Bride For Gilbert

by Kirsten Osbourne

  “I believe I’d enjoy that.” He slipped his arm around her shoulders, experiencing the build-up of the physical feelings that she always brought about. “If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?”

  She smiled at that. “I’d want to live here, of course. Because it’s where you and the girls are.” She settled against him, feeling the zing of electricity rushing through her veins. “What about you? Where would you want to live and why?”

  “I’m not sure. I’ve always wanted to see new places, but I’ve always wanted to be settled down, too. I love being here with my girls. I guess for me, home is wherever they are.”

  “Well, we’re boring, aren’t we? Let me ask a different, related question. If you could travel to anywhere in the whole world, where would you go?”

  “That is different, but let’s be more imaginative. Let me think.” He was silent for a moment as he thought about all the places in the world he’d read about and would be interested in visiting. “I think Russia. It’s supposed to be the most similar to Canada in climate.”

  “That could be very interesting!”

  “What about you?” he asked.

  She tilted her head to one side, thinking hard. “I think maybe I’d want to go to the Caribbean. I’ve heard the ocean is clear and beautiful there. I would love to see it.” Not that she’d ever seen the ocean to have anything to compare it to. She’d rarely left her hometown until she moved to Ottawa.

  “Well, I don’t guess we’d be going to our first choices together then!”

  “Why not? We’d go on a trip to Russia, but we’d go in a boat, and we’d just ask the captain to sail around the tip of South America on the way back.”

  “Because that’s not out of the way at all,” he said. “I like the way you think, though.”

  “I’m just trying to be practical.” She hid a yawn behind her hand. She didn’t want their time together to end, but mornings came very early.

  At her yawn, he sighed. “I guess we should pause this courtship for a moment and go to bed.” He nudged her in the side. “You go first. I’ll be in shortly.” He wasn’t ready for their time to be over that night, but she would be home alone with the children all the next day. She needed her rest even more than he did.

  Once she was in bed, she laid awake waiting for him, hoping he would hold her as she went to sleep as he’d done another time, when he hadn’t realized she was awake. Was that so much to ask?

  Bert went behind the curtain and quickly stripped, wondering if she was asleep. He climbed into bed beside her, his hand touching her shoulder. She rolled toward him, settling her head on his chest while he lay with his arm around her. He kissed her forehead. “Goodnight, Maddie.”

  “G’night, Bert.” And she realized it was a good night. She had him beside her, and he was at least willing to try to make their marriage a real one. How could she ask for anything else?

  9

  For Bert, the following day was one of patrolling the area with his friends, trying to make certain everyone had made it through the storm all right. He and Andrew rode to the west and the south, and Marshall and Peter went to the east and the north.

  They all knew they would be out very late, if not overnight, and they’d warned their wives. Hopefully they could be back before nightfall. They all had new brides, and being gone overnight was hard on them.

  * * *

  Madelyn was tired the next day, but she did her best not to let it show. The girls were mostly well-behaved except for one small temper tantrum because Millie didn’t think she should have to take a nap anymore. She wasn’t a baby.

  Madelyn took it in stride, holding her and telling her why naps were important, while Mary went to their room quietly. “If you don’t take naps, you’ll never grow up big and strong. You want to be strong enough to keep house and have your own children, don’t you?”

  Millie nodded, resting her tired head on Madelyn’s shoulder. “I do.”

  “So you need to nap. Someday you’ll be able to stop napping, and I will be the first person to let you when it’s time. For now, you need to nap so you can grow.” Madelyn carried her into her room and put her in the bed next to her sister. “You sleep sweet now. I love you.”

  Millie smiled sleepily. “I love you, too, Mama.”

  Madelyn left and let the curtain fall behind her, a smile on her face. No matter how her girls acted, she would love them with everything inside her.

  “Well, well, well. What do we have here?”

  Madelyn’s eyes widened as she stared at Mr. Humphreys. “What are you doing here? How did you find me?”

  “Doesn’t matter, does it?” He walked toward her, and she backed up.

  “What do you want?”

  “The same thing I’ve wanted all along. I want you. I’ve told you that you were meant to be mine for six months. What made you think that would change, just because you decided to go west and marry some Mountie?” He looked around the cabin. “The house I offered you was so much grander than this!”

  “But you didn’t offer me love. I have two children now, and I have a wonderful husband. I would appreciate it if you left please.” She didn’t mention to him that he made her skin crawl, but only because she was certain it would make him angrier than he already seemed to be.

  He laughed, the sound harsh in the small space. “Have I ever left when you asked? Why do you even bother?” He took another step toward her, and she frowned. The girls needed to be protected, so she couldn’t run. What could she do?

  He reached for her, and she ducked under his arm, running toward the kitchen, the only place where there were weapons in her house. Bert carried a gun, but he took it with him when he’d gone to see if there was anyone he could help that morning. She fumbled open a drawer and chose the biggest, sharpest knife she had, and held it in front of her. “Please don’t make me use this, Mr. Humphreys.” She was well aware that there were no lawmen left in town so there was no one she could turn to for help.

  He laughed at her again. “You wouldn’t know how to hurt someone. You’re just fooling around with that thing.”

  “I would never hurt someone if it was just me involved. It’s not. There are two innocent little girls in this house, and they will not be hurt.” She had never imagined she would have such a strong maternal instinct, but she could see herself hurting him before she’d let him touch either of her babies.

  “You’d never hurt anyone no matter who was involved. Don’t think you can fool me, Madelyn.” He stepped toward her at the same time she brought up the knife. Grabbing his side, blood poured between his fingers. “You stabbed me!” With those words he dropped to his knees, clutching his bleeding side with one hand and grabbing her ankle with the other.

  She dropped the knife onto the counter and picked up the frying pan she was about to wash—the pan she’d made lunch in. She brought it down on his head with a resounding whack, and he fell over. Madelyn immediately felt badly that she’d hurt him, but not bad enough that she would risk her girls. No, she needed help, and she needed it fast!

  She didn’t want to leave him in the house with the girls, so she ran to the door and saw a woman who was vaguely familiar walking past her house. “Excuse me!” she called.

  The woman stopped, hurrying over to smile. “You’re the new wife of that nice Mountie boy. What’s his name?”

  “Gilbert. I’m Madelyn. Would you mind running over to Andrew’s house and asking his wife to come see me? I need her help with something.” Madelyn kept the hand that was covered in blood behind her back so the other woman wouldn’t see it.

  “Oh, of course. Anything to help you ladies out. Being married to a Mountie can’t be easy!” The older woman rushed away, heading for Ida’s house, and Madelyn went back inside to make sure Mr. Humphreys didn’t bother her girls.

  When Ida arrived five minutes later, Madelyn had already washed her hands to get the blood off them. She opened the door just a bit, letting Ida slip in
beside her. “Mrs. Brown said you seemed a little panicked, so I left her with Lily. I thought it might be best if I came alone.”

  Madelyn gestured to the man on her floor, partially hidden by the table. “He was my manager in Ottawa, and he wouldn’t leave me alone. That’s why I went to see Miss Hazel. Anyway, Mr. Humphreys followed me, and he was threatening me, and I brought up a knife just as he stepped forward . . . and I stabbed him. I didn’t mean to stab him! Ida, I need you to help me hide the body!”

  “Hide the body? Is he dead?” Ida’s eyes were wide as she stepped around her friend and stared down at the man on her floor.

  “I don’t know! He grabbed my ankle after I stabbed him, so I hit him in the head with a frying pan. That knocked him out. I don’t think it killed him, but it may have! Please help me hide him!”

  Ida sighed heavily. “I’m not going to help you hide him. I’m going to do the logical thing and go and get some of the men who are working in town. They can take him to the jail, and one of them can stay with him until the Mounties make it back to town.”

  “But I have it all planned out! We’ll smear lard all over him so he’s easy to drag, and we’ll put him in my room, so the girls don’t see him when they wake up. I thought about using butter, but why would I waste perfectly good butter? We’ll have to tie him up and gag him, but I think we’ll be safe!”

  Ida took Madelyn’s hands in hers. “Look at me, Madelyn. We are not going to hide him. I’m leaving right now to go get some men to help us get him to the jail. If he wakes up, you hit him with your frying pan again. All right?”

  Madelyn looked over at Mr. Humphreys lying there on the floor, still looking evil to her. “All right, but hurry. I need to clean up the blood before the girls wake up.” Her girls did not need to be scarred for life by the blood of someone she’d knocked out in their kitchen.

  “You worry about the oddest things . . .” With those words the other woman left, and Madelyn sat on the other side of the table from the man, her frying pan in her hands. She understood that she wasn’t thinking things through clearly, so she would follow Ida’s instructions exactly.

  Thankfully, he didn’t move or make a sound until Ida came back with two men from town. “We’ll help you with him, Mrs. Keeler. You just stay there.”

  Madelyn still gripped her frying pan in her hands, ready to use it if Mr. Humphreys woke up. “I didn’t mean to hurt him!” She knew that she must seem like a terrible person to them. She wanted to explain that she didn’t usually stab people and then hit them over the head with a frying pan.

  “Don’t worry, ma’am. Mrs. Clarke explained everything. We’ll make sure he doesn’t hurt anyone until the Mounties come back.”

  After the men had carried him out the door, Madelyn started shaking and crying. “Why do I always fall apart after the danger is over?” she asked Ida, who was sitting beside her.

  “Because while everything is happening you’re busy making sure everyone you love is safe. Afterward, you have time to melt a little.” Ida patted Madelyn on the knee. “Do you want me to clean up the blood?”

  “No, I’ll do it. I made him bleed; therefore it’s my job to clean up the blood.” Madelyn’s gaze met Ida’s. “Why did he follow me here?”

  “I’m not sure, but I’m glad he didn’t hurt you!” Ida watched as Madelyn cleaned up her floor. “I’m going to go and get Lily. I don’t think you should be alone this afternoon. You’re pretty shaken up.”

  Madelyn started to protest that she and the girls would be fine, but she knew they wouldn’t. She needed her friend there, and she’d lean on her. What else could she do?

  She made a simple supper for the five of them, allowing the girls to play. Ida talked to her, and offered to help, but Madelyn had a need to keep her hands busy, so she refused.

  “What are we going to do if the men don’t make it back tonight?” Madelyn asked softly. She wasn’t ready to be left alone with the girls yet. She wasn’t worried she’d hurt them, but she was still shaking and nervous, and she was afraid she’d make them nervous, too.

  “I’ll stay here then. I can share your bed, and we can tuck Lily in with the twins. It won’t be a problem.”

  “Are you sure?” Madelyn asked. She needed her there, but she didn’t want to interfere with her life.

  “I’m positive. In fact, I’m going to run home right now and get clothes for Lily and me just in case we do need to spend the night. Hopefully we won’t, but we’ll be ready.”

  Madelyn looked at Ida and smiled slightly. “Thank you for being my friend.”

  Ida just smiled before hurrying out the door.

  Madelyn stirred the huge pot of soup she had made, hoping it would be Bert eating it with her and not Ida and Lily. She loved her friend, but she needed her husband. Badly.

  * * *

  Bert and Andrew were still miles from home when darkness set in. “We’re going to have to stay here, aren’t we?” Bert asked. “I was gone all last week. I hope Madelyn doesn’t think this is normal.”

  “I don’t think she will.” Andrew spotted a flat area of land. “Let’s just camp there tonight. We’ll head back first thing in the morning.”

  “I’m glad we haven’t found any fatalities. For a storm that size, it’s downright miraculous.” Bert dismounted and went about getting out his tent and setting up camp. “Do you want to start the fire? Or should I?”

  “I don’t think it really matters . . .”

  * * *

  The girls had been asleep for over an hour when Madelyn finally gave up watching for the Mounties. “They’re not coming tonight, are they?”

  Ida shook her head. “I told you that as soon as the sun went down.”

  “And I didn’t listen. I haven’t been good at listening at all today, have I?” The two ladies had done the dishes together, and they’d worked on sewing together all evening. Madelyn had gotten very little done, because she’d been up and down, watching out the window, hoping for the sounds of horses’ hooves. She’d heard Chip a couple of times, and the bison had actually rolled around in the mud of her backyard, but she had heard nothing from the Mounties at all.

  “You’ve been fine. You’ve had a very trying day. I don’t think the girls have any idea that something happened here.”

  “Good. I don’t want them to be traumatized because of my actions.”

  “Don’t you go blaming yourself for that man following you here, Madelyn! I won’t allow it!” Ida put her sewing down and stood up, putting her hands on her hips. “You were the victim here. There was nothing you could have done to prevent what happened to you.”

  Madelyn sighed. “I hope I feel better in the morning. I really hate that this happened.”

  “I think you’ll feel better when Bert comes back. You need to tell him everything that happened so you know he doesn’t blame you for it.” Ida shook her head. “I know he won’t blame you for it, but I think that’s what’s in the back of your mind, isn’t it?”

  Madelyn nodded, a tear escaping again. “I hope you’re right. I put his children in danger by coming here. How can he forgive that?”

  “I hope the men hurry because I can talk until I’m blue in the face, but you’re not going to believe me. You need Bert here to talk to you.”

  “I do. I really do.”

  * * *

  Madelyn was up before the sun as usual, going to the kitchen to start breakfast. She was still shaky but not quite as bad as she’d been the night before. She made a big breakfast of bacon, pancakes, and scrambled eggs. When Ida joined her, she was just finishing up the eggs. “Oh, good morning. Did you sleep all right?”

  Ida nodded. “I did.” She looked at the breakfast and shook her head. “I can’t believe you got up early and cooked! I was going to come out and do it for you.”

  Madelyn shook her head. “No, you’re my guest. And you kept me from hiding a man in my bedroom after tying him up yesterday. Only a true friend does that.”

  Ida laughed. “I tr
y to be a true friend, but I did that as much for me as I did it for you. I didn’t want to touch him enough to smear that lard all over him.”

  Madelyn laughed. “I’m glad it didn’t come to that.” She wondered if Mr. Humphreys was alive or dead. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to live with the guilt if she’d killed a man—even one as vile as Mr. Humphreys.

  “So am I!”

  Three little girls came running into the kitchen in their nightgowns then, so the talk changed from that of hiding bodies to discussing how the girls had slept. It was a much safer topic of conversation.

  10

  About a mile from town, Bert got a strange feeling that they needed to get back immediately. He’d felt the same at the campsite that morning. Something was definitely wrong! “I think something happened to our ladies.”

  Andrew gave him an odd look, but he didn’t say a word, simply following him into town, their pace much faster than it had been. They stopped in front of the jail, and swung down, going into the office.

  Bert stopped short when he got inside the Mountie office. Mr. Gellar, the proprietor of the mercantile, was sitting at the desk there. A man he’d never seen before was in jail. “What’s going on here?”

  Mr. Gellar stood up, shaking his head. “This man went to your house while you were gone. He threatened your wife, and she stabbed him, and then hit him over the head with a frying pan. He’s been awake a few times and cussing up a storm. I don’t think he’s grievously injured, but one of you Mounties should probably take a look, seeing as how you all know first aid and everything.”

  Bert looked at Andrew. “Can you see to him? I need to make sure my wife and girls are all right!” He didn’t wait for a response as he turned and sprinted down the street toward his house.

  He threw open the door, finding Ida and Madelyn sitting at the table, both of them with sewing on their laps, and a big pot of something that smelled wonderful cooking on the stove. “Maddie? I just heard. Are you all right?”