knew before Miss Hazel introduced them that she’d have to do everything in her power to make herself unappealing to this man. He saw too much, and as her mother had told her on so many occasions, she was a terrible liar, at least compared to Bronwen. He’d see through her sham quickly, so she couldn’t waste time. If her plan was to succeed, she’d have to convince him she wasn’t the bride for him while not raising any suspicions in his mind.
“How do you do, Miss Spurling,” Commander Wilson said, maintaining eye contact with her as he took her limp hand in his.
Gemma knew she shouldn’t look away — her mother had drilled it into her to always look the mark in the eye — but her sense of guilt and the fear chilling her skin wouldn’t allow it. Instead, she giggled as she dropped her gaze to their hands, willing a blush to her cheeks.
“Pleasure, sir,” she said in her softest little-girl voice, then she curtsied, as a child might do when greeting an adult.
This had the desired effect of making the noble older Mountie snatch his hand from hers and look around for the door. An experienced and serious man like Malcolm Wilson would want a woman for a wife, not a little girl. She couldn’t help admiring him for it, and she sent up a little prayer that he might find his perfect match in one of her new friends. Her favorite of the ladies training at Miss Hazel’s, Annie Hastings, might have suited him well, but Gemma knew enough to keep her mouth shut. The less she said, the better the odds of her escaping the interaction undetected.
In fact, the commander barely hesitated to bid her a good day before bolting out the door. The moment the latch caught behind him, Gemma slumped against a bookcase and let out the breath she’d been holding. She’d known her plan was risky, but she’d had no other choice. If she couldn’t find a Mountie who wouldn’t suspect her, she’d simply have to tell Miss Hazel she needed more time to learn the duties of a proper wife. She hated the thought of being cooped up in the house, as beautiful as it was, for several more weeks, but it was the safest play.
The door creaked open again, but instead of Miss Hazel, a younger Mountie eased into the room. He was shorter than the previous man, but still much taller than Gemma. Broad shoulders suggested a life of hard work, probably on a farm or maybe a fishing boat. Yes, that seemed more likely. Most farmers wore hats, and this man had a tanned forehead. Unless the weather was bad, fishermen didn’t bother, or their hats would forever be blowing into the ocean.
He had thick blond hair, cropped neatly, and eyes that darted around the room — not taking in every detail as the commander’s had, but searching for a more comfortable place to look than directly at her. The way he cracked his knuckles confirmed he was nervous. Perfect!
“H-hello, miss,” he said, his soft twang giving away his home province as New Brunswick, just as she’d suspected.
He was nervous, but at least he wasn’t quaking in his shiny new boots. Everything about him was shiny and new. Gemma knew very little about Mounties — other than how to avoid them — but she guessed this good-looking man was a new recruit.
“How do you do?” She used her normal voice and matched his slightly nervous tone. “I’m Gemma Spurling.”
He shook her hand briefly, the callouses on his palm confirming her instant assessment that he’d worked hard most of his life. Unlike her. Shame caught in her throat like bitter medicine.
“Colton Leeds.”
They stood staring awkwardly for a moment until Gemma collected herself and remembered why she was there in the first place. This nice young man, who looked as if he hadn’t told a lie in his entire life, was just the man to get her out of town for good. And she knew just what kind of girl he wanted her to be.
“I don’t know why I’m so nervous,” she said, laughing anxiously.
“You aren’t the only one,” he said.
His sudden smile nearly sent her staggering back into the bookcase. She’d noticed he was handsome when he walked in, but when he smiled…the world became a better place.
“Well, let’s start off easy then,” she said, glancing up at him from under her thick lashes. “Where are you from, Colton?”
“The most beautiful place in this great country of ours, Randolph, New Brunswick. You?”
Gemma’s eyes popped open wide. “You’re joking! I grew up in Saint John, right around the corner from you.”
“No, you didn’t!”
“I did.”
Again, he flashed a grin that set her heart thumping in the strangest way. Gemma blinked away the sensation and returned the smile. It didn’t even feel false. So far, so good.
“Funny, you don’t sound like you’re from Saint John,” he mused, cocking his head to one side.
He simply looked curious, not suspicious, thank goodness. “It’s a long story,” Gemma said, dropping her eyes to her hands. “I was orphaned there when I was six and came to live with…a relative here in Ottawa.”
“Gemma, I’m so sorry to hear that.”
He edged closer to her, as if his presence would give her comfort. Strangely, it did, but that in itself made the guilt consume her, as much as she tried to fight it. Tears sprang to her eyes unbidden, and her little sniffle wasn’t even part of the scheme to trick this kind man into thinking she was the perfect woman for him.
“Thank you,” she said quietly, then met his gaze. “It was a long time ago, though, and I’m looking forward to starting a new chapter of my life.”
Colton seemed impressed by this. “Would this new chapter, by any chance, include…children?”
Hope gleamed in his eyes, and Gemma thought, In for a penny, in for a pound. If she was going to fool Colton, she might as well give him as much happiness as she could for the time they were together.
“Of course, I do. Do you?”
“Three!” he exclaimed, his features lighting up like the northern lights.
Gemma laughed and clapped her hands as if this was the most wonderful thing she’d ever heard. It certainly didn’t sound bad, but until she could be rid of her mother for good, such daydreams were pointless. Judging by the rapturous expression on Colton’s face, he might just be the key to all of that.
“Do you cook?” he asked, moving even closer to her.
She had to be careful here. This wasn’t some short con, over in a few minutes. It might take weeks before she could find a way out of wherever they were going, and in the meantime, she’d have to maintain the ruse, which meant lying as little as possible and being vague about everything else, then turning the focus back on him. It would all have been so much easier if he hadn’t smelled so good.
“Well, I’m not as skilled as my grandmother, but I hope to be someday soon. Do you mind if I ask how much traveling we might be doing? I’ve always wanted to go on adventures, so when I heard about Miss Hazel, I just had to talk to her. I mean, who has more adventures than Mounties?”
Co
lton’s grey eyes grew wide, and before Gemma knew what he was doing, he dropped to one knee and held his clasped hands up to her. “Miss Gemma Spurling, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
It was the moment she’d been waiting for, the one that would lead her to a new life in which she could live free and happy. But that would come at the cost of breaking this sweet man’s heart. Tears once again filled her eyes as she bobbed her head up and down, unable to say the word that would doom her to an eternity of misery.
Colton couldn’t help strutting down the street like a proud peacock. The most beautiful girl in the world had her hand tucked in his right elbow, and they were on their way to get married. Why shouldn’t he show her off and say hello to everyone they passed?
“Mom was right,” he said as they walked to the church Miss Hazel had arranged for them to be married in.
“About what?” Gemma glanced up at him, but dipped her head again quickly.
He sure wished she’d take that big hat off so people could see just how lovely her soft brown eyes and dark brown hair were. Obviously she was shy, as was expected for a blushing bride-to-be. He reached over and covered her chilly fingers with his left hand and grinned, even though she’d already dropped her gaze.
“She always told me that good things happened to good people. When I joined up, she worried I’d forget everything she taught me. If she could only see me now. She’d be so happy and proud at what a sweet angel I’ve found to share my life with.”
Gemma stumbled over something — though what he didn’t know because the street was clear of any debris that he could see — and Colton gripped her hand even tighter to steady her.
“Are you okay?” he asked, worried she might have twisted her ankle.
“I’m fine,” she answered, her voice tight.
He didn’t know her well — at all, really — but his sister sounded like that when she was trying not to cry. What would she have to cry about? Then it hit him how frightened she must be. She’d just met him not ten minutes earlier…now they were on their way to a preacher, and then they’d immediately leave on a long and dangerous trek to their new home in the wilds of Ontario. Reindeer Rock might reside in the same province as Ottawa, but from the sounds of it, the tiny village would be about as opposite from the big city as could be. Right then and there, in the middle of the street, Colton vowed to be patient with his new wife and let her fall in love with him, as he’d already done with her.
