Quest of Honor

by Ellie St. Clair

  So Victoria was here. It must have been her, as there was no one else who would be described as “that beauty” traveling to the end of the line.

  “Not interested,” said Callum. The rest stared at him.

  “If I was 30 years younger I would be,” said Alistair.

  “Worth a shot,” shrugged Chester, his grin widening in the face that could be described as handsomely rugged. “Ye think we should head over tomorrow, Brandon?”

  Brandon shrugged and stared into his cup.

  Callum looked at them, downed his drink, and headed upstairs. He’d had enough chit chat for one evening.

  10

  The next morning after breakfast, Victoria wandered down to the General Store to ask Charlie if he would mind if she borrowed one of his horses. He had no objections, and offered her a crudely drawn map of the area off his shelves. He told her she could take it, “as a personal favour, for Sarah’s niece.”

  “Well, thank you,” she said.

  He gave her a warning not to travel far or alone before letting her leave.

  Victoria mounted the sorrel mare, Star for the marking on her forehead, leading her off Main Street, as she was interested in seeing more of the lakeshore. The horse was not built for speed. She was more what you would call a workhorse. Nevertheless, the air was crisp and fresh and a smile teased Victoria’s lips. As she failed at containing her hair in pins, she had tied it back at the nape of her neck in a shiny blue ribbon. The shoulder of her dress kept slipping. She would need to get new clothes made that better suited wandering in the woods than walking through Hyde Park. Victoria steered the horse off the road, edging closer to the lake.

  She dismounted and took her boots off to test how cold the waters were. She poked a toe in. A little chilly. Still too cold for a swim. Her father had taught her to swim as a child in the lake near their home. She was skilled then, but it had been some time. She could hardly wait to feel the water again. As she was tying her boots back up, she heard a horse coming down the road. She was about to stand to greet the arrival when she caught a glimpse who it was — Callum! What was he doing out here? She thought he would be days away by now. Why did he not tell her that he was living close by?

  Callum and his horse trotted past without seeing her crouched down by the water’s edge. She decided the best course of action would to be to follow him. If he didn’t want to tell her what he was doing here, or that he was even here in the same town, why not see for herself? She knew he wouldn’t like her spying, but it was his own fault — he should have told her his plans.

  She stayed a good distance behind, which wasn’t hard as his horse seemed to have twice the conditioning as hers, as they went another mile down the well-worn path. He turned in at a large, stand-alone building, with an attached stable he entered before proceeding inside.

  Victoria had always enjoyed solving puzzles, and a good mystery was nearly as entertaining — though not quite — as a romantic novel. This was a mystery in itself and she was determined to find out more.

  She waited outside for what seemed like hours before Callum came back out. She was sitting in the grass, enjoying the sun on her face and intently picking petals off a daisy when she saw the door open and could see Callum conversing with a man in red. She had seen the man in the interesting uniform at the train station yesterday. She would have to ask Sarah what the costume was all about. She realized she was slightly exposed where she was and stood, slipping into the trees with the horse, holding her still as she waited for Callum to head back down the trail before she would start her tail again.

  Star nudged her and she turned to pet her neck and keep her silent.

  Suddenly she felt a pair of hands grab her waist from behind. She let out a yelp and was ready to scream until she heard a voice in her ear — “Caught you.” She turned to find Callum looking down at her with a smile on his face.

  “What are you doing here?” She asked. “You were supposed to travel elsewhere. Why are you in Fort Qu'Appelle?”

  “I could ask you the same thing,” he replied. “What you’re doing here. Not here in the town as I’ve already heard about that, but here in the woods waiting for me.”

  “I was not waiting for you,” she said. “I was simply exploring.”

  “You’re not a very good explorer,” he said, “sitting in one place for over an hour.”

  “Well I meant to stand, but I was bored and the grass seemed quite comfortable. What took you so long anyway?”

  Callum smiled at her displeasure with him for making her wait during her spying charade. One of the Mounties had spotted her earlier and informed Angus. He was heading out to talk to her when Callum saw the woman in question. He sighed and had told Angus he’d take care of her, although why he would never know. Standing here with his hands on her hips was just all too tempting. He cleared his throat and removed his hands, which she hadn’t seemed to notice in her distress at being caught.

  “I saw you on the road headed this way, and, knowing nothing about why you were here or what you’re doing, I decided to find out for myself,” she said. “Why would you not tell me where you were going?”

  “Perhaps for the same reasons you would not tell me?”

  “Perhaps,” she said, conceding a small smile. “I’m sure our reasons are quite different.”

  The way she glanced up at him caught him, drew him to her, and he wanted more of it — more of her. He looked down at her face, and realized he’d missed her after so many days spent together on the train. Just a day apart and he was getting attached.

  “Aw hell,” he said as he pulled her closer to him, bent his head, and crushed his lips down on hers. Victoria stood for a moment, immobile and taken off guard by the suddenness of it all. It wasn’t her first kiss, but this was different. There was pressure on her lips, but softness as well. His lips moved on hers, slowly teasing them open with his tongue. She lifted her hands, and wound her fingers into his silky brown hair. He’d known he wanted her, but hadn't realized how badly until she was in her arms. The need that had built since he first saw her at the Liverpool dock poured out in his kiss. His hands roamed down her sides to cup her bottom. When she pressed herself against him he remembered himself and pulled away, leaving her gasping.

  “I should not have done that,” he said. “I’m sorry.”

  And with that, he released her, turned and stalked away.

  Victoria stood still, unable to take a step after him. A mix of emotions swirled through her brain. How should she react — with pleasure? Indignation? She was angry at his dismissal. But she was also…tingly and shaken up. One thing was for sure. She would find out more about Callum McDougall, whether he wanted her to or not.

  The next couple of days were a whirlwind for Victoria as she adjusted to life in the North-West Territories. Much of her time was spent helping Sarah at the doctor’s clinic. Victoria didn’t have much medical knowledge, but she caught on fast and did enough around the office to allow Sarah and the doctor to spend more time with the patients’ medical worries. Victoria was also spending time getting to know people in the town. Sarah introduced Victoria to her good friend, Mrs. Johnson, who ran the boardinghouse with her husband. Victoria had also asked around about Maisie and Gilbert to determine where they lived. She would have to plan a visit soon. There seemed to be many young men in this town. They were continually arriving at the door to introduce themselves. Some had asked Victoria out for a walk or to come in for tea. Sarah had invited in a few of whom she knew, and while there were many polite young men, none stirred her the way Callum did.

  She liked greeting people as they came to the doctor’s door, determining who was an emergency patient until Sarah could come see for herself, and keeping the office organized. Dr. Hampton was quiet, but seemed to appreciate Victoria’s work, always providing her with a thank you and a head nod at the end of the day.

  As Victoria helped Sarah prepare supper one evening, her mind kept wandering back to Callum. She hadn’t s
een him since their meeting in the woods, but it had been a busy couple of days in the clinic.

  Sarah could tell her niece was distracted, but assumed it was from the newness of everything. It would be difficult to leave a life like the one she had in London to come to a small town in the middle of nowhere. It was different when you had someone to share the life with than when you were on your own.

  “Victoria, I must tell you that the community is holding a dance next week. It’s —” Sarah broke off as she saw Victoria’s face fall. “I know you dislike dances. But it’s not the type of dance that you’re used to. This one is actually about the dance and having fun. I am sure you will enjoy it. Everyone from town and beyond will attend. It’s a barn-raising celebration. Promise you’ll come.”

  “Of course I will come,” Victoria said, to appease her aunt’s hopeful expression. “However, Aunt Sarah, I do hope it’s nothing like the balls in England. I’m so tired of matchmaking, and the women in the corner, giggling behind their silly fans, judging each girl that comes in, what dress is she wearing, who her parents are, who she dances with. It’s really quite exhausting.”

  “It is nothing like that. Now hand me the butter. And what do you think about attending with Dr. Hampton?”

  “Dr. Hampton?” Victoria looked up from the potatoes she was cutting, surprised. She wiped her hands on her apron as she thought about it.

  She really didn’t know him well at all, despite working in his offices for the past couple of days. He was nice enough. Plain, British, about fifteen years older than she was, she assumed. He seemed pleasant, but certainly not the type to attend a dance with, and not someone she wanted to be matched with, if she even wanted to be matched at all.

  “Yes, Dr. Hampton,” said Sarah. “He’s a lovely gentleman. I know you’re not interested in finding a husband right now, however there may be more there under the surface.”

  Victoria tapped her fingers on the counter and sighed. “Please, Aunt Sarah, no matchmaking. Can I not attend with you?”

  “Well, I thought perhaps Charlie would accompany me. But if you would prefer —”

  “Oh, I will be fine, Aunt Sarah. You should go with Charlie,” Victoria said with a smile, as her aunt’s face had lit up just at the mention of Charlie’s name. She’d sacrifice some of her time to the doctor if it meant her aunt might find happiness again. Every time Charlie came around, Sarah became a young girl again, giddy like a teenager.

  Victoria also had to admit to herself she had been hoping Callum would call on her; however he was nowhere to be found. It was likely as she suspected, that he was already attached. Or perhaps a man like him was simply adept at attracting women. Their brief moments of closeness that had taken her breath away were likely a regular occurrence. To her, their kiss had felt like so much more, but she was being foolish. She had literally followed him through the woods on a horse and waited around like one of the silly girls she disdained. And, she kept telling herself, she didn’t want anything more than that. Perhaps if she distracted herself enough, he would leave her mind.

  “I will go with Dr. Hampton,” said Victoria, forcing cheerfulness into her voice. “But simply as an escort to a dance, nothing more.”

  “Yes,” said Sarah, turning so Victoria couldn’t see the glint in her eye. “Nothing more.”

  11

  Victoria hadn’t had room to pack many dresses for the voyage across the Atlantic. Not that she needed the majority of the clothing she had worn in London. Here, in the prairies, women wore much different material than they did in England. Her fine silk dresses would never have survived the muddy roads or brambles in the prairie grasses she walked through. The absence of a corset would also mean that most of her dresses would no longer fit. Victoria hadn’t considered that when she abandoned the corset.

  She did, however, have a pretty lavender cotton dress that would be perfect for this evening’s dance. She took extra time with her hair, determined to pin it properly. It took some getting used to, pinning her own hair, as Mary had always helped her with that at home. Victoria couldn’t say she had perfected the practice, but she was improving, with a few strands still in place by the end of the day.

  Sarah called upstairs when Dr. Hampton arrived. As Victoria descended the stairs, she decided this felt all too much like the matchmaking that she had continually run away from in England, except this time she knew Sarah had her best interests in mind. She reminded herself that she was doing this for her aunt. She would have a carefully, politely worded conversation with her later. But for now, Victoria maintained her manners and she greeted Dr. Hampton, who did look well put together in his Sunday best.

  “Well, off you go now,” said Sarah, ushering them out the door.

  “You are coming right away, are you not?” asked Victoria, not wanting to be left alone with Dr. Hampton for too long.

  “We shall be there shortly,” Sarah replied. “I’m not quite ready. Charlie should be here any minute. He would like a friend with him so he doesn’t arrive alone.”

  A friend, Victoria smiled to herself. Her aunt’s affection for Charlie was obvious to everyone but Sarah herself.

  Victoria let Dr. Hampton lead her up onto his wagon. It doubled as a makeshift ambulance, but Victoria didn’t mind.

  She chatted amiably with him as they rode out. He explained the premise of a barn-raising, and that the dance was just outside of Fort Qu'Appelle and was taking place in the barn itself. The late June weather was fairly warm that night and Victoria hoped for a spirited evening. She was also looking forward to seeing Maisie, who she hoped would be at the dance. And Callum… well, she wouldn’t think about Callum. Even if he was there, his lack of presence at her door certainly said enough and she would take care to show him how disinterested she was in return.

  The party was in full swing by the time they reached the barn. Quite a few heads turned their way as Victoria and Dr. Hampton came through the door. Part of it was due to Victoria’s newness in town; the other part due to the curiosity of seeing a woman on the doctor’s arm — the doctor who was normally too busy to pay attention to any young ladies in town. Both men and women were dressed in their Sunday best, of which styles, colors and fabrics varied widely.

  “Victoria!”

  Maisie came hurtling toward her, enveloping Victoria in a warm embrace and knocking her back a step. Her pink gown was one Victoria hadn’t seen before, and somehow mysteriously worked perfectly with her flaming red hair piled atop her head. “I am so happy you came! How wonderful it is to see a familiar face. Everything is just so… different here!”

  Victoria smiled back at her, fully understanding what her friend meant.

  “May I meet this wonderful husband of yours?”

  “Gilbert? Absolutely. Gilbert, come meet Victoria,” Maisie ran off for a moment to take his arm and lead him over. Dr. Hampton nodded at Victoria, then stepped away to speak to an elderly couple, likely patients of his. Maisie arrived with Gilbert. He looked as cheerful as he had the day he met his family at the train.

  “Wonderful to meet you. Maisie has told me so much about you,” Gilbert said with a wink.

  Victoria smiled, however a sense of unease settled over her as she wondered how much Maisie had shared, after Victoria had taken her into confidence about her reasons for leaving England. Hopefully Maisie hasn’t said anything but Victoria was anxious. Perhaps she’d given Maisie too much to hold to herself.

  “Such a pleasure,” said Victoria, turning her attention back to Gilbert. “I hope we all see more of each other. And how is Archie?”

  Victoria missed the young boy and hoped to see him again soon.

  “Oh wonderful,” said Gilbert, the pride in his boy apparent on his youthful face. “I’ve missed so much this past year. But we’ve started anew and I won’t be missing anything anymore.”

  “I’m so happy for it. It is such a pleasure meeting you. Gilbert, do you mind if I steal Maisie away for just one moment?”

  “Absolutel
y,” said Gilbert.

  “Whatever is the matter?” asked Maisie as Victoria linked her arm through hers and moved them away from the crowd to the corner of the room. “Are you well?”

  “Yes, of course,” answered Victoria. “I have to ask you something. You did not tell Gilbert about why I left England, did you? I really should not have even shared that with you, but I do trust you.”

  “Oh, well,” Maisie turned pink. “I know I wasn’t to tell, but it’s simply Gilbert. He would never tell a soul. I promise.”

  “Fair enough,” said Victoria, inwardly cursing herself for trusting her new friend with too much information. She should have kept her story to herself. She hadn’t told Callum, why had she told Maisie? She had so few female friends, she had overshared. “Please be sure he knows to keep it to himself. It’s important.”

  “Of course,” said Maisie. “You’re overthinking this. Now go find your new man and let’s join the fun! Although I did rather prefer Callum, this one will do as well.”

  Her new man? Oh yes, Dr. Hampton. Victoria had forgotten.

  She saw coming back towards her.

  “Would you care to dance?” he asked hesitantly.

  “Of course,” she said.

  Sarah had been right about one thing. Dances here certainly were different than in England. In London, dances were about elegance and performance and moving gracefully across the floor — attributes that did not play to Victoria’s strengths. Here, the music was fun and lively and while some of the dancers were familiar with the steps, others were doing their best to move around the floor in a somewhat respectable manner. The exuberance in the air reminded Victoria of the dancing on the ship.

  Dr. Hampton was somewhat restrained in his movements, but even still, Victoria felt alive. She laughed as she passed Maisie, and was oblivious to the stares of other young men throughout the room. Dr. Hampton had broken out into a sweat by the time the first set finished, but he insisted on continuing to a second and third dance. Victoria knew in England it would be frowned upon to dance multiple times with the same man, but here it seemed the norm.