"Would it be possible for you to also take me to the local store?" she asked. She hoped she wasn't asking for too much. The last thing she wanted to seem like was a demanding wife. He had been too willing to take her on, along with Olivia, and the child she carried. She wanted to be as accommodating as she possibly could.
He nodded. "You won’t find the kind of selection you were used to back in Ottawa, but all of the basics will be available. I'd appreciate it if you would buy some coffee while we’re there. I can drink tea, but early in the morning I need coffee."
Minnie smiled. She remembered her parents had always been first-thing-in-the-morning coffee drinkers. She’d never developed the habit, though. "I'll be sure to do that. Is there anything else you'd like me to look for in particular for you?" She really wanted to be able to keep him happy with the meals she prepared. It was odd, because with David, she’d done everything out of fear. With Robert, she simply wanted to make him happy.
"Not that I can think of. Whatever you cook will please me." He looked around for Olivia, spotting her in a corner playing with her doll. "How's my best girl? Did you have fun in your new house today?"
Olivia shrugged, her face happy that her new daddy was there. She ran to him and held her hands up, demanding “Up!” again. Minnie was always surprised at how well Olivia was adjusting to having him around.
Robert scooped her into his arms, holding her at eye-level. “Were you good for Mama today?”
Olivia nodded, her hair flopping onto her forehead. “Yes!”
“I’m glad. I wouldn’t want to have to tickle you until you were good again!”
She giggled and shook her head.
Robert smiled and sat down with her in his lap. “So now I have you captive. What should I do with you?”
“Play dolly!” Olivia wiggled until he set her down and rushed over to get her doll for him. “You hold her.”
He took the doll, feeling very conspicuous. What did he know of playing with dolls? “Is she hungry?”
Olivia shook her head. “No.”
“No? What does she need then?” Robert had never really played with a doll before. All of his nieces had tried to get him to, but he’d always shied away. He felt very uncomfortable, but if Olivia wanted this from him, he’d do it—as long as none of the other Mounties were around, of course. They would tease him terribly.
“Pat her. She needs nap.”
Robert put the doll to his shoulder awkwardly patting her back. “Like this?”
Olivia nodded. “Sing.”
“Sing?” Robert had never been one to sing, and he certainly didn’t know what to sing to a doll.
Olivia nodded again.
He took a deep breath and sang that first song that came into his head, a song that had been very popular the previous year. He wasn’t one to know that sort of thing, but he’d been stationed in Toronto for a few years, and he couldn’t avoid the song there. “By the light of the silvery moon…”
Olivia giggled. “That’s not baby song!”
He frowned. “It’s the only song I can think of!”
Minnie put supper on the table then, and he looked at her, hoping he’d found a way out of the task. “Try Rock-a-bye Baby,” she suggested.
He glared at her. “You were supposed to help me!”
Olivia shook her head. “Can’t eat ‘til baby sleeps.”
He had no idea how they’d know if the baby was sleeping, because her eyes appeared to be painted open. He started singing though, patting the baby on the back as Olivia had instructed him. When he finally finished the song, feeling mortified, she took the baby from him, putting a finger to her lips and carrying the baby to the other room.
He was relieved to see she’d left. “Supper smells wonderful,” he said, trying to pretend he hadn’t just sung a doll to sleep—and very badly at that.
Minnie walked over to him and leaned down, pressing her lips to his. It was only the second time they’d kissed—the first being their wedding ceremony. “Thank you for playing with her.”
He caught her by the waist and pulled her down onto his lap. “If it means I get kisses, I’ll do it every day.”
She laughed. “I’m too heavy right now. Let me up.”
He frowned at her. “You’re not too heavy at all! I like having you here.” He wrapped both arms around her and held her close.
Olivia came out of the bedroom then, frowning at her mother. “My spot, Mama. Get off Daddy!”
Minnie laughed. “Daddy’s the one who put me here. What should I do?”
Olivia put her little hands on her hips in an imitation of her mother. “Get up!”
Minnie pressed a kiss to Robert’s cheek and quickly got up off his lap. “There. His lap is all yours, Olivia.”
Olivia held her hands out to Robert. “Up!”
He reached down and picked her up. “You’re certainly a bossy little thing.”
She giggled, as if she thought he was complimenting her. “Bossy.”
He shook his head. “Silly girl.”
Minnie put the rest of the food on the table and took her place, immediately bowing her head for the prayer. Afterward, she looked at him trying to balance eating with holding her daughter. “We may need to get another chair. You can’t keep holding her to eat.”
Robert shrugged. “I really don’t mind. She doesn’t weigh much, and she keeps out of my way when I’m getting my own bites.” He wasn’t sure he liked the idea of her getting her own chair. Holding their little girl just felt right to him.
“You’re not going to feel that way when the novelty wears off. I’m sure you can get a chair somewhere in town, or you can make her one.” He’d told her he was good with his hands, and she was thankful for that, because they’d need a cradle before too terribly long.
“I’ll see what I can do this weekend.”
“Will we go to the store tomorrow morning?” she asked, wanting to know if she should have a shopping list planned that evening, or if she could wait.
“Yes, if that works for you. I hope you’re not terribly disappointed by the store here. It’s small, but most of what we absolutely need will be there.”
“Would you mind if I bought some fabric to start sewing for the baby?”
He shook his head. “We don’t have a lot of money, but we can definitely buy some fabric. I think Olivia needs a new dress too, don’t you?”
Olivia nodded, her face covered in gravy.
He chuckled and reached for the washcloth Minnie kept on the table while they ate. He hadn’t understood it at first, but it certainly made sense to him now. Olivia was a very messy eater, but at two, she should be. “I’m going to start calling you Gravy Face,” he told her.
“No. Livia.”
“That’s right. Olivia. I’ll call you Olivia.” His eyes met Minnie’s, and his were dancing. She was always surprised at how very much he seemed to enjoy her daughter. It was like he was born to be a father.
After supper, Robert once again entertained Olivia while Minnie did the dishes. She could hear them at the table, and he was telling the little girl a story. The story was about an Indian family he’d known in his last Northern assignment, and Olivia seemed fascinated.
When the dishes were done, Minnie held her hands out for her daughter. “It’s time for bed.”
Olivia frowned. “Daddy tuck me.” She hugged Robert’s neck, making it clear she wasn’t going to let go.
Minnie shrugged, not wanting to argue. If Oliva wanted to be tucked in by him, it was fine with her. She was surprised by the small bit of jealousy she felt by how close Olivia was getting to Robert. She’d been everything in her daughter’s world for so long that it seemed strange, but she was glad at the same time she was jealous, which made no sense to her at all.
Robert shrugged. “You’ll have to teach me how. I’ve never tucked anyone in before.”
“I teach you.” Olivia jumped down to the floor, taking Robert’s hand and tugging him toward the bedroom.
Minnie listened with a half-smile, as her daughter was indeed the bossy little girl Robert had called her, instructing him in how to tuck the covers around her and what song to sing before she slept.
Finally, he joined her in the kitchen and found her sitting at the table, her fingers clicking away at something she was making with knitting needles and yarn. “What will that be?” he asked.
She smiled. “This is a blanket for the baby. It’s enough cooler up here than it was in Ottawa that I think he or she will need it through the summer months as well as the fall and winter.”
“Probably.” He was surprised by how fascinated he was to watch her work. “Have you always done things like that?” He waved his hand at the project she was working on.
She nodded. “My mother taught me to knit, crochet, sew, cook, bake, and keep a house. She always expected me to be a farmer’s wife, so she wanted me to have every skill I could possibly need.” She was very thankful for her early training now. She felt like she was adept at the things she needed to be good at, and that helped bolster her confidence a bit.
“And you draw? I think I heard Miss Hazel say that.”
Minnie nodded. “I do. I once made a bit of extra money with my portraits, but I haven’t sold one since my family died.”
“Would you show me something you’ve done?” he asked.
In truth, she’d done very little drawing in the past few years, knowing it had made David uncomfortable. She wasn’t sure why, but he’d made it clear he didn’t want her drawing. She’d picked up pencil and paper for the first time since Olivia was born the evening of his death.
“I have a couple of drawings I did of Olivia.”
“May I see them?”
She nodded, put her knitting down, and walked over to a small trunk where she’d put her pencils and paper. Pulling out what she considered the best of the drawings, she handed it to him, biting her lip as she waited for his reaction. Would he tell her he didn’t want her drawing anymore as well?
Robert studied the drawing, surprised at the detail and beauty of it. Why had she married a stranger when she would have easily been able to make a living as a portrait artist? Of course, maybe that wasn’t true with her being a woman. It didn’t seem quite fair to him that women didn’t have the same opportunities as men, but she seemed to take it all in stride.
“This is absolutely beautiful. May I have it?”
“Yes, of course.” She had no idea what he’d want with it, but she was pleased he didn’t tell her to stop drawing immediately. “I promise I won’t let my art get in the way of my duties as your wife.”
He blinked at her in surprise. “I never thought you would. You’re much too conscientious for that.” He shook his head at her. “I hope you’ll take all the time you want to draw. You’re too talented to hide your light under a bushel.”
“Thank you.” Only Miss Hazel had remarked on her talent since the death of her parents, but that was because she’d drawn very little. “I’d like to do a portrait of you with Olivia, if you wouldn’t mind.”
He blinked at her in surprise. “I would like that a great deal. Will Olivia sit still for it?”
She smiled at the question. “I have a memory for detail. I can draw from what I remember happening.” She was excited to have something special she could create for him in thanks for his special caring for her and her daughter.
“Thank you for wanting to draw it for me.”
Minnie resumed her seat at the table and picked up her knitting. “I promised Miss Hazel I’d write, and I think I’m going to illustrate the letters. I know she would enjoy that.”
“I’m sure she would.” Robert shook his head. “I’m still shocked to discover that my wife is so talented.”
She shrugged. “I’ve always enjoyed drawing. I do believe that if you’re going to do something, you should do it right, so that’s what I try to do. I work hard at every detail. Just like I worked hard when I learned to cook and when I learned to knit. All are important to me.”
He shook his head at her, slightly surprised. “I’ve never met a woman who had such a strong work ethic. Have you always been this way?”
“My parents taught us to work hard to excel at whatever interested us.”
“And there were just three of you?”
She nodded. “All girls. I think my father was disappointed he never had a son, but he never let on. He made it clear that he loved every one of us. He was a good man.”
“Do you know much about farming?”
“I can milk a cow and plow a field. If I’d had brothers, I might not be able to do those things. I love that I have skills others don’t expect.”
“You’re an awfully special woman, Minnie.”
“Thank you.” Minnie hadn’t thought she was special in a lot of years. Living with him was giving her the kind of self-confidence she’d had before her first marriage. She said a prayer of thanks for the man beside her. Who would have thought her second marriage to a stranger would be to one so kind?
6
After breakfast the following morning, Robert told Minnie to hurry with the dishes so they could go to the store. “The storm looks like it will hit by this afternoon, and I want to make sure that we beat it home.”
Minnie nodded. “I’ll hurry.” Truthfully it would only take her a few minutes to do the dishes even if she didn’t hurry, but she didn’t tell him that. It was better to let him think she was an obedient wife—at least for a short while.
As soon as she was finished, she bundled Olivia up in her warmest clothes, then watched as Robert took her. “Am I ever going to be allowed to carry my daughter again?”
“When you’re not around me and expecting, sure. I don’t think you should be lifting her right now.”
Minnie shook her head with a laugh. “I hope you know that I’m strong. There’s no reason to think I won’t carry this baby to term.” And there was no way she could avoid lifting her little girl for five months. It just couldn’t happen!
He shrugged. “Then humor me.”
She quickly put on her coat and mittens, wrapping her scarf around her face. “All right, I’m ready. Let’s do some shopping.” She was surprised at how very excited she was to shop. When she’d been married to David, she hadn’t enjoyed leaving the house a great deal, because she always had to worry that her bruises were covered. Her new marriage was so different than her first that it was a surprise every day.
They walked side by side, and she looked around at the beautiful village. She hadn’t really taken the time to take it all in when they’d first arrived, and the only time she’d left the cabin since was when she’d had to use the outhouse or when she’d had to take Olivia.
“It’s a charming little village,” she said, her finger itching to get out a sketchbook and draw all the little homes, as well as the two rivers that merged there at one end of town.
“It is. I’m so glad you can see the beauty of it.”
“Why wouldn’t I be able to?” she asked with surprise. “How could anyone miss it?”
“Some people would be so up in arms that they were living so close to natives that they wouldn’t notice the quaint beauty surrounding them.” He stopped in front of a building that looked just like all the others. “This is the store.” He used his free hand to open the door and led her inside. “Mr. Harper, I want you to meet my wife, Minnie, and our daughter, Olivia. Minnie can put anything she needs on my account.”
“All right,” Mr. Harper responded. The man had long gray hair and a gray beard, which surprised Minnie. She would have expected a younger man to be doing his job.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Harper.” Minnie looked around her, feeling her hopes fall. There was little in the small store, but she searched and found things that she needed. She had bags of flour, coffee, sugar, salt, beans, and rice on the counter in just a few short minutes. Then she found some fabric, sad that there weren’t a lot of choices. She chose red and a dark blue, knowing she’d be
able to make some nice things for Olivia with them. Any scraps would be saved for a quilt for the baby.
She was careful not to choose too much, because she had no idea what kind of budget Robert would want her on, so she stopped well before she wanted to. She only needed the basics for food, not to make her home beautiful.
Robert watched her shop, seeing her stroke a few fabrics before walking away from them. Every time that happened, he picked up what she wanted and put it on the counter. He even added a few more skeins of yarn so she could make more things for the children.
When she stopped and looked at the counter and the things he’d added, she shook her head, walking closer to him, so she could whisper. “It’s too much!”
“It’s not. You need to be able to make Olivia dresses, and you need to make clothes for the baby you’re carrying. There’s no need to scrimp and save all the time.” He wouldn’t be able to buy her nice things all the time, but he wanted her to have what she needed for now. “Consider it a late wedding present.”
Finally, she nodded. “All right, but don’t pauper yourself. Olivia and I can live as simply as you need us to.”
Robert looked at the little girl in his arms as he picked out three pieces of penny candy. One for each of them. He knew Minnie would protest, but he remembered well how much his sisters had craved all sorts of sweets while they were expecting.
Minnie’s eyes lit on some dried berries, and she thought about how wonderful they would taste in a pie. She’d noticed her husband’s love for the sweets she made, and she couldn’t help but think he’d enjoy a berry pie. “Could we get a couple of cups of dried berries?”
He looked behind him and saw them, wondering how he’d missed them. He could already taste the wonderful things his new wife could do with berries. “Absolutely. Let’s get four cups instead of two.”
She nodded, surprised again at his generosity. David had never allowed her to go to the store alone for fear she’d spend too much. Robert was encouraging her to spend more.
After he’d paid for everything, she frowned at him. “Now how are we supposed to get this back to our cabin?”
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