RNWMP: Bride for Preston (Mail Order Mounties Book 6)

  RNWMP: Bride for Preston

  Mail Order Mounties

  Kay P. Dawson

  Copyright © 2017 by Kay P. Dawson

  All rights reserved.

  Cover Design by Erin Dameron-Hill

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead, events or locales is coincidental.

  Visit my website at KayPDawson.com

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  Contents

  Introduction

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Also by Kay P. Dawson

  Introduction

  Mail Order Mounties is a multi-author series set in Canada during the early 1900’s. Join authors Kirsten Osbourne, Kay P. Dawson, Cassie Hayes and Amelia Adams as they bring you fictional stories about members of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police, and the mail order brides who love them.

  RNWMP: Bride for Preston - Book 6 in the Mail Order Mounties Series

  Two Wounded Hearts, One Last Chance at Love

  Maryanne has spent years caring for her sister while the guilt of her accident weighs heavy on her shoulders. When her sister dies, she isn’t sure where she fits in anymore. No one has room for a plain, ordinary spinster with nothing to offer. When Miss Hazel tells her she’s found a Mountie in the Yukon Territory who she believes would be perfect for her, Maryanne figures she’s got nothing else to lose.

  Preston won’t let himself fall in love with another woman who can break his heart when she finds out the truth about him. But when his commanding officer mentions that he should marry in order to make the local Indian tribes accept him, he decides he may as well take a wife.

  When Maryanne arrives, Preston soon finds himself wondering if he could trust her with the secrets from his past. As they grow to care for each other, he realizes Maryanne has much more to offer than he’d originally believed.

  Can two wounded hearts find a way to trust that they are worthy of each other? And what will happen when the past shows up on their doorstep, threatening to ruin the foundation they’ve started to build?

  Chapter 1

  "You know, maybe if you weren't such a bitter, sour woman who thinks they're better than everyone else, even while wearing rags that look like they were found in the trash, you might find yourself a husband."

  Maryanne clenched her eyes shut tightly, hoping to hide the hurt that she knew would be reflected in them. She needed to hold up her image of being strong, and not caring what others thought.

  But the words that were spoken, cut like a blade in her heart. She knew the words were true.

  Swallowing against the lump forming in her throat, she took a deep breath and turned to face the man who'd spoken.

  He was shaking his head as he looked at her with a sneer. "You're not even much to look at, so you'd do well to realize I might be the only one willing to make an offer. Your poor parents have been driven to the point of despair trying to look after your crippled sister. The only reason they let you stay around this long was because you helped to look after her. Now that she's gone, you can't expect your parents to keep caring for you."

  Anger coiled in her stomach as he mentioned her sister. She could handle hearing that she wasn't much to look at. And that people thought she was a bitter old spinster. But she would never let anyone say a bad word about her sister.

  Walking slowly back toward Leroy Miller, the middle-aged man who owned the stables up the street from her father's mercantile, Maryanne fought to keep herself from reaching out and slapping his mottled face.

  "Eliza was not a cripple. She had more strength and compassion in her little finger than people like you do in your whole body. She might be gone now, but I've helped my parents keep the mercantile going, even while the bills piled up to help pay for my sister's care. They won't just throw me out on the street. I will keep helping them just like I always have."

  Leroy laughed. "Do you honestly think people are going to keep coming to your father's decrepit and rundown old store now that your sister is gone? The only reason people did keep coming all this time is because they felt sorry for your family and wanted to feel like they were helping. Why would they keep coming here when there are so many new stores opening up all around Ottawa with ten times more than what they can get here?"

  Maryanne's heart plummeted to her stomach as she realized the truth he was speaking. Slowly turning her head, her eyes took in the front of her father's shop. The sign had come loose months ago, and now tilted dangerously far to one side. The steps had sunk on one side, and a railing had fallen off, now lying on the ground beside them.

  The years hadn't been kind to her father, or the small shop that had once been so prominent in the neighborhood. After her sister's accident, both her parents had struggled to come to grips with the new life they were faced with—having a child who would need constant care.

  Maryanne had done everything she could to look after her sister, while the guilt of the accident had consumed her every waking moment. She'd tried to make things better for everyone, knowing how difficult it was for her family to cope with it all.

  Her parents had spent any money that came in on treatments and anything they believed would make Eliza's life easier. They'd become focused on making her whole again, so the running of the mercantile had suffered. Maryanne had done the best she could, but she realized now, people had only pitied her.

  Leroy was right. They wouldn't keep coming back now that Eliza was gone. Her parents could manage to earn enough to keep food on their table, but they wouldn't need the extra burden of her to care for too.

  And she was twenty-three years old, with no prospects other than Leroy, courting her. She'd always been the plain one, where Eliza had been beautiful, so she hadn't ever given any thought to a man paying her any attention. Maybe she could find a job of her own somewhere, and earn enough to live alone. Someday, she might find someone who could see past her outer shell and possibly grow to love her the way her father did her mother.

  As the wagons rolled past them on the street, dust was kicked up around her, getting in her eyes. She reached up to rub them, hoping no one would notice the tears that were clouding her vision.

  She'd do whatever she had to do, just like she'd always done.

  Suddenly, a hand reached out and an arm wrapped around her own, turning her to walk away from Leroy.

  "Ignore that sniveling fopdoodle. He spouts words from his mouth like a donkey in heat trying to get attention."

  Maryanne looked in shock at Miss Hazel, a woman she recognized from their church and who'd come in to shop many times over the years. She'd often wondered why the woman would come over to their neighborhood, when there was no doubt far better stores to choose from where the older woman lived.

  As they walked toward the steps of the shop, Maryanne almost chuckled out loud
as she glimpsed back at the man who stood on the edge of the street with his mouth hanging open.

  "I'm sorry, Miss Hazel. That fabric you ordered still hasn't come in yet. I will try to get a message out today to see where it is." They couldn't afford to lose any business, especially not one like Hazel Hughes, who had the money to spend in their shop.

  The woman just patted her arm and clucked her tongue. "Now, Maryanne, I've already told you, I'm in no hurry for that fabric anyway. Your family has gone through enough these past few weeks, and I don't need you worrying about how I'll get the fabric for my next set of bloomers."

  Maryanne stumbled on the last step as Miss Hazel openly spoke about her underthings on a busy street.

  Getting her balance, she made her way inside with the woman still holding her arm. When they got into the building, Maryanne glanced around with new eyes, seeing the shop how she now realized others must be seeing it. Before, she hadn't wanted to let herself see the empty shelves, or the dusty corners that were covered in spiderwebs.

  But now that's all she could see.

  Shame washed over her, knowing how the people she saw every day were truly looking at her and her family.

  Lifting her chin, she tried to smile for Miss Hazel. "Can I offer you some tea? I was just going to put some on."

  "That would be lovely, dear. I was actually coming this way to speak to you about a different matter."

  Maryanne led the way behind the counter, and back to the kitchen stove off the back. Stairs on the other side of the small room led up to the rooms where her family slept. She hoped her parents were getting some much needed rest. Sleep hadn't come easily over the past few weeks as they grieved for Eliza.

  Placing the tin pot on the stove to heat up the water, she pulled two cups down from the cupboard and placed them on their saucers.

  "I can't imagine what you'd need to speak to me about, Miss Hazel, but I appreciate your help today with Leroy. That man has been hounding me ever since…well, you know…to marry him."

  She looked down at the tea bag in her hand as she brought up the memory of her sister's death.

  "I think it's despicable that a man would try to take advantage of a girl who's quite obviously grieving for her sister. You don't have to take that from him or any man, Maryanne Drayson." Miss Hazel sat down in one of the chairs around the small table.

  Pouring the water into the cups, she turned to carry them over. "I'm afraid I might not have many other options, Miss Hazel. I'm not what you'd call a good catch for most men around here, and I'm not sure what I could do on my own. I can't put any more burden on my parents than they've already suffered over the years. What else can I do?"

  Hazel Hughes smiled up at her as she took her cup from Maryanne's hands. "Why, head up to the Yukon Territory and marry a Mountie, of course!"

  The sound of china breaking was the first she realized she'd dropped her cup.

  She'd always heard people say that Miss Hazel Hughes might not be entirely in her right mind, but Maryanne had never believed them.

  Until now.

  Chapter 2

  Maryanne looked around her room, taking in the furnishings that were so much nicer than anything she'd known. How she wished Eliza could be here with her, to get the chance to sleep on this soft bed she was sitting on.

  She'd arrived at Miss Hazel's yesterday, and met all the other girls. One girl reminded her of her sister, and she'd instantly felt a connection with her. Lisa had cerebral palsy and struggled sometimes to do tasks everyone else would consider simple. Maryanne understood what she was living with, after watching the frustration and pain her own sister had endured after her accident.

  So she'd already decided she would look after Lisa and make sure she knew she could always count on her. She might not have been able to save her sister, but Maryanne would never turn her back on anyone who needed a helping hand.

  Standing up when she heard the door next to hers opening, Maryanne made her way out into the hallway.

  "Good morning, Lisa. Are you all ready for today?" She fell into step beside her new friend, making sure to keep her paces shorter so Lisa didn't have to struggle to keep up.

  Lisa laughed. "Well, I've been here working and learning from Miss Hazel for a couple of weeks already, so I'm not too nervous. But I'm sure she's going to be pushing us to learn as much as we can in this week before we head up to the Yukon Territory."

  As they made their way down the stairs, Maryanne glanced around once more at the beautiful home they were staying in. It was so fancy, yet it wasn't too boastful in its appearance. It was exactly how she'd expect the home of Hazel Hughes to look.

  "I've never slept in a bed so soft in my life." Lisa grinned over at her as they stepped into the hallway at the bottom of the stairs.

  "I know! I never wanted to get up. I guess we should enjoy it now because I doubt our furnishings will be so luxurious up north."

  When they got into the kitchen, the other two girls were already sitting at the table. They'd all had the chance to meet each other yesterday when they arrived. Isabelle was a debutante, and Maryanne was still a bit nervous around her. She was the kind of girl who normally wouldn't want to associate with someone of Maryanne's social status, but for some reason, she could already tell Isabelle wasn't going to be like that.

  The other girl, Elaine, hadn't said much yet, and had excused herself early last evening so she could head up to bed and finish a book she'd been reading. She'd been kind, though, and had already offered all of the ladies any books they'd like to borrow to read.

  Miss Hazel swooped into the room, clapping her hands together loudly, making them all jump.

  "All right, ladies, I hope you're ready to learn everything you need to be a good wife to your Mounties. I've chosen each of you for the men I've had the chance to learn a bit more about, and you've been selected because I believe you'll be perfect matches for them. So, we only have one week to make you into the wives you need to be. Time to get to work!"

  A nervous but excited knot formed in Maryanne's stomach as the girls all looked at each other, realizing how real everything was about to become.

  She'd never let herself believe she'd be someone a man could fall in love with and marry, because she'd always known she was going to spend her days caring for her sister. Now that Eliza was gone, Maryanne knew she had to find her own way. She couldn't use her sister as an excuse to avoid the hurt she would feel if a man rejected her.

  She hoped that by marrying a stranger, a man who obviously needed a wife badly enough that he was willing to marry her without even seeing her first, maybe he'd be able to get to know her and grow to care for her.

  And even if he couldn't, she hoped he could be kind and content enough to at least let her stay.

  "Are you all right, Maryanne?" Isabelle's voice broke through her thoughts as she watched the scenery flying past the window outside. They were almost to Moose Lick, and even the beauty of the landscape she was seeing as they'd crossed into the Yukon Territory couldn't take the worry from her mind.

  Lisa had gone to have a rest, so she was sitting here with just Isabelle across from her as they made the final few miles toward their new lives. Elaine was in a seat across the aisle reading her book, and Miss Hazel was snoring loudly from her own seat.

  She turned her eyes to Isabelle, offering her a soft smile. "I'm fine. Just a bit nervous, I guess. And tired. The train ride has been a bit more difficult than I'd thought. I've never been on a train before. I've never really been this far from home either."

  Isabelle reached over and patted her hand. "I know. It's hard to leave home behind, isn't it? I've been on the train before, but I must admit, this trip has been a bit more uncomfortable than what I'm used to. I've always had the luxury of a Pullman car when I'd go anywhere."

  Maryanne watched as Isabelle peered out the window again. Even though they were from different steps on the society ladder in Ottawa, Isabelle never treated her as though she was beneath her.

/>   "I wonder what the Mountie Miss Hazel has chosen for me will be like? I never imagined I'd be heading off to marry a stranger, especially a Mountie. I hope he's not disappointed when he sees me."

  Maryanne almost laughed out loud at Isabelle's comment, but held it inside. Isabelle was stunningly beautiful. Whoever Miss Hazel had picked for her to marry would not be disappointed.

  Not like her own Mountie was likely to be.

  She shook her head and tried to shove the thoughts away. She couldn't worry about that now. Besides, she knew Lisa was having her own doubts and worries, so Maryanne needed to stay strong and show her she didn't care what the men thought when they arrived.

  Maryanne looked at the dress Isabelle wore and felt a familiar prickling of envy that she didn't have something nice to wear to meet her future husband. Isabelle's dress was the lightest shade of blue satin, with lace covering the fabric on her arms and chest. She looked ready to meet the King.

  Maryanne's gaze fell onto her lap, and she could see the small seams that had been stitched into her serviceable brown skirt, trying to fix the holes and rips of the old fabric.

  She swallowed hard, trying not to let the other girl see her shame.

  "You know, Maryanne, I was wondering if you could do me a favor?"

  She lifted her eyes to Isabelle. What could she possibly offer to help her?

  Isabelle leaned forward. "I ended up packing some clothes that don't even fit me anymore, and I'm worried if I come off the train with them, my new husband will be angry that I've brought things I can't even wear."