Nathaniel. Hearing his name sent her heart racing. This was going to be the man she would marry.
As panic tried to creep its way in, Claire took a deep breath and pushed it away. She wasn’t going to miss this opportunity.
Because she knew without a doubt, this was her one chance for happiness.
Chapter 3
Nathaniel leaned back against the wall of the station, keeping his eyes on everyone milling around. He was always on guard and watchful for anyone doing something they shouldn’t be. Being a Mountie wasn’t a job that you ever had time off from, even if it was your wedding day. The other men would be watchful too as they stood waiting at the platform, however he also knew the others were more inclined to trust people, unless they were given a reason to feel otherwise.
Not like Nathaniel.
He never trusted anyone until they’d proven themselves. In his eyes, everyone was suspect until they could make him believe their innocence.
“Wonder what the ladies will think of Cougar Springs?” Samuel, the Mountie who worked the same shift as Nathaniel, looked over with a hint of worry.
“What wouldn’t they love? I mean, it has the hot springs, a spa, and really anything a woman could need.”
Nathaniel hadn’t been too sure about sending for a bride when it had first come up, but the more the men had discussed it, the more he’d realized it might not be a bad idea. The only women around Cougar Springs were spoiled, rich ladies who thought men should cater to their every whim.
The kind of woman his parents had raised him to believe was the type he should marry. He’d come from a wealthy family, and it was expected for him to follow in the line and marry well.
However, that was definitely not the kind of woman he wanted to spend his life with. He wanted kids, and someone to share his life with. But also, a woman who didn’t believe money was the most important thing in life. Or who worried about appearances or what others thought.
It was important she have a personality and be someone he could enjoy spending his days with.
So since he’d heard this Miss Hazel woman had been successful in pairing up some fellow Mounties in other provinces, he figured he had nothing to lose.
The men turned to watch the train pulling around the bend into town. Samuel looked back at him once more. “Well, I believe God will send us exactly who we need—a woman we can love, and who we’re meant to share our lives with.”
Nathaniel kept his eyes on the train, the hissing of the steam wrapping around him as it came to a stop in front of them. He wasn’t so sure about falling in love, but if he could find someone to be comfortable around and hopefully have some children with someday, he’d be happy.
Pushing himself from the wall, he stood up straight and pulled on the bottom of his red jacket to make sure he looked presentable. He tried to pretend he wasn’t nervous, but the truth was, he really wasn’t sure how to act. Meeting a stranger and heading straight out to marry them wasn’t something he did every day.
He chuckled to himself as he looked down the line of men—four strong, brave Mounties, lined up in front of the train, fussing and primping to make sure they looked good for their brides.
He could only imagine the sight they made for everyone passing by.
The train coming to town was always a busy time, and Nathaniel normally preferred to stay back from the tourists and others who were coming to the spa to heal whatever ailed them. Being in large crowds unnerved him, and even now as the masses of people started to step onto the platform, he could feel his heart racing.
How were they supposed to know who their brides were? There were women all over the platform, but none who showed any indication of being there to meet them.
Just as the thoughts were running through his mind, his eyes were pulled toward an older woman stepping off the train with purpose, marching straight toward them. But it wasn’t her he was looking at.
His gaze had found a tall woman walking regally behind, with her head high as she took in everything around her. There wasn’t anything that stood out about her, yet he couldn’t take his eyes off her. His heart skipped a beat when their eyes met, and all he could think of was how desperately he hoped she was his bride.
Claire had been in awe of the mountains ever since they’d come into view, and as she stepped from the train, she wasn’t able to take her eyes off the majestic beauty of them outlined against the blue sky behind them.
That was, until she turned and her gaze collided with the man in a red uniform standing on the platform. There were four of them, but she hadn’t even really noticed them at all. The tall one who was staring straight at her was the only one she saw. It was hard to make out his features from under the shadow of the hat he wore, but the blue of his eyes held her in his grip.
Giving her head a slight shake, she forced herself to look at the other men. There was a good chance he wasn’t her groom, so she couldn’t let herself get too struck on him.
As soon as they reached the men, Miss Hazel started the introductions. Claire’s pulse was racing and she was having difficulty focusing on everything that was happening around her. She could feel his eyes on her, and as if they had a mind of their own, hers found their way back to him. Just as she did, Miss Hazel pulled her forward. “And you must be Nathaniel. This is your bride, Claire.”
She hadn’t even realized the others had all been introduced, leaving the man who made her knees weak, left for her. How was she going to be able to act normally around this man when just being close to him was already affecting her this much?
Putting her hand out to let him take it in greeting, she watched in horror as the pearl bracelet she’d worn got caught in her shawl, breaking it apart and pulling the cover from her shoulders. Small pearls fell onto the platform, bouncing over the boards and into the cracks.
“Oh no! Rose gave those to me.” She promptly crouched down, trying to rescue the pearls before they got lost in between the boards. Nathaniel bent down too, grabbing as many as he could before they rolled away.
They both reached for one that was slowly creeping away from them, and as soon as their hands touched, she pulled hers back like she’d been burned. Her cheeks heated and she quickly looked up, just as he was lifting his head. He grinned at her, his lips moving into a lopsided smile that made small laugh lines form around his eyes.
“Well, Claire, I’ve only known you for less than a minute and already you have me on my knees.”
She stood up as fast as she could, knocking into Miss Hazel who was standing in shock beside them, watching as they tried to gather up the runaway pearls.
“My goodness, Claire. Be careful! You almost knocked me on my backside. The last thing the people of Cougar Springs need to witness, is me with my feet in the air and my bloomers showing.”
Nathaniel was quietly chuckling beside her, and Claire wanted nothing more than to turn and run back onto the train where she could hide from her embarrassment.
Swallowing hard, she forced herself to look at him again. His smile was kind, so at least he didn’t appear to be laughing at her. He held his hand out with the pearls he’d picked up. “I would put these somewhere safe. They look like they might mean a great deal to you.”
She took them from his palm, careful not to touch his hand too much.
“They do. They were given to me by a friend.”
He nodded, then took his other hand and covered hers before she could pull the last pearl away. “It’s very nice to meet you, Claire.”
Her skin tingled where he touched and as he spoke, his voice reached in and warmed her heart.
Before she could reply, he tipped his head slightly, still holding tightly to her hand. “Shall we go get married?”
Chapter 4
“He must think I’m a complete ninny. I try to give him my hand in greeting and end up tossing pearls from one end of the platform to the other. Then, I barely speak two words to him until it’s time to say I do in front of the minister. I’ve ne
ver been so embarrassed in my life.”
Claire buried her head in her hands as she sat at the table in her new home. Miss Hazel had offered to take Beth and her to their new cabins while Nathaniel and Samuel went to check out some trouble at the saloon in town. Since the men worked the same shift each day until the afternoon when the other two Mounties took over, they weren’t able to help their new wives get settled until they were done.
Beth patted her on the shoulder as Miss Hazel rifled through cabinets looking for cups to make them some tea.
“It wasn’t that bad, Claire. I saw it happen and really it was nothing more than an accident. It could have happened to anyone.” Beth’s soothing voice reached her ears, but it didn’t make her feel much better.
“I know. It wasn’t anything I did, really, but it was just not how I’d pictured I’d meet my future husband. The whole way out on the train, I was imagining how it would be when we first met, and it was so much more romantic in my mind.”
Beth laughed softly and shook her head. “No, I’m sure it wasn’t anything like you’d hoped. But Nathaniel seems so nice and he wasn’t annoyed at all. In fact, I’d say he was quite taken with you and more than happy to crouch on the ground picking up your broken pieces of jewelry.”
Claire stared at her friend, then started to laugh quietly to herself too. “I can just imagine what a scene we must have made. The other men probably all sent their thanks to the heavens that they were meeting wives who showed a little more grace.”
Miss Hazel bustled over and set steaming cups of tea on the table. Instead of nice teacups, all she’d been able to find were some clunky tin ones that looked like they’d been stepped on by a horse. “Oh, I wouldn’t know about that. Matthew and Sinead had already left, and Easton and Molly were getting her bags, so I doubt he saw anything.” She grabbed a cup for herself and plopped into the chair beside Claire. Reaching up, she fanned herself with her hand. “My goodness, I’d have thought the weather would be so much cooler here by now. I feel like I’m burning from the inside out.”
Claire and Beth shared a secret grin, both knowing how much Miss Hazel had been complaining about her change of life problems. While they’d taken some training to learn how to be good wives for the Mounties at the older woman’s home in Ottawa, Beth had become a very dear friend to her. Claire was so grateful that they’d get to start their new lives out here together.
Now that she’d had a chance to get over her initial embarrassment, she let her eyes move around her new home. It wasn’t anywhere near as large as the Lambert’s townhouse in Ottawa, but it was more than anything she could have ever dreamed of having for herself.
There was no doubt it needed a woman’s touch. The windows had no curtains, and from the amount of grumbling she’d listened to as Miss Hazel prepared the tea, the kitchen wasn’t set up very efficiently.
Her stomach tingled as she realized she was going to get to make this her home. With a man who was even more handsome than she could have ever dreamed. They’d been married quickly, and as she thought about it, her heart skipped a beat. When it had come time to share a kiss to seal their vows, Nathaniel had pulled her to him and gently pressed his lips on hers.
Reaching up to touch them now, she was sure they still burned.
It wasn’t the wedding day she’d always dreamed of having, but she wouldn’t trade a thing.
Just then, the door opened and her new husband walked inside, pulling his hat from his head to reveal his thick, dark blond hair. His shoulders were wide under the red jacket and he seemed even taller standing in the doorway of the small cabin.
Claire leaped to her feet, unsure how she should be greeting him. Just because she was his wife now, it had still been his cabin long before she arrived, so she wasn’t quite sure where she fitted in. A tugging on her dress almost made her lose her balance and suddenly a loud ripping sound echoed around the room.
Beth’s eyes widened and her hand came up to her mouth in horror.
Slowly looking down, Claire dreaded what she would see. The dress she’d painstakingly sewn together for her wedding day, from castoffs Rose had given her, now had a large tear down the front seam.
Nathaniel came over quickly, reaching out to unhook the fabric that was still caught on the small nail sticking out from the edge of the table. “I forgot to hammer that down before you got here. I’m sorry.” He looked at her with his eyebrows pulled together. “Things are a bit rough around here, I’m afraid. I should have tried to get things cleaned up a bit better.”
She didn’t want him to feel worse than he already did, so she waved her hand in front of her as she shook her head. “Oh, it’s fine. I can fix this. It isn’t anything special anyway.”
She couldn’t tell him how many hours she’d sat up late at Miss Hazel’s before coming out here, piecing together this dress from clothes her friend had given her. Rose had been quite a bit shorter than herself, so Claire had carefully put extra fabric on the dress to make it look perfect for her wedding day. It was the only nice dress she owned.
And combined with the jewelry her friend had shared with her over the years, Claire had been so excited to look her best when she started her new life with her new husband. She’d wanted to impress him, not have him see straightaway that he was marrying nothing more than a maid with no money or family.
And now, not only had she broken one of the pearl bracelets, she’d managed to tear her wedding dress. Obviously, she wasn’t meant to wear the finer things that women of higher status did.
It would have been almost funny if she wasn’t so close to tears.
“Yes, Claire is a wonderful seamstress, so I know she’ll be able to fix that up in no time.” Miss Hazel stood, coming over to take the fabric from Nathaniel and inspect it for herself. When she looked up at Claire, she gave her a small wink. Hazel knew how hard she’d worked on the dress, but looked proud of how she was handling it.
With a small tug in her chest, Claire realized she’d never had anyone who’d ever been proud of her before. It wasn’t a big thing, but just knowing Miss Hazel was pleased with her filled her with warmth.
“All right, Beth, let’s get you to your cabin before Samuel gets home and finds you missing.”
Hazel clapped her hands together as they walked to the door. Beth turned back and gave her a reassuring smile before grabbing her sweater from the hook by the door. Claire stood watching them go, and as the door slammed shut behind them, the silence in the room now seemed deafening.
She was alone with her husband who was still standing right beside her.
He moved toward the oven and she finally let out the breath she’d been holding. He turned back to face her, leaning against the side cupboard and crossing his arms in front of him.
“If you let me know what you’ll need to fix your dress, I can pick it up for you. Or I can walk you to the mercantile now if you’d like so you can also pick some things out to make it a bit more homey here for you.”
A smile spread across her face at his thoughtfulness. “I’d love to go for a walk and maybe get a chance to see around the town a bit. Are you sure you have time?”
“I’m done working for today, so I’d think the least I could do is take my new bride for a walk to show her around.” He pushed away from the oven and walked over to the doorway that led to the small bedroom. She’d placed her bags in there when they’d first come in, unsure of what the sleeping arrangements would be.
He was undoing the buttons on his jacket as he walked, and instantly her cheeks started to burn again as she realized he was going to change out of his uniform. She looked down at her skirt again when he went into the bedroom, and pulled the fabric up to inspect the damage closer.
She wouldn’t be able to wear it out until she’d fixed it, so that meant she was going to have to change too. She had a few skirts she’d brought with her, ones she’d worn working at the Lambert’s, but they weren’t near as pretty as this dress. It would have been nice to wear something
a bit fancier for the first time people met her as Nathaniel’s wife, but it couldn’t be helped.
When Nathaniel came back out, now wearing a plaid shirt and brown pants, he motioned toward her dress. “You might want to change.” When his eyes met hers, he grinned and she was almost sure she could see a sparkle in them as he continued. “But, be careful. I’m on a Mountie’s salary, and if anything else rips or breaks, I just might not be able to afford to fix it.”
Chapter 5
“The sanitarium is the main draw for the town, with people coming from all over the country to stay at the hotel and have the chance to make use of the hot springs. I’ve never believed they are the cure for all ailments that the doctors around here claim, but I’m sure they do offer some comfort for certain illnesses.”
She was looking all around as they walked, and he couldn’t help smiling to himself as he looked at the town through her eyes. He’d been here for a while now and never really taken the time to enjoy the beauty of the area. But she was so excited and awestruck over everything, it was as though he were seeing everything for the first time too.
“Why did you say doctors like that? You almost sound as though you don’t think they’re very good doctors.” She looked at him with her eyebrows pulled together slightly.
He shrugged and gave a small laugh. “That’s because I don’t think any of them are even really a doctor. And if they are, they care more about making money than they do about their patients.”
She stopped and turned to face him with her mouth partway open. “If they aren’t really doctors, why are they allowed to work here?”
He’d often wondered the same thing himself. “Unfortunately, there isn’t really anything we can do. We hear the complaints and try to settle disputes as they arise, but as long as they haven’t hurt anyone, we can’t do much.”
She was frowning but suddenly her face lit up. “Well, it’s good then that Sinead is here. I think she’ll be a great doctor for the residents and tourists in town.”
RNWMP: Bride for Nathaniel (Mail Order Mounties Book 10) Page 2