RNWMP: Bride for Theodore (Mail Order Mounties)(2)

“He’s doing well. He says he misses my cooking.” Miss Hazel sighed. “I miss him so. It doesn’t feel right that I’m all alone in that big house.”

Jess smiled sweetly. Maybe Miss Hazel didn’t know after all. She just seemed lonely. “You should take in boarders, Miss Hazel.” That would give you something to do.

Miss Hazel sighed. “I don’t want to take in boarders. I want adventure! I want excitement.” She laughed softly to herself. “You know, it’s too bad old ladies can’t join the Mounties.”

“You’re not old!” At least Jess didn’t think she was old. She wasn’t good at judging age when someone was past forty or so. And she knew Miss Hazel had to be at least that old, because Theodore was seven years her senior, and she was an old-maid at twenty-three. “Maybe you should travel.”

“Maybe I should, but I couldn’t do it alone.” Miss Hazel stared off into space for a moment, watching the young ladies in the room flitting around, some of them acting so superior to others. Some of them sitting alone, wishing desperately someone would speak to them. “You should go with me, Jess Sanderson! Your parents don’t need you. They have your brothers and their wives to keep them company. Let’s travel the world.”

“I—” For a moment Jess was stunned. How did one respond to a request like that? A slow smile crossed her face. “There is nothing I would enjoy more! When are we leaving?” The words were out before she could stop them, and surely she would have if she’d had time, wouldn’t she?

“How much notice will you need to give at the bank?” Miss Hazel asked, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

Jess bit her lip, thinking for a moment. “Two weeks would be more than enough time to hire someone to take my place.”

“Today’s Friday. We’ll leave two weeks from Monday.” Miss Hazel clapped her hands together excitedly. “We’ll take a train to Boston, and then we’ll go south by boat from there. Do you get seasick?”

Jess shrugged, feeling as if the world was spinning out of her control, but she didn’t care. She wanted nothing more than to see the world. “I’ve never been on a boat to find out!”

“Nor have I! It’s high time the two of us were on a boat, don’t you think?” Miss Hazel seemed to have a light bulb within her lit. Jess couldn’t remember ever seeing her so happy, except maybe on the day that Theodore had finished his Mountie training. She’d been so proud. When she’d received the official letter from Regina that his training was complete, she’d cried and cried. Her son was serving his country in a way that made her very proud.

“I supposed it is.”

“We’ll go talk to your parents as soon as this silly luncheon is over. You’ve the afternoon off?” Miss Hazel asked.

“Yes, the bank is closed for Dominion Day.”

“Why did we schedule this luncheon for Dominion Day?” Miss Hazel asked, seeming confused for a moment.

“You chose the date, Miss Hazel. Everyone was afraid to argue with you.” Jess shrugged. Miss Hazel was a force to be reckoned with, and Jess was no exception.

“Well, no matter. We’ll speak to your parents after our stitching is done, and then we’ll begin planning our trip. You do have some fancy party dresses appropriate for the trip, don’t you?”

Jess shook her head. “I wear my best clothes to church every week. I don’t have anything fancier.”

“Then we’ll find a seamstress tomorrow, and we’ll get that taken care of, won’t we?”

For a moment, Jess had to wonder if she was already aboard the ship Miss Hazel planned to book them on and had been washed overboard by the huge waves. It made as much sense as standing beside the woman she’d always hoped would one day be her mother-in-law as she planned a trip around the world. “I suppose we will.”

The rest of the luncheon was a blur. Jess did as she was told, but she thought of nothing but her nervousness at telling her family of the plans she and Miss Hazel had made. How would they feel about her leaving the country without them? It was a good thing she’d known Miss Hazel since the day she was born, or they wouldn’t even entertain the idea of her leaving.



A few hours later, Jess sat nervously on the sofa beside Miss Hazel. Her mother had served tea for their unexpected guest, and both her parents were sipping the tea from the two arm chairs—which were perpendicular to the couch—obviously wondering why they had been asked down. She knew Miss Hazel wanted her to begin the conversation, but she just couldn’t.

Finally, her father set down his empty tea cup. The silence was obviously too much for him. “To what do we owe this pleasure, Mrs. Hughes?”

“Well, since your daughter obviously isn’t going to spit it out, I’m going to have to, aren’t I?” Miss Hazel shook her head at Jess, who wanted to sink into the sofa and disappear. “Jess and I were talking at the luncheon today, and we’ve decided we should take a world tour. Do you realize that neither of us has ever even been on a boat?”

Father shook his head at that. “Why is Jess going with you? She has a perfectly good job here in Ottawa.”

“Because I need a traveling companion. Jess doesn’t really have any strings keeping her from doing fun, exciting things. She should see the world before she settles down and has babies. Don’t you agree, Mrs. Sanderson?”