“I’m so nervous. I don’t know why I’m so nervous,” Kathryn said as Nettie helped her arrange her hair.
“I think there’s some law about it,” Nettie replied. “Brides are supposed to be nauseated on their wedding day.”
“I think I’ve had enough nausea over the last several days to last me for a lifetime.” Kathryn met Nettie’s eyes in the mirror. “Aren’t you nervous? You seem so calm.”
“Oh, I’m plenty nervous. I’m just refusing to show it. I’m staying strong. For you.”
“And I appreciate it.” They both laughed. “Nettie, thank you again for taking such good care of me. I can’t think of anyone else who would have done what you did—you practically gave up your whole life for me. Well, not your whole life—you did take some time out to go save Bryce. But almost your whole life.”
“It was my pleasure. And I appreciate how readily you forgave me.”
Kathryn turned and looked Nettie in the face. “How could I not forgive you? You’ve been such a good friend. And I love the article you wrote about Miss Hazel—it’s a lovely tribute, and your editor definitely needs to publish it.” She traded places with Nettie and brushed out her hair. “I keep thinking that you should write children’s books. You have such a talent for writing, and also with children.”
“I’ve never thought about that.” A thoughtful look crossed Nettie’s face. “I’ll have to look into that, but do you know, I think I’d like that a lot. Maybe even more than I would being a reporter.”
As Kathryn finished doing Nettie’s hair, a knock sounded on the door, and Michael poked his head inside.
“Is my bride ready?” he asked.
“I’m most definitely ready,” Kathryn replied. She turned to Nettie. “I’ll see you there.”
***
The wedding was everything Kathryn had been dreaming about. The birds were even singing as they walked into the chapel, as if they were anxious to prove how very special this day was going to be. Kathryn appreciated that because she kept thinking about that night, how Michael and the other men would be leaving to investigate the cove, how she didn’t know when she’d see him again. She had to concentrate on the moment in front of her rather than thinking about later or she’d miss all the joy and beauty that was right before her eyes.
When she said her vows, a thrill ran from the top of her head all the way down to her toes. It was finally happening—she was joining herself to this man who stood before her, handsome in his red serge uniform, looking at her with so much love in his eyes, she couldn’t believe it was all real. She felt as though every wish she’d ever made on the evening star had suddenly been granted in that moment, and when she looked over at Nettie, she could see that her friend felt the same way.
The two couples accepted congratulations after the ceremony and shared a small wedding cake, but the day was passing quickly, and as the sun climbed higher in the sky, they were reminded that only hours remained until their next task began. Michael carried his things from Bryce’s cabin back over to his own, then helped Nettie take her things over to Bryce’s cabin.
“This is the most fun I’ve ever had moving from one house to another,” Nettie called out as she picked up her satchel.
Kathryn laughed. “This does feel a bit like musical chairs, doesn’t it?”
“Musical chairs isn’t usually quite so heavy,” Michael said with a grunt as he hefted Nettie’s trunk.
Once everyone’s things were rearranged and each bride and groom were sorted out, Michael and Kathryn returned to his cabin—their cabin—and he took her in his arms.
“I’m so glad you’re able to live in your own cabin again,” she said, looking up into his eyes.
“I’m glad too. You know, I’ve missed this place.” He looked around with appreciation, then back down at her. “Mostly because Bryce snores.”
She laughed, delight filling her chest. This was now truly her home, Michael was her husband, and that’s all that mattered. She’d push the danger aside and focus on the joy of gazing into his eyes and knowing that he was hers forever, no matter what that night would bring.
***
Bryce drove Michael, Ernie, and Aaron to within half a mile of the cove, then dropped them off and returned to the station. The cranks for the cars had been found back behind a wooden crate in the garage. They weren’t sure how they’d fallen behind there, but it didn’t matter—it was just nice to have access to the cars again.
Bob Kristofferson would be spending the night with Bryce at the jail in case something happened and Bryce needed backup. Bob was a good man who had been a friend to the Mounties for years, and he was a crack shot besides.
Michael hefted his bag up onto his shoulder. Josie had baked each Mountie two loaves of bread, and they smelled delicious. He hoped things would be resolved before he had time to eat both of them, but he was sure glad she’d been thinking of ways to support them.
They crept down the shoreline. The sun had set two hours before, and they were now moving in full dark. Ernie had spoken with one of the fishermen who worked these waters, and that man had confirmed that there were caves along this stretch of the shore. Michael hoped his gut instincts were correct and that they’d find some sort of evidence that would lead them to the MacDonalds. No one had seen them in town since Jamie’s escape, and Michael feared they were long gone. His gut was often more correct than his brain, though, and that’s what he was clinging to.
They found a rock outcropping that would allow them to see down into the cove and hopefully wouldn’t be visible from below. They’d each dressed in dark clothes, not wanting the red of their uniforms to give them away, and they settled in as best as they could. It was decided that Aaron would take the first watch while the other two slept, and they’d rotate. If there was no movement below all night and over the course of the early morning hours, they would post a lookout, and the other two would begin a systematic search of the caves. That way, even if they didn’t catch men on the move, they’d be looking for clues.
Ernie had called the Mounties in Charlottestown and asked them to be on the lookout for the MacDonalds or their boat. Beyond the steps they were taking, Michael wasn’t sure what else could be done.
He closed his eyes and settled back, knowing he needed to rest as much as possible before his turn on watch. He smiled when he thought about that morning, how beautiful Kathryn looked walking toward him in the church. He had a whole lifetime with her to look forward to, and with that as his incentive, he could do anything.
***
Nettie made breakfast for all of the brides the next morning, and they gathered in her cabin to eat and share their concerns.
“How’s Bryce feeling today?” Josie asked.
“He’s all right. His head aches a little bit and he’s still regaining his strength, but Dr. Miller is amazed at how quickly he’s healing up. I told him it’s because he’s so hardheaded.”
The women all laughed. “Well, that might be true, but it’s coming in handy,” Elizabeth replied. “I’m just so glad you were able to have your wedding day after all.”
Nettie and Kathryn both nodded. “Now we’re all brides, like we were supposed to be from the start,” Kathryn said.
They finished their breakfast and helped Nettie clean up, then decided to go for a walk over to the general store to see if the new shipment of fabric had come in. Old Joe had been promising it to them for a few days now, and he seemed perplexed as to where it had gone.
As they stepped outside, Kathryn paused. “Oh, I wanted to show you something.” She reached behind her neck and unhooked the clasp of the necklace she’d been wearing since the night before. “Michael gave this to me before he left. Isn’t it pretty?”
The girls gathered around and looked at Kathryn’s palm, where a delicate heart-shaped pendant lay. “It’s beautiful,” Elizabeth said. “A perfect wedding gift.”
“He told me that he sent away for it the same day he wrote to request his bride,” Kathryn said, her heart beating a little faster. “He was so sure he was going to fall in love with me that he wanted to have something on hand to give me on our wedding day.”
“That’s so sweet,” Josie chimed in.
Just then, something gray and furry attacked Kathryn’s hand. She shrieked and jerked back before realizing it was Rocky, and that he’d glided down from above to steal her necklace.
“My necklace!” she gasped, realizing that her hand was now empty and that little rascal was scampering away as fast as he could go. Funny, he didn’t look as fat as he had the last time she’d seen him.
“Chase him!” Nettie cried, and all four girls took off in hot pursuit. That, of course, made Rocky run even faster. Kathryn was glad he didn’t have actual wings. If he was able to take flight, that would make the chase impossible.
They followed him to a tree on the edge of a clearing and watched him run up the trunk and into a hole about eight feet off the ground.
“Could you girls give me a boost?” Kathryn asked. “If I could just reach my arm inside, I could grab the necklace.”
“And hope your hand doesn’t get bit off in the process,” Nettie said. “You don’t know what’s in there, and Rocky could have rabies.”
“Do squirrels get rabies?” Elizabeth asked.
“Oh, gracious, I don’t know. But I don’t think we want to take that chance.”
Kathryn didn’t want rabies any more than any other sane person would, but that necklace was special, and she wanted it back. “I don’t know what else to do.”
“What about a ladder?” Josie said. “Then you could climb up and look inside before you ever put your hand in there. We have a ladder that’s about six feet tall, you’re over five feet—that’s plenty, don’t you think?”
The girls all agreed that sounded like a good plan. Elizabeth stayed behind to keep an eye on the tree—they wanted to know if Rocky left again, carrying something shiny. The other three went back to Josie’s to get the ladder. Kathryn was on the brink of tears. She’d been married just twenty-four hours, she hadn’t seen her husband in twelve of those hours, and she’d lost the gift he’d given her before leaving. She felt so foolish—why had she taken the necklace off? She should have kept it fastened.
When they arrived back at the tree, Elizabeth reported that Rocky hadn’t made an appearance. Kathryn nodded and steeled herself for the climb. Josie and Nettie held the ladder on either side, and after she shook the ladder to make sure it was as steady as she could make it, Kathryn began her ascent. The feet of the ladder sank into the soft dirt as her weight pushed on it, but she pressed her lips together and kept on.
When she reached the hole, she peered inside, and then gasped.
“What’s the matter?” Elizabeth called up. “What do you see?”
Kathryn turned and smiled down at the girls. “I know why Rocky’s not fat anymore.”
“What are you talking about?” Nettie asked.
“Rocky isn’t a he—he’s a she, and she just had babies,” Kathryn said, turning to look back inside. Six naked little squirrels lay snuggled up to Rocky’s chest, eating their breakfast, and Rocky looked like the proudest mama who ever was.
The girls all exclaimed and wanted a chance to climb up and see. Kathryn agreed that none of them should miss out, but first, she pulled a pin from her hair, reached in, used the pin to hook the chain of her necklace from the top of the squirrel’s hoard, and dragged it toward her. Rocky looked up, but didn’t seem to object.
Once Kathryn was back on the ground and her necklace was fastened around her neck, the other girls took turns climbing up.
“Cutest things I’ve ever seen,” Nettie said as she descended. “I wonder if Rocky will teach them to steal from people too.”
“Oh, I hope not,” Elizabeth said. “But I have a feeling that Kathryn’s going to need to sew us more bonnets so we’ll have an ample supply.”
They all laughed as they walked back to town, carrying the ladder between them.