MAIL ORDER MOUNTIES

Bride for Ernest

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CHAPTER 1

 

Josephine McClain sat perched on the edge of the sofa in the parlor of the only home she’d ever known. She smiled timidly at her father and the woman he’d been courting for the past several months. Her mother had died five years before, and she had kept her father’s house ever since. 

 

“Is everything all right?” she asked, looking back and forth between them. 

 

Her father looked down at his hands, and Mrs. Melton answered for them both. “Everything is fine. We just wanted you to know that we’ll be getting married in two weeks’ time. When that happens, I will of course take over the managing of the household, and you will no longer be needed.”

 

Josie blinked twice, staring at the woman. She’d never been terribly fond of her, but this was cold even by her standards. “Where am I supposed to go?” She was half-surprised Mrs. Melton didn’t want her to stay on as a servant. That was just the type of woman she was. Sadly, Josie was sure she’d agree.

 

“Go? Why would that matter to us?” Mrs. Melton said with a sickly smile. “I do know that my brother and his wife are in need of a nanny for their children.”

 

Josie closed her eyes for a moment. She happened to know that the Meltons had ten children and no respect for the time of their hired help. She also knew that Mr. Melton had more than once been accused of forcing unwanted attentions onto the nannies his wife hired. “I see.”

 

“Would you like me to introduce you to my sister-in-law?” Mrs. Melton asked, her hand on Josie’s father’s shoulder possessively.

 

“No, thank you. I will look around and see what I can find. Thank you for giving me two weeks’ notice.” Josie knew it wasn’t nearly enough time for her to find a place to go, but she couldn’t let it matter. She wouldn’t let the older woman see that she was bothered by it all.

 

Her father looked up then, his eyes meeting Josie’s. “I will help you as much as I can. You’ve done so much more than I imagined you could do all these years. I’ve been comfortable, if not happy, without your mother.”

 

“Thank you, Papa.” His words meant nothing if he was going to marry that witch, though. Mrs. Melton would see to it her father would never again see her. Josie got to her feet. “I’m going to go for a walk now. Maybe Mrs. Melton will see to your supper while I see to my future.” She held her head high as she left the house, not allowing the tears to fall until she was a block away, walking as fast as she could.

 

She wasn’t watching where she was going and ran into a rather rotund older woman with gray hair and laughing blue eyes. “Are you all right?” the grandmotherly woman asked her.

 

“Yes, I’m f—no, I’m not fine! I’m not fine at all! In two weeks, I will no longer have a place to live because my father is making the biggest mistake of his life, but I don’t dare tell him so because she wants me to work for her brother, who will try to lure me into the servants’ closet, and I’m not going in there with him!” Josie looked at the woman in front of her defiantly. She was tired of always acting as if everything was all right when it wasn’t! It wasn’t all right at all!

 

The woman patted her arm. “Let’s see if I can help you. Are you going somewhere in particular?”

 

“Why would I be going somewhere in particular? Didn’t I just finish telling you I have no place to go?”

 

“My house is just around this corner.” The woman put her arm around Josie and started steering her in a completely different direction. “My name is Hazel Hughes, but most people just call me Miss Hazel.”

 

Josie had heard tell of a woman called Miss Hazel who was helping women in town. She couldn’t remember the details, and she’d certainly never thought she would be one of Miss Hazel’s charity cases, but what choice did she have? Mrs. Melton was moving in, and that meant she was moving out!

 

When they reached the nice home, right there in the same neighborhood where Josie lived with her father, Miss Hazel opened the door. “I’m going to leave you in the parlor for a moment while I prepare some tea. You do like tea, don’t you?”

 

“I’m not sure it’s legal to live in Canada and not enjoy tea,” Josie returned, swiping at the tears on her face. She never cried, and she especially never cried in public or in front of strangers. What a day this was turning out to be.

 

As she sat and waited, she looked around the room where she was sitting. There was a man in a Mountie uniform beside a beautiful young woman who looked vaguely familiar to Josie. And that’s when she remembered. This Miss Hazel was a matchmaker to the Mounties. She was always looking for new women to marry off to different Mounties.

 

As soon as that thought occurred to her, she had to wonder if she really wanted to be the wife of a Mountie. Sure, they were brave, strong, and served their country, but . . . they were also away a great deal. Not that she would mind a husband who was away—especially if she didn’t know him. It must be uncomfortable to be alone with a man you barely know.

 

When Miss Hazel returned with the tea and cookies, Josie gave her a curious look. “Do you want me to marry a Mountie?”

 

Miss Hazel grinned, her entire face lighting up with excitement at the question. “Is my reputation preceding me?”

 

“It is. Jess Sanderson was a teller at the bank, and I went often to run errands for my father. They were all talking about her going west to marry a Mountie.”

 

Miss Hazel smiled as she took a chair perpendicular to the sofa where Josie was sitting. “Jess went west and married my Mountie. That’s my son Theodore. Jess is expecting.” She looked so proud when she spoke of Jess, Theodore, and the baby.

 

Josie smiled. “So you think you’re going to send me west to marry a Mountie, too? That is what this is all about, isn’t it?”

 

Miss Hazel shook her head. “Believe it or not, I want to send you east to marry a Mountie. To Prince Edward Island.” She reached to a pile of papers beside her, and she pulled one of them from the stack. “This is from a Mountie named Ernest that I think will suit you beautifully.”

 

Josie found herself intrigued against her will. She’d never even thought to marry a law enforcement officer, but the idea of marrying someone now and having a place to go that would be safe—how could she not be intrigued by the idea?

 

Dear Potential Bride,

 

My brother, Bert, was recently matched up with a bride who has made him and his daughters extremely happy. As a Mountie, I find it hard to find the time to court a woman.

 

I find I’m very interested in meeting a bride of my own, but I’d rather she just be sent to me as Bert’s bride was sent to him. I’d like a woman who can take care of a home and enjoys cooking. Someone who enjoys dancing might be nice as well, but that part isn’t necessary. I find that I want to be able to talk to someone at the end of my day. 

 

If you are a young woman between the ages of nineteen and twenty-five and you are lonely, too, I hope I will hear from you. I’m stationed on Prince Edward Island, so if you have always dreamed of moving to the West, I may not be the Mountie for you.

 

Sincerely,

 

Ernie

 

Josie read the letter once more, thinking about the man who had written that letter and was sitting at home—lonely—waiting for a response. She looked up, her eyes meeting Miss Hazel’s. “Yes. When?”

 

Miss Hazel smiled. “I like a decisive young woman. I start a new group of brides here on Monday. I will teach you how to keep house and cook. I don’t like to send a bride unless I know she’s ready for the tasks in front of her.”

 

Her father wouldn’t be marrying until the week after, but it wouldn’t hurt him if she left a week early. A tiny vindictive part of her wanted to see Mrs. Melton deal with keeping house a week earlier than she had planned. “Sounds good.”

 

“All right. I’ll need you to move in on Monday morning. I expect the ladies here by eight. Does that work for you? You’ll have your own room here, and I’ll see that you get to your destination safely.”

 

Josie tilted her head to one side. “Do you travel with us?”

 

“Well, of course. How else am I going to get to see Canada at my age?”

 

“I’m excited to learn anything you want to teach me.” Josie reached for a cup of tea and a cookie. “I’m so glad I ran into you on the street this morning.” 

 

“Me too!” Miss Hazel grinned at her.

 

*****

 

Ernest walked into the Mountie office first thing on Monday morning, wanting to talk to his commanding officer. He was certain something more than they realized was going on. 

 

Stepping into the office, he found Timothy, a man he truly respected, face down on his desk in a pool of blood. Rushing to his side, he picked up the man’s cold hand and checked his wrist for a pulse. Nothing. He was dead.

 

Ernie backed out of the office, running down the street to his Mountie friends’ homes. They would have to investigate, figure out who was missing, and go from there. It was too late to send a telegram to Miss Hazel. She’d be leaving with the brides any minute.

 

Hopefully they could have a replacement in a few days. He shook his head. Timothy had been a good man, and he was too young to die. Too good to die that way. Who would have done such a thing?

 

*****

 

Sitting on the train beside Elizabeth, one of the other brides, Josie pointed out the window. “I think we’re almost to the ferry! Have you ever been on a ferry?” Josie loved the entire trip out to the dock. Every minute of this entire journey to marry a stranger had her filled with joy. She knew it was crazy, but thwarting Mrs. Melton even a little bit made her a great deal happier than it should have.

 

When they got to the dock, Elizabeth looked worried. She was wringing her hands again, and Josie gave her a quick hug. “We’re going to love PEI. We’re going to be so happy with our new husbands. Mounties!”

 

There was a Mountie sitting next to one of the other brides, who was named Nettie. Nettie seemed off to Josie, but she wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was the way she asked the others so many personal questions but never answered any that were asked of her. There was just something not quite right about her, but Josie didn’t care. As long as she stuck to her own Mountie and left Ernie alone, all would be well. 

 

“You aren’t nervous at all, are you?” Elizabeth asked, a look of surprise on her face.

 

“I’m really not,” Josie responded. “I’m ready for whatever life throws at me, and I’m going to embrace it all. Ernie wants to marry me, and I know I can make his life better. Why worry?”

 

“I wish I was as confident as you are.”

 

“I spent a lot of years doing chores that were meant for someone much older. I’ve been my father’s hostess for five years now. Miss Hazel didn’t teach us to do anything I didn’t already know how to do.” Josie shrugged. “If you have any trouble, you know I’m here for you. When you’ve gone through housekeeping classes with someone, you’re required to be friends for life.”

 

Elizabeth smiled, some of the worry disappearing from her face. “Oh? Did you read this law somewhere?”

 

“I didn’t need to. I make my own laws,” Josie said with a wink.

 

Elizabeth laughed then, a full belly laugh. “I think my favorite thing about you is you always lift my spirits.”

 

“That’s what lifelong housekeeping class friends do! They lift each other’s spirits.” Josie turned and saw the ferry coming toward them. “Oh, look! There’s the ferry that will take us to the island. I never dreamed I’d be living on Prince Edward Island. It’s always seemed so romantic to me.”

 

“Right now I feel like it’s the vessel taking me to my doom!”

 

“Marriage, doom . . . they sound different to me!” They watched as people were unloaded from the ferry, and then their things were loaded. “I’m so excited!”

 

“Really? I couldn’t tell . . .” Elizabeth said. “What’s wrong with Kathryn? Any idea?”

 

Josie shook her head. “I have no idea. I know she’s sick, and that’s all I know. I think Nettie is taking good care of her.”

 

“Maybe we should help.”

 

“If she’s still ill when we get settled in, I plan to help as much as I can.” Josie frowned over at the girl in question, who was sitting on a bench, looking very weak.

 

Miss Hazel walked over to the two of them. “Josie, I don’t think I have ever seen a bride quite so excited to meet her future groom. Most are at least a little bit nervous.”

 

“Worrying will only give me a stomachache. I’m about to meet the man I’m going to spend the rest of my life with! I’ll take one look at him, and I will fall in love.” Josie grinned. “I have to be optimistic about it all. I’m sure it’s going to be just fine. You said you’d met his brother, Bert.”

 

“His brother was a fine man. That doesn’t automatically mean that Ernie is. I don’t think he’d be anything else, seeing as how he’s one of Canada’s finest, but you never know! There are crooks in every profession.”

 

Josie put her hands on her hips and turned to Miss Hazel. “Do you realize you sound like you’re trying your hardest to make me worry? I don’t want to worry, so I’m going to ignore you. You may pester Elizabeth, if she is all right with it. If not, I’m going to have to ask you to stop because we’re lifelong friends, and no one pesters my lifelong friends.”

 

Elizabeth shook her head. “Don’t worry, Miss Hazel. I’m nervous enough for the both of us.”

 

Miss Hazel shrugged. “You don’t have to be nervous, but it is rather normal.”

 

Josie flung her arms out to the sides and spun in a slow circle. “It’s a beautiful spring day, I’m about to meet my future husband, and I refuse to be down about anything.”

 

Miss Hazel patted Josie’s arm. “I saw you got a letter from your father Monday. What did it say?” 

 

Josie smiled sweetly. “It said that Mrs. Melton was upset with me because she had planned to spend the week I was in class getting ready for the wedding. Instead she had to keep my father’s house, and she would probably be angry with me for a very long time. He claimed I was a bit selfish in my actions as well, but I ignored that. I devoted five years to caring for his home. That wasn’t selfish at all.” She looked up at the sky and noted a cloud floating by. “Wouldn’t you say that cloud looks like a motorcar? I want to ride in one someday!”

 

Miss Hazel exchanged a look with Elizabeth, but neither of them said a word about Josie’s abrupt change of subject, and for that Josie was glad. She was sick of worrying and feeling guilty for no reason. From now on, she was going to be optimistic and ready to take on the world, no matter what it tried to throw at her.

 

It was time for them to get onto the ferry, so she made sure she was one of the first to get on, with Elizabeth at her side. It seemed that Elizabeth would always be her trusty sidekick, and she couldn’t be happier. 

 

As they stood on the ferry, Josie felt the sea air blowing across her face. “Elizabeth! We’re going to live on an island. We can go to the ocean any time we want. The sea air will be a regular part of our lives. We are the luckiest women in the entire world!”

 

Elizabeth looked over her shoulder at Kathryn, who looked perfectly miserable. “I have a feeling I may know who the unluckiest woman in the world is.”

 

Josie sighed and looked back at Kathryn. “Maybe we should go help, though it does look as though Nettie and Miss Hazel have everything under control.”

 

“Yes, it does. I need to stop worrying about everything.”

 

“Yes, you do.” Josie linked her arm with Elizabeth’s. “In just a few hours, we’re going to be married to Mounties. Canada’s finest.” She sighed. “Mounties are so romantic. Islands are so romantic. If our lives aren’t a perfect fairytale, I’m going to be very surprised.”

 

Elizabeth just shook her head.