Millie shrugged. “No.”
“No? Well, what will we do if all of our clothes are wet, and we can’t wear any?”
Mary giggled.
Madelyn touched the clothes and was pleased they were dry. She piled them into a small basket and carried them inside, the girls holding one side while she held the other.
That’s how Bert found them as he arrived home from work. His pretty new wife carrying one side of a laundry basket, and his little girls carrying the other side. They seemed thrilled to be able to help, and his heart warmed toward her. How could she be a bad person when the girls were obviously enamored of her.
He walked over and took the basket from the three of them, startling Madelyn, who hadn’t seen him watching her. She’d been too busy giving every bit of her attention to his girls. “I’ll carry it in.”
“Thank you,” Madelyn said softly. She was still shy around him, knowing she was developing feelings she’d never wanted to have.
“You’re welcome.” He looked down at his girls as he pushed into the house, amazed at the smells. He was almost drooling as he set the basket on the counter. “Please tell me supper will be ready soon. It smells amazing!”
Madelyn smiled. “I’ll butter a piece of bread for you like I did for the girls. Supper will be another thirty minutes.”
He frowned. “I’m not sure I can wait that long.”
“The bread will get you through.” She hurried to the counter and cut off a piece of the bread, buttering it and bringing it to him on a plate. “You eat this while I get the laundry folded.”
The girls didn’t swarm him as they usually did. They were content to be with their new mama, helping her with everything they could. He didn’t like that their affection had seemed to transfer, but he couldn’t complain too much. As he watched, she showed them how to fold a kitchen towel, and they each tried, making jumbled messes.
She was patient, praising them for trying, but showing them how to fix it. When she was done, they both had folded a towel that didn’t look like it was just a wadded-up mess like they had at first. “Now we need to put them all away. Can you help?”
The girls took their clothes to their room to put away, jabbering excitedly. Madelyn looked over at Bert. “I got the fabric to make them each a new nightgown and an apron today. I hope you don’t mind.”
“If you keep cooking like this, I’m not going to mind a single thing you do. You could burn down the cabin as long as I knew you were roasting a slab of meat over it.”
She laughed, the sound filling the house. “I will do my best not to burn down the house for any reason, but I will make as many slabs of meat as you can eat.”
“You have yourself a deal. I will eat anything you’re willing to cook.” His first wife hadn’t been a fabulous cook, but he’d loved her to distraction. He was thrilled Madelyn was such an experienced cook. “You could make your living as a cook, if you weren’t so busy being a wife and mama.”
“Well, let me know if you ever get tired of being a Mountie, and I’ll open a restaurant. Can’t you just see the girls waiting tables?” She was very amused at the picture in her head of the girls each carrying a big tray with food on it.
He frowned. He knew she was joking, but did she want to open a restaurant? “Is that something you want?”
“For the girls to be waitresses? Never. I was a waitress in Ottawa, and I hated it.” She wasn’t ready to mention Mr. Humphreys, so she left that part out. “I did it for five months, and I was so grateful for the chance to come here and be a mama instead.”
“No, I mean have you ever wanted to open a restaurant?”
She shrugged. “I like to cook, and when I first arrived in Ottawa I wanted to be a cook, but no one thought I could possibly be experienced enough. So I waited tables.”
He frowned. “I don’t want to think that you’re not living your dream because you’re here with my family. If you want to open a restaurant, maybe we could work that out.”
“I don’t, unless you need me to earn the money. I’m happy staying home with the girls.” And maybe someday having children of her own. A possibility she had completely discounted before getting on the train to meet him was now in the back of her head. She had feelings for the man. How had that happened so quickly?
“I’d rather you were here with the girls. Good, I’m glad we agree on that.”
She filled her arms with the clothes she’d just finished folding and carried them behind the curtain into their bed area, calling over her shoulder, “I am too. I was worried you wanted me to earn a living and not stay with the girls.”
He waited until she came out. “Not at all. You’re certainly talented enough in the kitchen to run a restaurant on your own, but I asked you to come here so you could take care of the girls. Mounties rarely stay in one place long enough for a business to be started either.”
She hadn’t thought of the possibility of moving. She was happy there with him and the girls, but she wouldn’t mind if they had to pack up and move the next day. For her, life was all about family. And the three of them were now her family. “There’s no need to worry about that. I don’t see myself becoming discontent with taking care of the house and the girls. I can cook for three people or one hundred people. Makes no difference to me.”
She walked to the stove and pulled bowls down out of the cabinet. Carefully scooping up half a bowl for each of the girls first, she set them on the table to cool. Then she filled two bowls for the two of them. “Are you all right with drinking milk with supper? Or would you prefer water or coffee?”
“Milk is good late in the day. Thank you. I drink a lot of coffee throughout the day, and I don’t need it this late or I’ll be up all night.”
She poured four cups of milk and put them on the table before going to look for the girls. They’d put their clothes away, but they hadn’t come back out. “It’s time to eat.”
The girls nodded, walking into the kitchen and climbing into their seats.
“Are you leaving?” Millie asked, her eyes wide.
Madelyn frowned. “Why would I leave? I just got here!”
“To be a cook,” Mary said.
Madelyn shook her head. The girls had obviously heard them talking. “No, I’m not going anywhere. I love it here. I’m happy to be with you girls all the time. Do you want me to leave?” They both shook their heads emphatically. “Then it’s settled. I’m going to stay!”
The girls looked relieved, and Madelyn looked at Bert. She hadn’t realized the girls would be listening to everything they said.
There was a knock on the door, and Bert frowned, getting up to go see who it was. “Miss Hazel. Welcome.”
Hazel came into the house, smiling as she sniffed deeply. “Maddie is a good cook, isn’t she?”
Bert nodded. “She is. We were just talking about how much we all enjoy her cooking.”
Madelyn looked at Miss Hazel. “Would you like to stay for supper?”
“I would love to! I just wanted to see how you were all getting along. Are the girls behaving for you?”
“They are. They’ve been angels.” Madelyn walked over to get down another bowl and a cup, which she filled with milk. She filled the bowl with the chicken and dumplings, and then carried one of the fresh loaves of bread and some butter to the table. “We were just about to say grace.”
“Don’t let me stop you!” Miss Hazel bowed her head expectantly.
Bert gave Madelyn a look as if he wanted to know what the woman was doing there, but Madelyn just shrugged. She had no idea. She was pleased to see her, though.
Bert said the prayer, and they all began to eat. “This is delicious! I really am amazed at how well you cook, Madelyn.”
“I love to cook. I think that helps. When you add love as your key ingredient to everything you make, it all turns out better.”
“Well, then you need to keep adding love.”
Millie looked at Miss Hazel. “Who are you?”
“
I’m Miss Hazel. I found your mama and brought her to you.” Miss Hazel reached for a piece of bread and quickly buttered it. “I taught all the other ladies how to cook, but your mama was already better than me.”
“Are you taking her away with you?” Millie asked.
Madelyn shook her head at the little girl. “I’m always going to be here with you. Don’t worry that I’ll go away, because I won’t.”
“My mama went away,” Mary said softly.
Madelyn looked at Bert, who looked very sad. “I know she did, sweetheart, but she didn’t want to go away. She wanted to stay with you forever.”
“How do you know?” Millie asked.
“Because I’m a mama now, and I know that I wouldn’t leave you two for anything in the whole world. So I know your mama would have stayed with you forever if she could have.”
Bert nodded. “She would have. Madelyn didn’t know your first mama, but I did. She loved the two of you more than anything else in the whole wide world.”
“And the baby in her tummy,” Mary said.
“Yes, and the baby in her tummy.”
Millie frowned. “The baby left, too.”
Bert wondered where this discussion was coming from. They hadn’t asked a lot of questions about Sally’s death, but now that Madelyn was here, they seemed to be obsessed with it. “They both had to leave. They weren’t well enough to keep living.” He wasn’t about to tell them God needed their mother more than they did. He’d heard people say that to their children many times, and it always bothered him.
“But this mama is well?” Mary asked.
“I’m very well, and I’m staying here with you for as long as you’ll let me. You might decide you don’t want me around, and you’ll kick me out!” Madelyn said with a smile.
“No. We want you to stay forever and ever.”
“Then that’s what I’ll do.” Madelyn looked over at Miss Hazel, sad the conversation was happening with her there.
Miss Hazel nodded. “Your new mama won’t come back to Ottawa with me. She’s been talking about nothing but being your mama for two whole weeks. She wanted to come here more than anything. Why would she leave?”
The girls had no answer, and because of that, it looked like they believed.
“We like her,” Millie said.
“Of course you do. Everyone likes your mama.”
“Everyone?” Millie asked.
“Everyone! Who else spends all their time cooking and cleaning with little girls? Isn’t she fun?”
Millie nodded. “She is. That’s why we want to keep her.”
“You have my permission!” Miss Hazel said enthusiastically.
Madelyn grinned at Bert, who was looking a bit befuddled by the entire conversation. “I guess you’re stuck with me,” she said lightly. She wished she knew that he wanted her to stay as much as the girls did. He’d been very quiet through the conversation, though.
“I guess I am. I think the girls and I have decided to keep you.”
After supper, Miss Hazel helped her with the dishes.
“Was there a reason for your visit?” Madelyn finally asked.
Miss Hazel nodded. “I was checking on everyone to make sure they were pleased with their matches. Not that anything can be done about it now, but I like to make sure my girls are happy.”
“I see. I’m happy. I love the girls already. They’re so sweet.”
“And their father?” Miss Hazel asked.
Madelyn blushed, thankful that Bert was in the girls’ room with them, getting them ready for bed and telling them a story. “I think it could happen if I didn’t watch myself. I’ll be on my guard, though.”
“Why? That’s silly. You should love your husband.”
“He’s made it very clear he has no feelings for me, and he never will. He loved his first wife beyond belief, and I’m just a poor substitute.”
“I don’t think that’s what he’s trying to say to you. He isn’t ready to lose his heart yet, but she’s only been gone a short while. Give him a little time to get to know you better. Once he realizes just how much you and the girls love each other . . . and how much you love him, he won’t be able to help himself!”
“I hope you’re right.” Madelyn glanced out the window and saw that it was snowing. “It’s so beautiful here. I missed living in the country.”
“Ottawa wasn’t the place for someone like you. You’re too sweet to be in a city.”
“I don’t know about that, but thank you for saying so.” Madelyn handed the last dish to Miss Hazel to dry and put away. “We’re done.”
“Well, I’m glad I came by. I think your little family is going to do just fine.” Miss Hazel reached for her coat and pulled it on. “I’m going to go back to the hotel now. Remember to write!”
“Won’t I see you again?” Madelyn was surprised by how strongly she felt about Miss Hazel. She’d become a second mother to her very quickly. How had that even happened?
“Probably not. I’ll check on the others tomorrow and get on a train back to Ottawa the next day. It’s time for me to go.” Miss Hazel hugged Madelyn close. “Some of the young ladies I work with become like daughters to me. You were one of those. Thank you for sharing your last two weeks with me.”
“Thank you.” Madelyn hugged her back. “If you hadn’t come along, I really don’t know what I would have done. The situation was becoming unbearable.”
“I could see that on your face when I was in your restaurant the day we met. I hope you never find yourself in that type of situation again.” With those words, Miss Hazel opened the door and stepped out into the snowy night.
Madelyn watched her go, a tear in her eye. She shouldn’t miss her so much already, but she did.
“What kind of situation did she rescue you from?” Bert asked, frowning at her.
5
Madelyn frowned at him for a moment. She didn’t really want to discuss what had happened in Ottawa with Mr. Humphreys, but he was her husband. She owed him the truth, didn’t she?
She sighed, walking over to the table and sitting down in one of the chairs. “I met Miss Hazel in the restaurant where I worked about two weeks ago. She could tell I was nervous about something, so she asked me if someone was bothering me.”
Bert frowned at her, walking over to sit down across from her. “And? Was someone bothering you?”
She nodded. “My manager had decided he was going to court me, and he really didn’t care how I felt about it. He followed me home from work often. Sometimes he would be standing outside the boarding house where I lived, waiting for me when I came out. He tried to trap me in the back room to kiss me several times.”
He shook his head. “Why didn’t you go to the police?” He didn’t have the same kind of respect for metropolitan police that he had for Mounties, but they were better than nothing.
“And tell them what? My manager was overly friendly?” She shrugged. “I didn’t know what to do. I hadn’t really made any close friends there. The other waitresses didn’t like me because they all knew I was Mr. Humphreys’ favorite. The people in my house didn’t like me because I was always followed around by a man twice my age. It was a strange situation, and I was very confused.”
“Men like him should be flogged. Promise you’ll tell me if anything like that happens to you again.”
She smiled a little, happy he was willing to defend her. Of course it was his job, but still, she was pleased. “I’ll let you know. Anyway, Miss Hazel wrote down her address and asked me to come see her. When I did, she showed me your letter. Until I read about the girls, I didn’t think there was any way I could be a mail order bride. After reading about them, I didn’t think I could stay away.” She’d experienced what it was like to live with a step-parent first hand, and she wasn’t about to let the girls in his letter go through that.
He smiled, reaching out and covering her hand with his without thinking first. “I’m glad you came. The girls already love you.”
&nbs
p; “And I already love them. I’ve always been fascinated by twins.”
“I’m a twin. My brother Ernest is a Mountie as well. Maybe I should give him Miss Hazel’s address, so he can find himself a bride.”
She was very aware of where he was touching her. Yes, it was just her hand, but it was the most intimate she had ever been with a man. “Are the two of you identical?”
He shook his head. “No, Ernie is shorter than me, and his shoulders are much broader. He’s not fat, but he’s pure muscle. Compared to him, I look like a beanpole. He has the same black hair I have that won’t lie down properly, though.”
“I see. I look forward to meeting him someday.”
“I think you’d like him. Ernie is a happy-go-lucky man, so unlike me. I’m more rigid in my thoughts and routines, but Ernie is fun-loving.” Bert couldn’t help thinking that she would have liked his brother a great deal more than him.
“I’m more serious myself. I’m glad you’re the brother whose letter I answered and not him.”
“Really?” He’d always felt like he was a bit lacking with Ernie around. They’d gone through the academy together, and it was while he was on his first assignment that he’d met Sally. Every other girl he’d been interested in had fallen for his brother and not him. He couldn’t help but be glad his brother wasn’t there.
“Really. I’ve never been one to want to go out every night. I enjoy staying home and reading or working on a sewing project. My social life has always been dismal because I never wanted to leave my house.”
He smiled. “I have this odd feeling we’re going to get along very well. I rarely go out. If there’s a community picnic or a parade or something, I always make sure the girls get to go, but I’m not a fan of having an active social life myself.” At that moment, he realized he was holding her hand, and he pulled his away. “I should be getting to bed soon.”
She nodded, understanding why he’d pulled his hand away, but not liking it. “Do you want me to get ready first?”
He studied her for a moment, wondering how she felt about his mandate that there would never be feelings between them. He also wondered how he felt about it. It seemed like it should be a good thing, but it was bothering him all of a sudden. Why did he want to take his new wife in his arms and kiss her? “Yes, you get ready first. I’ll follow in a few minutes.” He prayed she’d be asleep when he got there to join her. He wasn’t certain he could handle it if she was awake and in bed when he was.
RNWMP: Bride For Gilbert (Mail Order Mounties Book 17) Page 4