RNWMP: Bride for Malcolm (Mail Order Mounties Book 14)

by Kay P. Dawson

  Her mouth opened slightly as though she wasn't sure what to say. The truth was, he wasn't even sure what to say. Where were all these words coming from? If any of the men heard him speaking like this he was sure they'd be laughing uncontrollably. He'd always made sure they knew he was a strong force to be reckoned with, and didn't have time for any romantic pursuits.

  Yet here he was asking a woman he'd just met to marry him, and allow him the opportunity to court her after their wedding.

  He decided right then that there must be something in the air at Hazel Hughes's that made everyone just a little bit crazy.

  Chapter 3

  The rattling of the wheels as the train raced along the tracks filled the car, offering her comfort from the thoughts that were racing through her mind. At least with the noise around her, she could cover up the worry and doubt that kept threatening to consume her.

  She'd been married less than twenty-four hours, but it was plenty of time to realize the enormity of what she'd done.

  Annie Hastings, daughter of the infamous criminal Roger Hastings, had just agreed to spend her life with a man who was honor-bound to uphold the law. And the worst part was, she hadn't even said a word about it to Malcolm. He had no idea who he was married to.

  She watched the trees fly by past the window, and she noticed the whiteness of the snow that seemed to stretch as far as she could see. The branches hung low under the weight, and the sunlight reflected off each flake, giving the appearance of millions of diamonds twinkling on the ground.

  "We'll be in Cochrane shortly, then we'll be getting straight onto the sleds that will take us up to Reindeer Rock. Things will likely be a bit uncomfortable, especially having to stay overnight with strangers along the trail. But once we get there, I'm sure we'll be able to get settled easily."

  She turned to look at her new husband. He'd taken his hat off, resting it on his knee while he leaned his head back on the seat. His hair was dark, which was in contrast to the bright blue of his eyes watching her closely.

  "I'm sure it will be fine. I've always enjoyed being outside, so spending time on a dogsled actually sounds kind of exciting to me." She'd always loved riding her horses back home, and had spent most of her time getting away on her own. The temperature never got as cold in Vancouver as Malcolm had mentioned it could get in Reindeer Rock, and they'd never had as much snow, but she was sure she could adjust.

  It wasn't like she had much choice now anyway.

  Although she had to admit to feeling some nervousness about being somewhere so far away from civilization, without the amenities she'd grown up with. She'd heard enough stories about wild animals and people freezing to death in places like this to give her a healthy bit of fear of the unknown.

  "I've worked in some pretty primitive places up in the Northwest Territories, so this won't be so bad. At least we'll have a good solid cabin that we can hopefully make into a home for us while I'm stationed there. And I've heard the people around the town are nice, so I'm sure it won't be too difficult for you to adjust."

  As he spoke, she realized he was trying to make her feel better, as though he had somehow sensed her unease. His blue eyes held hers, and she found herself unable to look away. Knowing he was trying to reassure her, and perhaps even worried that she was having doubts about her decision to come north with him, offered her comfort.

  Smiling at him, she nodded. "I can't wait to see the cabin. I've always imagined being tucked away somewhere with a nice warm fire burning, while the snow fell outside. Vancouver was always so damp and chilly. The only snow we ever seemed to get was wet and heavy, not like this out here." She turned and pointed out the window at the whiteness that flew past outside.

  Just then, something caught her eye moving alongside the train. What was it?

  Malcolm leaned over closer, and her pulse quickened as his leg pressed up against hers. "Is that a fox running beside the train?"

  She squinted, trying to ignore the way his shoulder and arm was now touching hers, sending a tingling sensation shooting throughout her entire body.

  "It's all white. I've never seen one that was white before." The small animal had the tail and the look of other foxes she'd seen, but his fur blended in with the snow around him. She had to smile at the beauty of the animal as it raced along as fast as his legs would carry him.

  "I'd say it's an arctic fox. I've heard about them. But why is he running beside us? Normally foxes are wild, shying away from anything loud like this train."

  She could feel his body rumble as he spoke and when she turned to peek at him, her breath caught when her eyes met his. He was so close, still leaning across to look out the window at the fox. He held her gaze for a moment before sitting back up in his own seat, looking down at the hat on his lap.

  The whistle echoed inside the car, letting them know they were approaching Cochrane. Her heart raced with excitement as she realized she was about to spend the next few hours riding on the back of a dogsled. And somehow, knowing Malcolm would be the one driving the sled gave her the reassurance she needed that she would be safe along the way.

  Her eyes moved back to the window where the small white fox now sat watching the people starting to get off the train. He stayed on the edge of the forest, his eyes following all the activity around him. Annie didn't want to move, afraid if she did he’d be gone when she got outside.

  Watching the fox calmly sitting in the snow helped to calm her own nerves. The reality of everything seemed to crash in on her in that moment, knowing she was stepping off the train into the unknown of her future. She was now a married woman, and she would be headed to her new home in the middle of nowhere.

  “Are you coming, Annie? We need to make good time to get to the cabin we’ll be staying at tonight.”

  Malcolm’s voice pulled her from her thoughts. She looked up and saw the other ladies and Mounties all standing up to get off the train. None of them seemed nervous about what lay ahead for them, so she couldn’t understand why she was feeling like this.

  She offered Malcolm a smile and stood, taking his outstretched hand so he could help her into the aisle. He smiled back from under the shadow of his hat. “Don’t worry. I promise to keep you safe.”

  He’d sensed her worries, and she appreciated his kindness. She had no doubt she’d married a good man. He wasn’t anything like her father.

  Now, she just needed to prove to not only him, but to herself too, that she could be a good wife, and that her hasty decision to marry a stranger hadn’t been wrong.

  Chapter 4

  They'd made good time yesterday, so he was sure they'd make Reindeer Rock by sunset today. He still couldn't believe how well Annie was handling the trip, not even complaining once about the cold or being uncomfortable. In fact, a few times, he'd caught her with her head thrown back, eyes closed, and a smile on her face as they raced along the path.

  He shook his head as he looked over and noticed the white fox still making its way beside them in the distance. Finnegan.

  Of course, Annie had agreed with Robert's wife yesterday that the animal needed a name, so now all the women were completely taken with the bundle of fur they'd decided to call Finnegan.

  He was going to have to make sure he had a talk with his wife, and tell the other men to do the same, about making friends with any wild animals out here. He couldn't remember where the other women were from, but he knew Annie had grown up in Vancouver, so she had no idea of the dangers of a wild animal.

  They hadn't had much time to get to know each other since they'd said their vows. And he felt bad knowing she would likely be left alone quite a bit for the first few days of arriving because he'd need to take over command of the community. It wasn't going to be a quick process.

  He wondered how things would be when they arrived. The first night, he'd gone back to his hotel while she'd stayed at Miss Hazel's to pack up her things and rest before the trip. He hadn't wanted to rush her into anything she wasn't comfortable with, so he'd been the
one to suggest it.

  He'd ignored the sting to his pride when he'd seen the look of relief on her face.

  But last night, they'd slept together on the floor of the cabin where their hosts had offered them a warm meal and some blankets. She'd been tucked up right beside him because there wasn't a lot of floor space for all of them, and even though they were all fully clothed, he'd been aware of her every movement. He hadn't managed to get any sleep all night, and he was paying for it today. His body ached everywhere, and he was sure he could fall asleep standing on the back of this sled.

  As they approached a small clearing sheltered by some trees, he called out for them all to stop. "We can stop here for something to eat and to let the animals rest a bit." The couple they'd spent the night with had sent them some sandwiches and a cake to eat along the way.

  He reached out to help Annie up. She was wrapped up in the furs and blankets, and didn't look like she wanted to move. "I don't know if I can move. I've been sitting for so long I think my legs have become frozen this way." She gave a soft laugh as she moved the blankets to the side and took his hand.

  He pulled her to her feet as she reached down and brushed the wrinkles out of her skirts. "Maybe you can sit now and let me drive the rest of the way." She grinned up at him, and his breath was forced from his lungs. He couldn't take his eyes off her, and immediately, her smile faltered, and she brought her hand up to cover her lip as she moved to go past him.

  He wanted to tell her not to do that, and that she was beautiful, but he didn't know if he had the right to say anything like that to her yet. Just because he was her husband, it didn't mean he could come right out in front of everyone and tell her how stunning he thought she was.

  Could he?

  By now, though, she'd already walked around and pulled the basket out that held their food. He grabbed some of the food for the dogs and took it up to feed them while everyone else gathered around to eat.

  He glanced over and watched Annie who was talking with Gemma, the woman he'd met at Miss Hazel's and believed to be too young. She'd ended up marrying Colton, who was much more suited to her. She seemed nice enough, but perhaps a bit too flighty for him.

  As he walked over to them, Annie reached in and pulled out a sandwich, unwrapping it before handing it to him. She'd taken her gloves off to eat and the chill of her skin met his. He wrapped his fingers around hers before she could pull them away. "Hurry and eat so you can get your hands warmed back up." He rubbed his hands over hers quickly to try warming them up.

  She was staring at him in shock with her eyes wide, her own sandwich forgotten on the side of the sled. Her cheeks were red, and he wasn't sure if it was from the crispness of the air around them or from embarrassment.

  He smiled and let her hands go, leaning back against the sled to bite into his food. She watched him warily for a few seconds before reaching over to grab her own.

  "We're lucky the weather has held up for us. You wouldn't want to be stuck out here in the middle of a storm with no shelter." He cringed inwardly when he saw the look of worry flicker in her eyes.

  "What if the weather were to turn quickly, and we were still out here? Do you know how much farther we have to go?"

  "We’ll be there within the next few hours, so we have nothing to worry about. The sun is shining and there isn't any hint of bad weather in the air."

  She squinted her eyes and tipped her head slightly. "You mean you can tell when the weather is going to be bad?"

  He shrugged. "I can. I've lived in the north long enough to know how to sense the change in the air. It's part of the job to be prepared for anything, and that includes bad weather when you're living in remote locations like Reindeer Rock."

  As they finished eating, the women all started to climb back onto their sleds while the men got the dogs ready to go again. Annie stood looking at the sled, not seeming too anxious to get covered back up in her blankets.

  When he came back over, she crinkled her nose and smiled at him slightly. "I don't suppose I could stand for a while on the back with you? My legs are getting sore being bent up like that."

  He pulled his gloves on as he looked at her. "There's not a lot of room back here. It might be difficult to hang on."

  She waved her hand and nodded.

  "You're right. I can manage for a few more hours." She started to climb back in among the blankets, but he reached his hand out to stop her.

  "You didn't let me finish. I think it's a good idea for you to learn how to drive a dogsled, and now is as good a time as any. So we can make the room."

  Her smile lit up her face. "You're going to let me drive?"

  He pushed some of the items forward into the spot she'd been sitting to try and make a bit more room at the back. He intended to stay on the back with her in case anything happened, but he wanted to make sure she was able to look after herself a bit out here. And if she was willing to learn, he'd never tell her she couldn't do it.

  "Come over here and put your feet on the runners." He helped her step onto them, taking her hands and placing them on the back of the sled to hang on. "You need to use your voice to command them and lead them, so when you want to turn left, yell ‘Haw.’ To turn right, yell ‘Gee.’ Sometimes you’ll need to lean to help go around turns, and to stop, yell ‘Whoa’ and pull on this brake." He showed her where the handle was, then stepped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her and holding her in place.

  "Make sure you yell loud enough for them to hear you and use the tone in your voice to tell them you're in command." He leaned forward slightly to look at her. "Are you ready?"

  The smile she gave him was the only answer he needed. He shouted the command to get the dogs moving and within seconds they were racing over the snow. He had to remind her a few times of the commands, and help her to lean around the corners, but his chest filled with a sense of pride at how quickly she was picking it all up.

  By the time they pulled into Reindeer Rock, Malcolm realized he'd just had the most enjoyable afternoon he could remember in a long time. And the laughter he'd heard from Annie along the way let him know she'd had fun too.

  He may not have been convinced he needed a wife when he'd shown up at Miss Hazel's that day, but he had to admit the idea was growing on him.

  His new wife was surprisingly nothing at all like what he'd imagined. Maybe being married wasn't going to be so bad after all.

  Chapter 5

  Annie tied the apron behind her back, looking around as she tried to decide what to tackle first. She'd managed not to burn the bacon too badly this morning, so at least Malcolm had been able to eat a bit before he left. Cooking hadn't been something she'd enjoyed having to do while growing up, so the only chance she'd had to really learn how to do it properly was during her brief time at Miss Hazel's.

  Malcolm hadn't seemed to notice, and had gulped his food down like a man who'd been starving for days.

  Her pulse sped up slightly as she thought about her new husband. They'd shared a bed last night, but he'd been sure to let her know that until she was comfortable with him, he didn't expect anything more from her.

  She appreciated the chance to get to know him better. Everything about Malcolm surprised her. When she'd first met him, she'd gotten the impression he was a man who was used to getting his way. But after traveling here with him, she’d realized that while he might be stern on occasion, he was fair and kind too.

  When he'd let her drive the dogsled, she'd been ecstatic. Her father had never let her or her sister do anything like that, and he certainly would never have allowed her mother to try.

  Her stomach twisted in knots as it always did when she thought about her father. He'd treated their mother terribly, and it still upset Annie to think back to what their lives had been like growing up.

  They'd all walked on eggshells, afraid to set her father off. He'd been harsh in his discipline of them, but it was usually her mother who'd taken the brunt of his anger. Luckily for them, he wasn't home a lot an
yway, usually out spending time with his seedy friends.

  Well, she was away from him now, and she wasn't going to waste any more time thinking about him. She pulled out a bucket and started scrubbing, finding a strange sense of accomplishment as she worked. The cabin they'd been shown to last night when they arrived was small, but it was going to be their first home together, so she wanted to make it perfect.

  There was a small table with a couple of chairs next to the far wall, with a stove and a few cabinets lining another wall. A fireplace was in the middle, with the bedroom behind it. There weren't any doors to divide the rooms, but at least the fireplace offered some privacy.

  After spending a few hours cleaning, she decided to look and see what she could find to make for dinner. Malcolm had said he'd be gone all day while they rode around the area and went through their required duties. But she wanted to surprise him with a good meal when he got home.

  However, there hadn't been much left in the cabin when they'd moved in, so there wasn't much to choose from. When they'd pulled into town yesterday, they’d stopped just outside the store that serviced the entire community. It didn't look like much compared to the shops she'd grown up with in Vancouver, but she was sure there would be all the necessary supplies she would need.

  She quickly pulled her coat over her shoulders, and tugged down the warm hat Malcolm had given her for the ride out here. Their cabin sat just at the edge of town, so it wouldn't take her long to walk over and pick up a few things.

  The cold air nipped at her skin as she stepped outside, but the sun was shining bright in the sky, giving a touch of warmth to the air. All around her were pine trees with snow-covered branches, making everything around her sparkle in the sunshine. The ground beneath her feet crunched with every step she took, and as she walked, she took in the beauty of the land that would be her home for the next few years.