Bride for Easton

by Cassie Hayes

  Wrapping his fingers around the tips of hers, he squeezed to bring some warmth to them. Only then did he notice the calluses hidden underneath, and wondered what had caused them. All he really knew about Molly was that she was skilled at housework and came from a large family.

  “Oh my!” Molly exclaimed, stopping dead in her tracks. “That’s the funniest looking deer I’ve ever seen!”

  Easton followed her gaze and shook his head. “Reindeer.”

  “What?”

  “That’s a reindeer,” he said, pointing to the animal he’d seen loitering about town. It stood placidly in a sunny spot, munching on some dead grass exposed by the melting snow. “Not a deer.”

  Almost as if the animal knew they were talking about him, he lifted his mighty rack of antlers and leveled his deep blue eyes on them as he chewed.

  Molly gasped. “He’s beautiful!”

  Everything was beautiful to her, and suddenly Easton looked at the most mundane things differently, including the reindeer. His dusky hide blended into a creamy neck, which darkened into an almost regal face. His head was crowned by a massive set of antlers, and for the first time, Easton was impressed by the creature’s majesty.

  “Huh. Guess he is.”

  As placid as the dining reindeer appeared, it was still a wild animal. To be safe, Easton pulled Molly away toward his cabin, situated just past the Institute. “My cabin’s modest, but it’s clean and cozy. I like it that way, and I hope you do too.”

  Until she’d stepped off the train, he hadn’t thought about whether she’d like his home, he’d only hoped she wouldn’t change anything. He liked it just the way it was and he hoped she would too.

  “I’m sure I will. I’ve never had a home of my own. I’m an excellent housekeeper, as I’m sure Miss Hazel must have mentioned. I learned from a frog, you know.”

  “A frog?”

  “Yes. Whenever I went to wash the windows, he’d tell me to rub it, rub it, rub it.”

  Easton glanced down, puzzled for a moment, then it hit him that she’d just told a joke. And it was amusing. He smiled to show his appreciation.

  “Here we are,” he said as they stopped at the steps of his home. His heart had never pounded so hard in his life, waiting for her response. When she turned a smile on him, he felt as if he’d just won a gold medal at the Olympics.

  “It’s beautiful,” she breathed, and for the first time, that’s how it seemed to Easton.

  A simple log cabin which had been built during the early days of the town, his home had been donated by the city to house the RNWMP commander. Remnants from the last snow had collected around the edges of the roof, giving it a gingerbread house appeal. The front porch had a roof to offer protection from the elements, as well as a comfortable spot to watch the town’s goings-on when he was off duty.

  “Shall we?” he asked.

  “Heck yeah!” she said, starting for the steps, but he stopped her.

  “Custom dictates I should carry you.”

  Her eyes grew wide. “Oh. Um, okay.”

  Easton bent low and picked her up in one easy movement. She barely weighed a thing, and he wondered how she’d hold up during the winter months. Then thoughts of her well-being vanished as he felt her tense against him.

  “Are you okay?” he asked. “Would you rather—“

  “No, I’m fine,” she said, her teeth clamped tight.

  When she wrapped her arms around his neck, he had to take a calming breath before daring to take the first step. Once he reached the door, he wondered who’d come up with this silly tradition. The man clearly hadn’t thought about how the groom was supposed to open the door with two arms full of ‘wife’.

  Molly giggled as he struggled to turn the door knob, then gasped when he finally kicked it open. Turning her sideways, he swept through the doorway, imagining what a romantic figure they cut, when…

  BONK!

  “Ow!” Molly cried, slapping her hands to the spot on her head that had connected with the doorframe.

  Easton rushed her to a chair and set her down carefully, then kneeled in front of her. “I’m so sorry! Are you hurt?”

  “Well, that didn’t feel like the kiss you gave me back in the church,” she said, head down, as she rubbed her bruised scalp. When she finally met his gaze, her eyes twinkled. “But it really hit the spot.”

  “Hit the… Oh! Another joke. Cute.”

  Easton had never been one for jokes, mostly because he rarely understood them. As far as he was concerned, life was far too difficult to make fun of it. But he had to admit, Molly had a way of telling them that brought a smile to his lips — when he understood them.

  “Are you sure you’re okay? I could go fetch a doctor or nurse from the Institute.”

  “No, no,” she said, waving a hand. “I’m fine. Really. I have some medical training.”

  This took Easton by surprise. Mounties were well-versed in first aid, but beyond treating minor injuries, the focus of his life had been upholding the law of the great land of Canada.

  “See?” Molly said, holding out a hand. “It’s not even bleeding. Barely a lump. My mother always said I had a hard head, and you just proved her right!”

  Easton suspected as much, but was relieved nonetheless. When she tried to stand, he stopped her and took the seat across from her.

  “Why don’t we sit for a minute before I give you the grand tour, let you recuperate.” She tried to object, but he held up a hand that cut off further discussion on the subject. “Tell me about your medical training.”

  At his request, Molly lit up like the Northern Lights, causing something to flutter in his stomach again.

  “Oh! I’m a trained midwife.”

  “Really? You seem too young.”

  Molly straightened her back and tipped her nose up, as if he’d just insulted her, though he had no idea how she could have been offended by his comment. “I’ll have you know I’m twenty-seven, Easton. I started my training when I was seventeen.”

  “Sev— Now that seems young.”

  She relaxed a little and sighed. “I suppose it was, but I didn’t have much choice. It was the only way I could delay the inevitable.”

  Easton sat silently while his new bride chewed on her pretty pink lower lip. He’d learned long ago that staying silent often yielded far more answers than a constant barrage of questions.

  “There’s something else you should know about me,” she finally said, her gaze not meeting his. “I was a nun.”

  Easton almost shoved his pinky in his ear and wiggled it around, thinking he’d misheard, but her grave expression told him he’d heard right.

  “How…?” he sputtered, unable to find any words that would express the odd mix of emotions tumbling around inside him. “Why…? What…?”

  Molly smiled and laid a cool hand on his, calming him instantly. “I really should have said I was almost a nun. I managed to talk my parents into letting me train as a midwife before joining the sisterhood. I convinced them it would help if I was sent on a mission of mercy. But I eventually had to start the process. All that was left was to say my final vows, but I married you instead.”

  He wasn’t sure whether he should be honored or disgraced. The one thing he was sure about was that he had no idea how to treat her — not that he’d really known to begin with. No wonder she’d tensed in his arms — she’d probably never been held by a man before, much less kissed. That concerned him even more.

  “I-I…uh… I see,” he somehow managed to spit out. “Well, that being the case, perhaps we should wait to…perform our…um…duties.”

  Easton’s face burned like never before. He was always the level-headed one, the one who never got flustered. But he’d never married a nun before, either.

  Molly’s cheeks pinked up too, but she at least looked thoughtful. Her brow furrowed, then she looked him full in the eye. “No, I’m tired of waiting for my life to begin. But maybe we could wait until after I fix you a big dinner.”

>   She jumped up and began exploring the small yet tidy kitchen, leaving Easton to stare after the whirlwind that was Molly Cooper. Easton didn’t even mind that she was pulling all sorts of items from crates and cupboards and setting them willy-nilly on the counter. A beautiful woman was going to make him dinner, then make him her husband.

  Hmm, maybe this marriage thing won’t be so bad after all.

  Chapter 3

  Birds chirped all around Molly as she skipped down the steps of the Institute. It seemed more like a fancy hotel than a hospital, but maybe she’d try to find the medical section now that she’d been hired on as a maid. She was deeply curious about the magic healing waters she’d seen advertised.

  “Stop that infernal racket,” snapped an elderly man hobbling along the sidewalk as she passed.

  Only then did Molly realize the birds she’d been hearing had actually been her own whistling. Surprised by the man’s grouchiness, Molly apologized and hurried away from him, wondering why she should be sorry for being happy.

  After an eternity of feeling as if her life was a dress that had been made for someone else, she almost felt comfortable in her own skin. Sure, a few of the fancy ladies in the hotel had given her the once-over, but that was nothing new.

  What was new was the joy she felt in every breath she’d taken since stepping off the train the day before. A freedom she’d never experienced before almost overwhelmed her with gratitude for a chance at a life she’d always dreamed of.

  Granted, she hadn’t dreamed of becoming a maid, but helping to raise her fourteen younger brothers and sisters had taught her to be a fast and efficient housekeeper. And after cleaning Easton’s already spotless cabin in just a few minutes, she realized she needed something more. A part-time job at the hotel would keep her busy while still allowing time for her duties at home, and Easton had seemed happy she wanted to work.

  A mix of embarrassment and pleasure heated her face at the thought of ‘duties’. Molly’s mother had called it her “wifely duty” — much as Easton had — but it hadn’t felt like a chore to Molly. Easton had been gentle and sweet with her, and she’d found herself enjoying her ‘duties’ more than she thought possible. Which, naturally, brought a fresh wave of guilt.

  Molly had lived her entire life assuming she’d remain a virgin forever, and now that she wasn’t…

  She tried to shake off the guilt, but it clung to her like stink on a skunk. Not only was she married, she reminded herself, she’d been married by a man of God. Even though the ceremony wasn’t Catholic, she felt sure God wasn’t too worried about that. But no amount of logic could quell the conflicting emotions churning in her tummy.

  Molly was so consumed with her own thoughts, she barely noticed the heavily pregnant woman who waddled by, going the opposite direction. As they passed, a creamy glove dropped to the ground, unnoticed by the woman.

  Molly stooped and picked it up, astounded by the softness of the fabric against her rough fingers. Softer than butter. She’d never owned something so fine and doubted she ever would, but that didn’t make her sad. She felt blessed to have had the chance to feel such suppleness at all.

  Turning, she opened her mouth to call after the mother-to-be, when the woman spun around and snapped, “Give me that! It’s mine!”

  Without so much as a word of thanks, the woman snatched the glove from Molly’s hand and stormed off as fast as her bulging body would allow. Molly stared after her, aghast that the woman had thought Molly was a thief, and amused by the very same thing.

  “What was that all about?” asked a voice behind her.

  Sinead frowned after the woman, and Molly thought for a moment her friend might chase down the rude woman and make her apologize. Molly loved her for it, but she knew better than most that pregnant ladies became emotional very easily. She decided not to take offense, and snaked her arm through Sinead’s, continuing in the direction she’d been walking before the strange encounter.

  “Sinead, I need to apologize to you.”

  Sinead’s dark eyes clouded over. “For what?”

  “For being so unforgivably rude the first time we met.”

  “Oh, please don’t—“ Sinead started, but Molly cut her off.

  “No, it was terrible of me, and I’m grateful that you’ve forgiven me. I also want to explain why I reacted the way I did.”

  Sinead said nothing for a few steps, then murmured, “Okay.”

  “You know I have fourteen siblings, right? We’re your typical Irish Catholic family, and while I love them all fiercely, growing up in such a crazy household wasn’t easy. On top of that, my father was a laborer, so we never had much more than what we needed to survive. We only went hungry a few times, that I can remember, but none of us really had anything that was ours and ours alone. Except for that shawl. It’s the only thing I’ve ever owned outright, and it means more to me than…”

  Emotions choked Molly’s words, and Sinead wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders, giving her the strength to continue.

  “It’s special to me, and when I saw you wearing it… Well, it reminded me of one of my sisters stealing my clothes, and I’m afraid I reacted poorly. I’m so sorry for that.”

  Sinead squeezed Molly’s shoulder and smiled. “Don’t give it a second thought, my friend. But I have to say, I’m honored that you thought of me as a sister, even if only for a split second.”

  A relieved laugh burst out of Molly. “It may have only been for a second then, but I feel that way all the time now.”

  They happily sauntered down the main street of town, arm in arm, and ignored the curious looks from passersby. They must have made quite the pair — Molly with her pale cream skin and flaming red hair, and Sinead with her dark skin and exotic features — but all Molly cared about was how happy she was.

  “How lucky am I that I get to take two walks with you in one day?” Sinead asked, taking in the stunning landscape that lay around them, towering into the sky. “I never got the chance to ask you how married life is treating you.”

  Sinead grinned, as if the answer was written all over Molly’s face.

  It probably was.

  “You were too busy insulting the Institute’s doctor earlier,” Molly said with a snort of laughter.

  Sinead snorted too, but hers was disgusted, rather than amused. “Doctor! I’m convinced that man is a charlatan, and I’m going to prove it!”

  Molly squeezed Sinead’s arm. “Calm down, Dr. Sherlock. I believe you asked me a question, and the answer is…wonderfully.”

  Sinead stopped in her tracks and blinked at her friend. “Really? You were so nervous about…everything.”

  Molly didn’t bother trying to hide her blush. Sinead knew her too well. “I know. But as with all things I worry about, it was for nothing.”

  Sinead bumped her with her hip and winked. “Told ya!”

  “You were right,” Molly said, rolling her eyes. “You’re always right.”

  “Why can’t you ever remember that?” Sinead raised her voice and looked around them. “I need a witness! Molly Cooper just admitted I’m always right!”

  “I’ll be your witness!” Miss Hazel rumbled up from behind, smiling broadly.

  “Miss Hazel!” Molly and Sinead cried simultaneously as they hugged the older woman.

  Miss Hazel positioned herself between them and linked arms so they took up almost the entire breadth of the sidewalk. “You girls look positively radiant!”

  Molly and Sinead exchanged a conspiratorial glance and smiled as demurely as they could manage. Neither had thought it possible to fall so head over heels in just one day, but somehow they’d managed.

  “And it’s all thanks to you, Miss Hazel,” Sinead said.

  “Oh, pish posh! I’m just the middleman…middlewoman. You do all the hard work of falling in love. Trust me, I was married for an eternity. I know exactly how hard marriage can be!”

  “Well, you did well matching me with Easton,” Molly said, her heart racing at t
he mere mention of her husband’s name.

  Miss Hazel’s smile faltered for a fraction of a second. Or maybe Molly just imagined it. “I’m so glad. What about you Sinead?”

  Sinead grimaced. “Well, I’m not sure if Matthew is satisfied with me, but I think he’s the most wonderful man I’ve ever met.”

  Miss Hazel gasped and stopped to stare at Sinead. “Not satis— How could you say such a thing?! Rest assured, my dear, if Matthew doesn’t quite see what a prize he’s won, he soon will.”

  “Amen!” Molly added.

  Sinead looked abashed and opened her mouth to speak, but her eyes popped open wide. “Oh! What’s that?”

  Molly and Miss Hazel followed the direction she pointed. A reindeer that looked suspiciously like the one she and Easton had seen the day before stood under a tree, munching on a mouthful of late-season grass.

  “Oh, that’s just Rocky,” Miss Hazel said, as if that explained everything.

  “Rocky?” Molly asked.

  “Yes, Rocky. Don’t you think he looks like a Rocky? I certainly do.”

  The Hennessy family had owned no fewer than three pets while Molly was growing up, all of them named after Catholic saints, but she’d never heard of naming a wild animal before. Still, it seemed like a lovely idea, especially if this particular reindeer had a habit of hanging around town.

  “I don’t know, Miss Hazel,” Molly mused, cocking her head to one side to evaluate the creature. “He looks more like a Rudy to me.”

  “Rudy?!” Miss Hazel gasped. “What kind of name is that?”

  “With that white goatee, he looks a little like my great-uncle Rudolph. You don’t like it?”

  Miss Hazel might as well have smelled a sack of rotten potatoes, judging by the face she made.

  “Rocky it is!” Molly said, disentangling herself from the other two. “Now it’s about time I go help Sinead start dinner, then get back to my house.”