Well, not if she could help it.
With Mrs. Timmons’ permission to use ingredients already in the kitchen, she made up a pot of stew and carried it to Jess’s house, where it could stay warm. Then she visited the other Mountie brides, asking for donations, and they managed to put together a nice meal. Now the problem was carrying it over there—but she shouldn’t have worried about that. Her friends each gave her a hand, and by seven o’clock, there was dinner on the Horns’ table. Mrs. Horn expressed her gratitude over and over again, warming Evelyn’s heart and making her feel like on a day when she’d done nothing but make mistakes, she could still redeem herself.
Now if Joel would just come home, the real redemption could begin.
She wanted to know the exact moment he came home, so she decided to wait in his cabin. She couldn’t even see his cabin from the Timmons’, and she knew she would never rest until he was back. So she let herself in, prepared for whatever mess he’d left behind—and was pleasantly surprised to see that the cabin was neat and tidy. She should have expected that, seeing how carefully he managed the other aspects of his life.
She found the makings for bread in his kitchen and got some yeast working in a bowl of warm water, and he still wasn’t home. Darkness descended, black as pitch, and the bread was rising, and still no Joel.
At last, with the loaves on the table and dawn tickling the edges of the sky, she dozed in the chair by the fireplace. She’d gone from worry to panic to numbness, and now her dreams were filled with every worst-case scenario, the most disturbing of which was that he’d decided he no longer loved her and had left Squirrel Ridge Junction so he’d never have to see her again.
She woke up with a start when the cabin door banged open and Joel staggered in, covered with blood, which stood out starkly against the casual white shirt he wore. He was supporting Timothy Horn, who was barely conscious, also covered in blood and looking near death. She came to her feet, her hand over her mouth.
“Get the other Mounties,” Joel barked at her, “and send one for Doc Sturgis.”
She nodded and ran. She wanted to ask a million questions and find out if Joel was all right, but that’s not what he needed. Instead, she ran from cabin to cabin, pounding on doors, waking up the Mounties, doing as she’d been asked to do. Then she raced back to Joel’s cabin.
He’d taken Timothy Horn into the bedroom and laid him on the bed, then put a cloth on his forehead. Evelyn came in the room and looked down at the man, then at Joel. “What happened?”
“He shot himself in the leg. It was a freak accident.”
“Are you all right?”
“What?” Joel looked down at himself. “Oh, I do look pretty bad. No, this is mostly deer blood, and some from Timothy’s leg, but none of it’s mine.”
She was so relieved, she had to grab the bedpost to keep from toppling over. The lack of decent sleep probably didn’t help either. “Joel, I’m so—”
The door to the cabin banged open again, and she heard the Mounties’ voices. Talking to Joel was important, but it could wait.
Joel strode into the front room, Evelyn following. “Nolan, get Mrs. Horn. Elijah, I need a bucket of water from the well. Theodore, there’s a deer draped over a horse outside. Take it over to the Horns and finish butchering it into dinner-sized portions. I assume Kendall went for the doctor.”
Elijah nodded. The other two were already out the door, obeying orders.
“How were patrols?”
“Still no signs of Black Jack, and no telegrams from the other offices,” Elijah replied.
Joel shook his head. “All right, go ahead and get that water, please. Just hope the doctor isn’t out on another call right now.”
Evelyn looked at his face and realized how tired he must be. She cut a slice of bread, slathered it with butter, and put it in his hand. He looked at it like he wasn’t sure what it was.
“Eat,” she urged. “You’ll do no one any good if you lose your strength.”
“Thank you.” He took a bite, then stepped back into the bedroom, almost as if in a trance.
One by one, the Mounties returned, bringing Mrs. Horn with them. Doc Sturgis arrived, and Evelyn realized she was no longer needed. She went outside and sat down on a nearby stump, pressing the palms of her hands to her eyes.
What if Joel had been the one injured?
The look on Mrs. Horn’s face as she ran up to the cabin was one of pure terror. Not knowing her husband’s condition or if he would survive . . . that had to be a wife’s worst fear. As a Mountie, Joel would be in harm’s way as a natural consequence of his career, and Evelyn would have to get used to that knowledge.
Why had she never thought about this before? Why had she seen the uniform as something glamorous and noble without stopping to consider that it was also risky?
She realized that along with bringing her goodies, her brothers had protected her from the more frightening aspects of their jobs, and her father largely worked from behind a desk, his active years somewhat behind him as he aged.
Evelyn had set her heart on marrying a Mountie without having a clear idea of what that even meant.
Of course, Squirrel Ridge Junction was hardly a bustling city, and the dangers were somewhat limited. Silas MacGruder’s injury was rare—there were hardly ever robberies in this area. None of that calmed Evelyn’s stomach, though.
She heard the crunch of footsteps approaching and looked up to see Jess.
“How is he?” Jess asked.
“The doctor got here just a few minutes ago, and I haven’t heard anything yet.”
“I wanted to do something to help and couldn’t think of much, so I finally filled a bathtub for Joel, if he’d like to get cleaned up. You mentioned he was quite dirty.”
That was definitely the case. “I’m sure he’d appreciate that.”
Jess touched her shoulder. “Evelyn, you’re exhausted. It’s written all over you. Why don’t you get some rest? You can nap in Rose’s cabin—it’s quiet in there, and closer than the Timmons’.”
“You don’t think she’d mind?”
“I know she wouldn’t. I’ll tell Joel about the bath—both of you need to rest and let the others take over.”
Evelyn nodded. “That’s a good idea. Would you please tell Joel that I’d like to see him later?”
“I will. And I’m pretty sure he wants to see you, too.”
Evelyn gave a weary smile, stumbling in the direction of Rose’s cabin. She had just enough time to say hello to Rose, pull off her shoes, and find the bed before she gave out entirely and fell fast asleep.
Chapter Twelve
Evelyn woke up to the smell of food and the sound of muted voices. She looked around, trying to remember where she was, and then she remembered everything. It would be nice to go back to sleep—her dreams had taken her far away from this place, away from shootings and blood and accidents. She didn’t want to think about those things anymore.
She pulled on her shoes, then went out into the main room. Rose and JoAnn were seated at the table and looked up as she entered.
“There you are,” Rose said. “Do you feel better? Are you hungry?”
“Tilly brought over some soup,” JoAnn added.
“That’s the nice thing about women,” Evelyn said, taking a seat at the table. “They always make sure there’s food.”
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Rose stood up and ladled some soup into a bowl, then put it in front of Evelyn. “Jess talked Joel into getting some rest too. We were starting to lay odds on who was going to sleep the longest.”
“What time is it?” Evelyn asked.
“Oh, around three in the afternoon,” JoAnn replied.
“Is it still Wednesday? Because it feels like a whole month has gone by.”
JoAnn laughed. “Yes, it’s still Wednesday.”
“What about Timothy Horn?”
Both her friends looked down at the table. “We don’t know yet,” JoAnn said at last. “Doc Stu
rgis said that Joel saved his life, but we’re not sure if he’ll lose his leg.”
“He’s an outdoorsman. Losing his leg would be devastating for him.”
JoAnn nodded. “Doc hasn’t left the cabin even once since he got here. He’s doing everything he can.”
Evelyn felt sick to her stomach. She didn’t want to eat, but she also knew that it was better to eat a little something than to let herself become overly hungry. She took a few sips, then asked, “So, where is Joel?”
“At Jess’s. His cabin has been turned into a temporary hospital.”
Evelyn pushed back from the table. “Do you mind if I go see him?”
“Why would we mind?” Rose gave her a compassionate smile. “Go find him.”
Evelyn ran over to Jess’s cabin and knocked furiously, needing to see Joel, to feel his arms around her again. It was like a burning need traveling up and down her arms—she needed to hold him.
He was the one who answered the door.
He stood there, bathed and wearing fresh clothes, and everything she wanted to say completely left her head. Instead, she all but staggered up onto the porch and threw her arms around him, burying her nose in his shirt.
She’d been worried that he wouldn’t want to see her, that he’d be so angry that he’d ask her to leave or even slam the door in her face, but his arms came around her immediately, and he kissed the top of her head.
“I was so worried,” she said at last. “I stayed up all night waiting for you, and when you never came, I started thinking all kinds of horrible things. Joel, I’m so sorry. I owe you every apology there is. I was selfish and impulsive, and I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I’m asking for it anyway. What can I do—?”
He interrupted her by holding her out at arm’s length, studying her eyes, then pulling her back in, this time kissing her for all he was worth. She could sense his own worry and relief, but most of all, she knew he’d forgiven her and that he still loved her. She clung to his shirt, so grateful for this moment that might not have been.
When at last he let her go, he met her gaze again. “We have a lot to talk about,” he said.
“I know we do, but we have plenty of time. I’m not going anywhere.” He gave her a questioning look, and she rushed on. “I’ve decided to stay and to make this work, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes. You’re stuck with me, I’m afraid.”
He grinned. “I really like the sound of that.”
***
“I’m going to miss you so much, Miss Hazel.” Evelyn gave the older woman a tight hug, then stepped back with a smile. “You’ve been such an inspiration.”
“You and Joel will be very happy together—I know it,” she said. “Just trust that love conquers all. Oh, and I’m putting you in charge of making sure that Jess gives me a grandbaby before too much longer.”
Evelyn laughed out loud. “How am I supposed to make sure of that, Miss Hazel?”
“Well, I won’t be here to pester them, so I’ll leave that to you. Three or four times a week should suffice, equally spaced out. They should never go longer than thirty-six hours without a reminder or they’ll forget.”
“My goodness. It sounds like I’ll need a calendar to keep track of it all.”
Miss Hazel grabbed her arm. “That’s a splendid idea! Thank you for seeing to it, Evelyn. Perhaps you could write me once in a while and give me a report on how you’re coming along. Things like this just can’t be left to chance.”
Evelyn laughed again. “All right. You can count on me.”
“Thank you, dear.”
Miss Hazel moved down the line, hugging each girl in turn, stopping the longest to bid goodbye to Theodore and Jess. All too soon, the train was pulling into the station, and it was time for her to board.
Evelyn, Rose, and the others stepped back to allow the old passengers to disembark and the new ones to board. Evelyn had to wipe away a few tears. She knew Miss Hazel would be back for visits—Theodore was her son, after all—but it seemed too long to wait. She’d grown very fond of this woman and her quirky ways.
Miss Hazel climbed aboard and got settled in her seat, waving at everyone through the window. She always looked upon life as a grand adventure, and Evelyn couldn’t help but wonder what awaited her next.
Chapter Thirteen
When Joel finally showed up at the Timmons’ house, he gave Evelyn’s hand a little squeeze where it rested on his arm. “I missed you today.”
“I missed you too. Miss Hazel got off safely.”
Joel chuckled. “She’s something else, isn’t she? A definite force to be reckoned with.” He paused. “As are you.”
She tugged on his arm, bringing him to a stop. “We said we’d talk later—I think now’s a good time, don’t you?”
“Yes, I think so.”
The evening sun was descending, but Evelyn figured they had a little time yet until dark. They walked away from the buildings until they found a patch of grass, and they both sat.
“I told you when I first saw you yesterday that I’m truly sorry,” Evelyn began. “I had a long talk with Miss Hazel, and she helped me see some things that I’d been overlooking. This whole time, I thought I was being compassionate, understanding, and supportive, and that you’d eventually come around to my way of thinking, but that’s not it at all.”
She reached out and touched his hand. “I’m spoiled and selfish. I could blame a lot of that on my upbringing, but there comes a time when you have to decide for yourself how you’re going to be regardless of how you were raised, and this is my moment of truth. I want to learn to think less of myself and more of others. Will you teach me?”
Joel rubbed a hand across his face. “Your honesty is beautiful, even if you are being too harsh with yourself. I have to tell you, I’m not the teacher you need. I’ve spent a lot of time this week realizing how little I actually reach out and impact the lives of others—my focus has been on paperwork, not on people.”
“Now who’s being too harsh?” Evelyn said teasingly. “Can we agree that we’re two imperfect people who want to do better, and that we’ll go on that journey together?”
“I can most definitely agree to that,” he replied. “So, does this mean you’re going to marry me?”
“Does that mean you still want me to marry you?”
He looked up at the mountains, the trees, all the beautiful things that surrounded them, and he didn’t answer her right away. When he did, his voice held a note of longing. “I was pretty angry when I rode off with Timothy—I admit that. I couldn’t understand why you would pull a gun on him and believe it was your right to do so. But then I started thinking about it from your perspective, and I could see how a bumbling moose could become important to you. He does have a certain charm about him. By the time we found the deer, I was more than ready to come home and do whatever it took to make things right. I love you, Evelyn.” He turned to her. “I love you more than I’d ever thought I could, and I’m so glad you didn’t get on that train today.”
“Me too.” She scooted a little closer and snuggled into his shoulder, and he held her close.
“Now, tell me,” he said after a minute of silence. “You carry a gun in your skirt?”
“All the time,” she replied. “My father gave it to me on my sixteenth birthday, and my brothers taught me to shoot. I’m a better shot than any of them. I might even be a better shot than you.”
He coughed. “What? I’ll grant that you could be good with a gun, but there’s no way you’re better than me. I’ve had hours and hours of training.”
She leaned back a little and looked at him, unable to hide her smile. “Would you care to put that to the test, Corporal?”
He met her gaze and held it. “Yes, I certainly would.”
She looked around. “Let’s see. How about the knothole on the tree over there? Do you think I could hit it from here?”
He chuckled. “No. Sorry, but it’s too far away for an accurate shot.”
“I’m quite certain I couldn’t. I know my limits.”
“Hmm. Well, it’s a good thing I don’t know mine.” She stood up, dusted off her skirts, and pulled her pistol out of her pocket. She cocked it, then took careful aim. Joel got up and stood beside her. His closeness sent a thrill through her, but it also made her more determined to do well.
She pulled the trigger, and the sound echoed around them.
“I’m sorry, Evelyn. It really was a difficult shot.”
“What?” She turned to him. “I hit it.”
“Um, no, I don’t think you did.”
She put her free hand on her hip. “Shall we walk over there and see for ourselves?”
“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.”
She didn’t put her pistol away just yet—it was still hot from shooting, and she didn’t want to burn the fabric of her dress. Instead, she set it on a tree stump, and then she walked over to the target with Joel.
“I can’t believe it,” he said, tracing the outline of the bullet lodged in the exact center of the knothole. “I thought for sure you’d missed. How did you do that?”
“Hours and hours of training,” she replied, giving him a saucy grin.
For a fleeting moment, she could see conflicting emotions battling it out on his face. Then he broke into a grin and pulled her close. “That was impressive,” he said, kissing her forehead. “Maybe you could give me a few pointers.”
“Well, I don’t know,” she replied. “Natural talent isn’t something that can be taught. You’re just born with it, like a gift bestowed by your fairy godmother.”
“You minx.” He kissed her lips this time, long and slow. “I’m serious,” he said when he pulled back. “I’d really like you to teach me.”
“Are you sure? I’m liable to be a very impatient teacher.”
“And I’m liable to be a very impatient student. I think, though, that as long as we’re able to kiss and make up, everything should be okay.”
She grinned and snuggled into his arms. “That sounds wonderful to me.”
RNWMP: Bride for Joel (Mail Order Mounties Book 4) Page 7