Page 55 of The Lady of Red River Valley (Ladies of the Wilderness #2)

A flash of lightning was soon followed by another crash of thunder.

Eleanor shivered as she sat in the dark tent with Miriam, Nicolette, Isla, Fiona, and the four Ferguson children.

No one said a word as the rain pounded against the canvas.

Miriam had fallen asleep in Eleanor’s arms, for which Eleanor was thankful.

It would have been difficult to keep the child occupied and entertained in the crowded tent.

“I’ve made my decision,” Fiona whispered next to Eleanor.

“And what decision is that?” Eleanor asked.

“I’ve consented to marry Mr. Aiken.”

Eleanor smiled. “He’s a good man.”

“It hasn’t been an easy decision.” Fiona held Catriona in her arms. The child was also sleeping.

“I miss my Angus with every breath I take, but I ken he’s not coming back.

I need to move on and start living my life again.

Mr. Aiken has promised to love my children as his own, which is what’s most important to me. ”

“I’m so happy you’ve made the decision. Mr. Aiken will work hard for you and the children.”

“I told him I’d marry him in the custom of the country, but he insists we wait for a priest or minister to visit Assiniboia to do the honors.

He doesna want to start our marriage off without it being blessed.

I told him it could be a long time before a clergyman visits, but he said he’ll wait.

And while we wait, he’ll begin to care for us.

” Fiona’s voice caught. “I dinna ken what I did to deserve such a man.”

“You are a wonderful woman, Fiona.” Eleanor reached out and squeezed her friend’s hand. “Don’t ever think less of yourself. You deserve the very best.”

“Thank ye for yer friendship, Eleanor. I dinna ken what I’d do without ye.” Fiona squeezed her hand back. “Do ye think ye’ll stay on at Assiniboia?”

Eleanor and Arran had not spoken extensively about their future. So much depended upon the success or failure of recapturing Fort Douglas. Once that was done, and after Lord Selkirk’s arrival, they would have a better understanding of what the colony needed.

“I would very much like to stay,” Eleanor confided to Fiona. “Though I don’t know how my husband feels.” Ever since the massacre, Arran had seemed intent upon taking Eleanor and Miriam away from the Red River Valley.

“I hope ye stay.” Fiona’s face was hard to see in the pitch-black tent, but Eleanor could almost hear a smile in her voice.

It had been at least two hours since the men had left them.

Eleanor had no way of knowing when Arran might come back for her.

And with each passing moment, her nerves became tauter.

If their enemies knew that fifty defenseless women and children were huddled in the small tents along the banks of the river, they would be like sitting prey, easy to pick off.

The very thought sent a shiver up her spine.

Everything was wet and cold, and it was almost impossible to get comfortable. Eleanor’s muscles ached and she prayed they would not have to remain this way until morning.

“Do ye hear that?” Fiona asked.

Eleanor strained to listen, but she could hear nothing over the sound of the rain hitting the canvas.

“It sounds like someone’s approaching us.”

“I pray to God it’s our men and not the enemy,” Eleanor said, almost to herself.

In a few minutes, Eleanor was able to hear it, too. The sound of men approaching on the river.

Could it be Arran so soon? Her heart picked up its pace and she clutched Miriam closer.

The flap of the tent suddenly opened and Arran stood there. “’Tis done.”

Eleanor closed her eyes briefly, whispering a prayer of thanksgiving.

“Let’s go home, lassies.” Arran offered his hand to Eleanor and helped her off the cot she’d been sitting on. He took Miriam from her.

“Was it very difficult?” she asked him.

“Much easier than I had anticipated.” He escorted her to the canoes, a smile in his voice. “It turns out that having an army at your disposal makes things a lot less difficult.”

“I imagine so.” She also smiled. “Do you think there will be any more trouble now that we have the soldiers?”

“The Nor’westers will rebuild Fort Gibraltar, and they’ll continue to give us trouble, but they won’t have the power to remove the settlers from the colony ever again.”

His words gave her the first measure of relief she’d felt since her arrival in Assiniboia. “Do you think the colony will grow and prosper now?”

“I dinna see why not.” He helped her into the canoe and handed the sleeping Miriam into her hands.

Next, he aided Nicolette and Isla into the canoe, then helped Fiona and her children inside. Soon, all the women and children were in the canoes, making their way to Fort Douglas once again.

“This is the third time I’ve been exiled and returned to the colony,” Isla said, almost to herself. “I’m getting too old for this.”

Eleanor smiled. “Hopefully it will be the last.”

“It better be.” Isla crossed her arms. “I need to get on with my life.”

“Aye,” Arran agreed, reaching through the darkness to take Eleanor’s hand in his own. “’Tis time we all get on with living our lives.”

It took about an hour for the little brigade to reach the base of Fort Douglas. The rain had ceased, but lightning still danced in the eastern sky. Arran helped everyone disembark from the canoes and then he carried Miriam up the riverbank to the gate.

Fiona stood for a minute at the fort gate and took a deep breath. Eleanor said a prayer for her friend that the memories of Fort Douglas would not be too painful for her to continue her healing.

“Isla,” Fiona said to the older woman, “seeing that we’re both widows, I thought ye might like to live with the children and me for the time being.”

Isla’s eyes lit up and she nodded. “I think that will be just fine.”

“The soldiers have set up the tents,” Arran told them. “You can sleep in one for tonight and then in the morning, I’ll help you move into your home in Colony Gardens.”

“Thank you,” Fiona said to Arran. “For everything.”

Arran nodded and he and Eleanor watched as they were directed to one of the tents.

“Now, Mrs. MacLean,” Arran said to Eleanor, “’tis time to take you home.”

Warmth filled Eleanor at the word home .

They entered the governor’s house and Eleanor stood for a moment to take it all in. It was evident that it had been occupied very recently. Coals still smoldered in the fireplace, there was a pair of pants lying on the floor, and there were dirty dishes on the table.

“Nicolette,” Arran said, handing Miriam to the housekeeper, “would you take Miriam upstairs to one of the rooms?”

“What of the mess?” Nicolette asked, taking the sleeping child from him.

“We’ll see to it in the morning.”

Nicolette nodded and then went toward the stairs without a backward glance.

“Don’t you think Miriam should sleep down here with us?” Eleanor asked.

“She’s old enough to be in her own room,” Arran assured her. “And Nicolette will be close at hand, should she need something.”

Eleanor watched Nicolette walk up the stairs, uncertainty in her heart. She’d slept with Miriam ever since the child had been born. There had always been so much unrest, she’d wanted Miriam close if there was trouble in the fort.

“She’ll be fine.” Arran set his musket next to the door and went to the fireplace to stir the coals to life, then he put a few logs on the fire. “She’ll only be upstairs.”

“To you, it’s upstairs. To me, it feels like a hundred miles.”

Arran smiled and walked to Eleanor. He removed her wet shawl and hung it on the hook by the door. “Come,” he said, taking her hand, “warm yourself by the fireplace. Your hands are freezing.”

She went to the fire with him and he took both her hands in his, rubbing them until there was heat in her fingers again.

His eyes were gentle as he watched her.

Eleanor smiled at him, amazed at how much she loved being his wife. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“For what?”

“For taking such good care of all of us.”

“’Tis my pleasure, leannan .” He moved a tendril of hair off her cheek and hooked it behind her ear. “We’ll have much to decide once Lord Selkirk arrives.”

“Like whether or not we’ll stay?” She watched him closely, wanting to know how he truly felt about remaining in Assiniboia.

He dropped his gaze to their hands. “Aye.”

“Do you want to stay?”

“I want to do what’s best for my family.”

Eleanor put her hand on his cheek, forcing him to look at her. “As long as we are together, it matters not where we live. This is our home. These are our people. We belong here.”

“But the hardships—”

“There will be hardships no matter where we live. You and I were not meant for a boring life. We cannot turn our backs on Assiniboia now.”

Arran drew her hands to his lips, hope in his eyes. “Do you really want to stay?”

She nodded. “You have given your heart and soul to this colony. It’s a part of who you are—a part of what I love so much about you. I cannot think of a better way to spend our lives than to do it here.”

He pulled her close and wrapped her in his embrace. “I’ll build you a beautiful house,” he promised, “with a dozen rooms to fill with bairns.”

“Half a dozen should be sufficient,” she said with a laugh.

“Whatever you wish.” He kissed her, slowly at first, and then with a deeper and more intense passion. She was breathless when he was finished.

“I almost forgot.” He left her near the fireplace and walked to the shelf, where he removed a red book. “I found something I thought you might like.”

“My journal.” Her heart started to pound at the sight of her old friend.

Arran handed it to her. “I thought you would be happy to see it again.”

She took it in her hands and pressed it to her chest, already thinking about all the things she would write when she had a chance. “Thank you.”

He stood behind her and pressed a kiss to her neck. “We should get out of these wet clothes before we catch a cold.”

She smiled and allowed him to lead her to bed. The book would have to wait for another time.