Bride for Malcolm

by Kay P. Dawson

  RNWMP: Bride for Malcolm

  Mail Order Mounties

  Kay P. Dawson

  Copyright © 2017 by Kay P. Dawson

  All rights reserved.

  Cover Design by Erin Dameron-Hill

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead, events or locales is coincidental.

  Visit my website at KayPDawson.com

  To sign up for newsletter alerts, TEXT ‘DAWSON’ to 42828

  This book is dedicated to my great-grandma, Annie. She was one of the toughest ladies I have ever known, yet also the sweetest.

  From her granddaughter who loved the sound of her voice, and who really did think she was cute just the way she was :)

  Contents

  Introduction

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Also by Kay P. Dawson

  Introduction

  Mail Order Mounties is a multi-author series set in Canada during the early 1900’s. Join authors Kirsten Osbourne, Kay P. Dawson, Cassie Hayes and Amelia Adams as they bring you fictional stories about members of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police, and the mail order brides who love them.

  From The Authors:

  We hope you are enjoying the Mail Order Mounties Series. All of the books are works of fiction, and the stories completely created by the authors of the series.

  While we have done our best to be historically accurate, there are certain pieces of history we’ve had to take “creative license” with to help make our stories come alive. In truth, it wouldn’t have been likely for a member of the RNWMP to have a mail order bride, and in many cases, wouldn’t have lived in such close proximity to other members.

  However, for the purposes of our stories, we wanted to create a world that showcased the history of Canada during the early 1900s while also bringing you stories that would combine the talents of the authors involved.

  Chapter 1

  "I think coming here was a big mistake. I don't know what I was thinking."

  Annie stood up, reaching down to pick up one of her bags from the floor. "I'm sorry for wasting your time, Miss Hazel. I got caught up in the romantic notions when my friend found love with her Mountie husband and somehow believed it might be possible for me too. But now that I've had time to think, I realize how silly I've been."

  "Young lady, you're not going anywhere. You've traveled all this way to see me, and I would never turn a girl away who needs my help. And furthermore, I believe in my heart there is a perfect match out there for everyone. We just need to find him."

  The older woman reached out and put her hand on her arm. "Claire told me you were a bit headstrong but I've never met a woman, or man for that matter, who was more stubborn than me. So you may as well sit back down and let me finish."

  Annie looked at the woman she'd come here to see—Miss Hazel Hughes. She was one of those people who you could tell genuinely cared about someone, even if they'd just met. Annie had only arrived a few minutes ago, but she sensed that Miss Hazel was exactly how her friend Claire had described her.

  It was hard to believe that just a few days ago she'd been in Alberta, celebrating Christmas. Her life had changed drastically all within a short time when her father was charged with numerous crimes and was now awaiting trial. Now, the sheltered life she'd led had been turned upside-down.

  Finding out your father was one of the most despicable criminals alive had a way of doing that.

  Her mother was left with no money or anything to care for her or her sister, so Annie had taken matters into her own hands. She'd watched her friend Claire fall in love with a Mountie she'd been matched up with, and she had decided that's what she wanted too. It would ease the burden on her mother, and maybe she could find happiness like Claire had done.

  However, in all of the turmoil and upheaval that had been going on, Annie realized she might not have thought it all through. She'd packed a couple of bags and boarded the next train to Ottawa, never letting herself second guess her decision.

  Claire had suggested giving her the chance to wire Miss Hazel first to see if she could help her, but Annie hadn't wanted to wait. She'd known if she did, she wouldn't go through with it. Truthfully, she was afraid Miss Hazel would say no, and she wanted to get as far away from her father and the life as she'd known it, which had just fallen apart within a matter of days.

  Now she realized that hadn't been fair to Miss Hazel.

  She'd shown up on her doorstep less than an hour ago, and the poor woman hadn't even had a chance to figure out what to do with her. Claire had managed to send a wire which had arrived shortly before she did, but there hadn't really been any time to prepare.

  Annie set her bag down and eased herself back onto the settee. Her eyes moved to watch the flames that were flickering in the fireplace beside her. She could hear a young child's laughter coming from the hallway and she wondered who it could be. Claire had said Miss Hazel lived alone.

  "Oh, I'm sorry, Miss Hazel. I didn't realize you had company." A voice from the doorway made Annie turn her head. A beautiful woman with hair the color of gold stood with a young girl beside her, holding a doll. Annie smiled at her.

  "It's quite all right, dear. This is Annie Hastings."

  Annie stood back up to accept the woman's outstretched hand. "Annie, this is Minnie and her daughter Olivia. They are staying with me for a few days."

  Annie self-consciously brought her fingers up to cover her lip as she noticed the young child staring at her intently. While most adults tried to act like they weren't looking at her disfigurement when they spoke to her, children weren't as able to hide the questions from their eyes.

  "You have an owwie on your lip."

  The words were said so innocently, but they still stung when she heard them. It wasn't the first time she'd been asked about it by a child, so she put on her best smile and did what she always did to try and explain it to them.

  "Yes, I do. But it's all better now. The doctors fixed it when I was a little girl like you, so now I have a scar that will be there forever." Her surgery to fix her cleft palate had been successful, but the scar would always be a reminder, as would the slight difference in her voice compared to other people.

  Her father had never accepted her and hadn't wanted to waste any money to get it fixed, but her mother had insisted.

  The little girl tilted her head, then came closer to her. "Well, I think it makes you look cute."

  Annie's mouth opened to speak, but she didn't know what to say. She'd never had a child say she looked cute. Normally they just kept staring until the parents would uncomfortably force them to look away.

  She looked up at Miss Hazel who was smiling affectionately at the little girl.

  "I'm so sorry. Olivia is a bit inquisitive I'm afraid." Minnie reached out and pulled Olivia back over beside her. She looked upset that Olivia had mentioned anything.

  Smiling at the other woman, Annie shrugged. "Its fine. I've never had a little girl tell me I'm cute
before, so I can already see Olivia is a wonderful child with a kind heart." She didn't want Minnie to feel bad, especially when Olivia had been so sweet.

  "Besides, I'm used to people staring or asking about it. It's a part of who I am, so I've had to learn to live with it."

  And she'd had to learn to accept that not everyone could see past her scars. She'd never truly believed she’d ever find a man who could love her for who she was, or who would think she was beautiful. But somehow knowing a little girl thought she was cute had given her heart a much-needed squeeze.

  "Well then, Annie, take your bags and Minnie can show you the room across the hall from hers. In a few days, there will be four Mounties arriving to pick out their brides, so we will spend some time getting you ready to head off to your new home."

  She spun around to look at Miss Hazel in confusion. "What do you mean?"

  Miss Hazel just laughed, and Annie was almost sure she could see a twinkle in her eye. "I believe you'll be the perfect bride for one of the men who are coming here. It will be up to you of course, but let's see if my hunch is correct. I've never been wrong before."

  For the second time in less than a minute, Annie was left speechless.

  She'd hoped Miss Hazel could help her, but she'd never imagined it would happen so fast.

  But the woman was already shooing them toward the doorway. "Once you get settled, we'll start working on preparing you girls for being the perfect brides for your Mounties."

  Minnie just grinned and shrugged. "You may as well just do as she says. When Miss Hazel gets an idea in her head, there's no arguing."

  Annie followed the other woman up the stairs, wondering exactly what she'd just gotten herself into.

  Chapter 2

  After softly closing the door to the room he'd just vacated, Malcolm reached up and rubbed the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes briefly, trying to stop the throbbing in his head.

  Why had he ever agreed to this?

  The men he was going up to Reindeer Rock with had been determined to find brides before they left, and he'd been persuaded by his own commanding officer that it would be a good idea to get one himself. Four years alone in a cold, isolated community could prove to be harder than he imagined.

  At this point, however, he still wasn't convinced this was a good idea. He was leading these men in an assignment that needed their full attention, and having new wives might just be extra work they didn't need. But the thought of a woman to help him around the house and keep him company did still appeal to him slightly. Even if he was yet to meet one who seemed right for him.

  Robert had come out of the meeting with the first woman he'd met and already left to marry her. Meanwhile, he'd been in to meet two of the women, but wasn't sure either of them were suited to him.

  Maybe he'd be the only one heading to Reindeer Rock on his own.

  "There's still one more girl I'd like you to meet, Mr. Wilson. From your letter, I believe she's the one who will be perfect for you. I saved her to last."

  He tried to smile at Mrs. Hazel Hughes, the woman who'd taken over the job of finding them their brides. He'd heard from some of the other Mounties in the area about her matchmaking skills, but he wasn't really convinced. How could she possibly know what kind of woman would be well suited to him from just one letter he’d written to her?

  "Well, excuse me if I'm finding it a bit difficult to believe. That last girl was far too young for me. I'm thirty-years-old, and she looked young enough to be my daughter."

  Hazel clucked her tongue loudly and frowned at him. "Malcolm, may I call you that? Gemma is not young enough to be your daughter, unless you were out sowing your wild oats when you were just a lad of twelve-years-old. You're just determined not to let yourself like any of these women." She crossed her arms in front of her to make sure he knew she was annoyed with him.

  "But I dare you to still feel that way after you meet Annie."

  The woman actually had the audacity to wink at him. Malcolm was sure she had to be a little off kilter. There's no way meeting one woman could suddenly have him believing in love at first sight. That was something that only happened in the fairy-tales his older sister had always insisted on reading to him.

  Well, and apparently Robert too.

  He waited until he'd turned to face the next door before rolling his eyes. He took a deep breath and turned the knob, pushing it open. A woman was standing in front of a fireplace with her back to him. She obviously hadn't heard him come in because she continued to watch the flickering flames without turning. Her head was down, and he was almost sure he heard her give out a loud sigh.

  "What was I thinking when I agreed to this? There is no way any man is going to come in here and sweep me off my feet." The words reached his ears from across the room, even though they'd been spoken quietly. His lips turned up into a smile as he realized he wasn't the only one who thought this whole idea was crazy.

  "I'm not sure about sweeping anyone off their feet, but I've been known to be at least tolerable to most women."

  The woman spun around, bumping into the arm of the rocking chair that sat next to the fireplace. She cringed, bending slightly to rub her leg. Her mouth had dropped open, and he had to fight the laughter that threatened to escape at the look of complete horror on her face.

  "I'm so sorry. I didn't hear you come in."

  He nodded as he walked closer to her. "That's quite obvious."

  What was the matter with him? He didn't think he'd ever enjoyed teasing a woman, especially not one he'd only just met. But for some strange reason, he couldn't seem to stop himself.

  Her eyes were a deep brown color—a color that normally wouldn't stand out. But against the whiteness of her skin, they seemed to give her a mysterious look that had him wanting to know more about her. Her hand had come up to cover her mouth when she'd turned around, which he assumed had been to cover her shock.

  But she was still holding it there, even as he put his hand out for hers. She hesitated, looking down at his outstretched hand as though she was afraid she'd be burned if she touched him.

  "I'm Commander Malcolm Wilson. It's a pleasure to meet you. And I assure you, I find this entire process just as absurd as you have hinted at." He held his breath as he waited for her to place her hand in his.

  Finally, she lifted her eyelids and met his gaze. Slowly, her hand came down and she straightened her back and lifted her chin slightly before she placed her hand in his. "I'm Annie Hastings."

  He understood now why she'd been covering her lip, and the way she stood facing him right now dared him to react. It was as though she knew exactly what he would do, and she was ready to return any kind of insult he might throw her way.

  Bringing her hand to his lips, he smiled as he placed a gentle kiss on the soft skin. "I can see now why Miss Hazel kept you for last."

  As soon as he said the words, she recoiled, pulling her hand from his grip. Her eyes squinted together, and she crossed her arms in front of her.

  Now he remembered why he avoided women. He really wasn't good at saying the right things.

  "What's that supposed to mean?"

  "It means that I can see that she was right in her belief that you'd be more suited to me than any of the others." He wasn't even going to try any more flowery words or comments. It was best if he just stuck with the facts, like he did with his job. It was obvious that Annie wasn't some simpering girl who was going to be swept away by any grand gestures or sentiments.

  In fact, he doubted she'd believe it anyway.

  "You believe I'm well-suited to you? Just like that?" She didn't look impressed at all.

  The throbbing that had been in his head earlier was starting to come back.

  He still couldn't figure out what was drawing her to him, but he wasn't really in the mood to try figuring it out. If she agreed to marry him, which he was beginning to think was a slim possibility, he could spend the rest of their lives together trying to make sense of it.

  All he k
new was they were supposed to be on a train tomorrow to leave for their new assignment, and he really didn't have time to waste. He knew without a doubt, neither of the other girls he'd met were right for him.

  But somehow, just as Miss Hazel had suspected, he knew Annie could be someone he could spend his life with.

  As crazy as it sounded in his own head, he was sure Annie would think he was as unstable as Hazel Hughes if he told her that.

  "Listen, I will admit to not being good at sweeping any woman off her feet. But you and I both agreed to this plan of Miss Hazel's for our own reasons, no matter how ridiculous it might be. I would like a wife to take with me to Reindeer Rock, who can share my life with me and possibly even grow to care for me someday. It needs to be someone I'm sure I can see myself enjoying spending time with, and even though we've just met, I can sense that you are that kind of woman. I don't expect that you'll fall in love with me or even that I'll manage to sweep you off your feet, but I do hope we can be happy together."

  He watched the emotions move across her face as she stared at him. Her hair hung in ringlets around her face, the color matching perfectly with her eyes. The small scar she'd been so determined to hide, and that she was sure would cause him to turn away, was barely noticeable. It was her eyes that held his attention.

  "I'm afraid we don't have much time to decide. If circumstances were different, perhaps you could let me give you a proper courtship, however that won't be an option for us. But if you're agreeable and accept my hand in marriage, I could court you the way you deserve once we get settled in Reindeer Rock."