Page 38 of The Lady of Red River Valley (Ladies of the Wilderness #2)

Though Eleanor could not leave, she had sent Nicolette out to see what might be done. When the woman had returned, she said that some of the slain men had been identified.

And William was one of them.

Tears ran down Eleanor’s cheeks as she stared into the flickering flames, disbelief hovering on the edges of her thoughts. Her tea was growing cold in the mug she held, but she did not take another sip.

She and Miriam had not had time to say goodbye to William. He had left with Semple while Eleanor was changing Miriam’s nappy in the other room. When she had come out, William and Semple were gone. She thought she’d see him again.

It was hard to describe the feelings swirling in her mind and heart concerning William.

Grief—yes, but there was an emptiness, also.

She had agreed to marry him, and though she did not love him, she did care for him.

There had been a part of her that had started to envision what her life might look like as his wife—it was the only way she could cope with the turn of events that had led her to become his fiancée.

But that life was now gone. Vanishing in an instant, without warning or permission.

It made her future unknown, causing the emptiness.

Even more disheartening was the uncertainty about Arran’s fate.

Where was he? Was he among the dead? But wouldn’t he have been easily recognizable to the others, if he was?

Had he somehow escaped and was making his way back to her even now?

Or was he captured? If so, what might happen to him at the hands of his enemy?

Fear and grief had made her heart numb, and all she could do was sit and stare into the flames.

The house was quiet. Deathly quiet. Semple’s customary snoring would be no more. His life was another loss that left Eleanor numb with grief.

Nicolette slept in the room with Miriam, while Old John and Isla took one of the rooms upstairs. There were watchmen on guard all throughout the fort, and Eleanor almost expected a cry of alarm at any moment.

The handle on the front door wiggled, but Old John had put the crossbar in place before he had gone to bed, so whoever stood outside could not get in.

Alarm filled Eleanor and she stood, clutching the blanket to her chest. “Who is it?”

“Eleanor?” a voice called from outside, though it was muffled and competed with the tempest in the sky. “’Tis Arran.”

“Arran?” Eleanor whispered his name in disbelief.

“Eleanor?” he tried again, pounding on the door. “Eleanor?”

“Arran?” She ran to the door, the blanket falling from her shoulders as she crossed the space. She struggled with the crossbar. Her arms were weak and she was trembling uncontrollably.

He continued to pound on the door, saying her name over and over.

“Arran!” she called back, working to dislodge the bar.

Finally, it came loose and fell to the floor. She yanked the door open. A gust of wind and rain blew into the house, sending the firelight flickering and wetting the front of her gown.

Arran stood, drenched and dearly alive.

Eleanor flew into his arms, her tears flowing freely.

He embraced her, his arms tight around her shivering body. “Eleanor,” he whispered against her hair. “Thank God.”

She wept, clinging to him, unable to find the words to express her feelings.

He pulled back and placed his cold hands on the sides of her face. Fear, relief, and anguish warred within his brown eyes, but it was the love she saw there that undid her.

He loved her. Had always loved her. And she loved him, more now than ever before. The thought of losing him was the most dreadful thing she’d ever endured.

She rose on her toes and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck and savoring every blessed moment of this sweet reunion. It was a miracle to be with him again—one she would never take for granted.

He returned the kiss, drawing her closer as they stepped into the room and he used his foot to close the door.

The front of her gown became wet, pressed up against his rain-soaked clothing, but she didn’t care.

The heat from his kiss warmed her through, banishing the chills that had plagued her all day.

Arran was home, alive, and kissing her as she’d never been kissed before.

He pulled back, breathless. “I’m getting you wet.”

“I don’t mind.” She didn’t want to move away from his embrace, but wanted to stay there forever.

Arran looked down at her, moving aside a tendril of hair that had fallen across her forehead. “You’re the bonniest sight I’ve ever beheld.”

He frowned and put his hand on her forehead. “You’re burning with fever, lass. How long have you been ill?”

“I haven’t felt well for most of the day, but I thought it was from the fear and worry.” A thought suddenly made her gaze focus. “Miriam has been running a fever and crying for most of the day.”

“And you dinna ken what ails her?”

Eleanor shook her head. “The fort doctors went with you.”

And had been killed.

“Come warm yourself by the fire,” he said as he took her hand and led her away from the door, stopping to pick up the blanket off the floor.

He pulled the chair closer to the heat, and after she took a seat, he gently placed the blanket around her shoulders.

She wiped at her tear-stained cheeks, the ache of grief dimming in light of Arran’s arrival, but not diminishing completely.

They had lost so much today, she wondered if she’d ever be truly happy again.

He squatted before her, rubbing her cold hands.

“The only thing that kept me going today was the hope that I could return to you,” he said.

“Your touch, your voice, your eyes, the curve of your lips—it’s all I could think about.

” He swallowed and shook his head. “I was a fool, Eleanor. A prideful, idiotic fool. I placed this colony and my promise to Lord Selkirk above all else, and today, I realized how wrong I have been. As I watched Angus and West die, and I thought about the women and children they had waiting for them back at the fort, I ken in that moment that they had far more to live for than I did. It isna fair that they were taken and I remain.” He stopped and lowered his head as a sob wracked his body.

Eleanor placed her hands on his face, her own tears beginning again at hearing this strong, stubborn man brought to tears at the atrocities he witnessed. “But you do have something to live for,” she said. “You have me and Miriam.”

He looked up at her, tears in his brown eyes.

“If it hadna been for you and her, I would have died on that prairie today. I would have foolishly run into battle, even if it meant my life. I would have died for the colony.” He shook his head in disgust. “Nothing on earth is more important than you and Miriam.” He stopped again, this time searching her eyes.

“I ken I’ve been a fool, Eleanor. I pushed you away and I’m sorry.

If you dinna want me anymore, I—I understand. ”

“Don’t want you?” she whispered. “I’ve never stopped wanting you.”

“I dinna deserve a third chance,” he said. “Especially now, with all we’ve lost—and all we have yet to face.”

“Shh.” She put her trembling finger over his lips. “We do not know what tomorrow may bring. Let’s thank God for this moment, while we still have it, and not speak about what we’ve lost.”

Arran wiped one of the tears from her cheek. “You’re right. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring. The others have agreed to hand the fort over to Grant, and I will be riding out in the morning to sign the terms of surrender.”

“Arran.” She shook her head, her heart breaking for a new reason.

“After today, I dinna think I can ever look at this place the same,” he said quietly.

“I thought I would live and die for Assiniboia, but I was wrong. I saw what it looked like to die for her and ‘tis not worth it.” He met Eleanor’s gaze.

“I’m ready to leave here for good, and I’d like to take you and Miriam with me.

And when we’re free of this place, I’d like to make you my wife, Eleanor. ”

She had always thought that grief and joy were opposing emotions, but in that moment, they came together to fill her heart with hope.

It was the very thing that brought meaning to life and gave her the strength and energy to keep going.

She would mourn William’s loss for years, especially for Miriam’s sake, but if it was God’s will, she and Arran would raise Miriam as their own.

“Will you marry me?” he asked her.

She had no reservations. “Yes.”

He smiled, and for a moment, all the horrors of the day were dismissed from his heavy countenance.

If only they would stay that way.