RNWMP: Bride for Theodore (Mail Order Mounties)(4)

She frowned. At least at home, she would occasionally see a man in a bright red coat, and she’d know he was a Mountie that might know Theodore. Now her only connection to him was his mother. She took a deep breath. She was going to have fun and stop wallowing in her loneliness.



After dinner in the hotel’s restaurant, they walked the eight blocks to the Forsythe Theater. It was a beautiful night, though a little warmer than Miss Hazel wanted. She kept fanning her face with her hand and mumbled something about “blasted hot flashes” under her breath.

As they waited in the lobby of the theater for the doors to open, Miss Hazel struck up a conversation with a woman who was close to her age. “I’ve never been to Boston before, have you?”

The woman, a striking blonde with beautiful green eyes, nodded. “I have lived very close to Boston my entire life. My hometown, Beckham, is just a thirty-minute train ride from here.”

“Do you come here to see plays often?” Jess asked, very curious about how things were done in the USA. She knew their countries had similar backgrounds, and geographically were close, but how similar were their daily lives?

The blonde shook her head. “No, I wish I did. I have a matchmaking business, and I spend most of my time working or raising children. My husband insisted we needed to get away for a while, though.”

The blond man beside her put his arm around her waist, as if he seemed to think she was in danger. “The doors should be opening any minute, Elizabeth.”

“A matchmaking business?” Miss Hazel asked. “I didn’t realize it was the custom to have a formal matchmaker here in the states.”

Elizabeth laughed. “No, it’s not at all. I match women from the East up with lonely men in the West. Mail order brides are my business.”

Miss Hazel’s eyes widened. “And people you’ve matched are happy?”

“Oh, yes. I haven’t failed yet.”

Jess stood quietly watching as Miss Hazel seemed to light up from within, the same way she had at the church when she’d announced they were going to travel the world. She was almost nervous at what the older woman must be thinking.

Finally, Miss Hazel looked at Jess. “Jessica Sanderson, you’re about to become my son’s mail order bride and my daughter-in-law!”





2





Jess stared at Miss Hazel in shock. “You can’t just decide to marry me off to Theodore! I really don’t think he’d appreciate your meddling.”

“I’m not meddling. I’m helping him. He misses my cooking. We’ll go home, and I’ll teach you how to fix all of his favorite dishes. Then I’ll write him a letter and tell him we’re coming to see him.”

Elizabeth frowned. “You really must get a man’s permission before you bring him a bride.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, I should introduce myself. I’m Elizabeth Tandy.”

“I’m Hazel Hughes. My son is a Mountie, fighting in the West. Men outnumber women all over Canada, but it’s so much worse out West. I’ll feel much better about him being gone once I know that he’s happily married and has three decent meals a day.”

“Miss Hazel, this is not a good idea.”

“Oh, you hush. You’ve never been in love. What do you know?” Miss Hazel rubbed her hands together eagerly. “We’re taking the first train back to Ottawa tomorrow. I’m sure Teddy will thank us both.”

“But…” Jess needed to find a stronger argument. She loved Theodore so much, but if he had no feelings for her, she didn’t want to be married to him.

Miss Hazel frowned. “Would it help if I got his permission?”

“Yes! That would help a great deal!” Jess shook her head. “You can’t control his life now that he’s thirty, and a Mountie besides!”

Mrs. Tandy shook her head. “I think you’re making a mistake, but as long as he agrees to it, you’re fine.”

“Yes, I am fine. Thank you for the brilliant idea, Mrs. Tandy!”

“You’re…welcome.” The couple went into the theater to find their seats and they were separated then.

Jess had a feeling her life would never be the same.



Just over a week after they left Ottawa, Jess and Miss Hazel returned. On the journey back, Miss Hazel had been very specific with what the plan was. Jess would stay with her, learn everything she needed to learn to be a good wife to Theodore, and they would leave as soon as they had permission to come from Theodore.

She’d argued that she needed to live with her parents, but Hazel had flat out refused. They had been in favor of her being Miss Hazel’s traveling companion, and they’d travel together in another couple of weeks.

It was close to three weeks later when the letter arrived from Theodore saying that he would be happy for Jess to come. Jess couldn’t believe it. She’d been sure Theodore had no feelings for her. He probably couldn’t even remember who she was. No matter, he’d agreed to marry her, and she was thrilled. In two days, they’d be on a train and headed to British Columbia.



Jess had clothes strewn all over her room the following day when her friends JoAnn and Lisa arrived. JoAnn leaned against the wall, while Lisa stretched out on Jess’s bed. “I don’t want you to go,” Lisa said. “I want you to stay here so we can be friends forever.”