To Honor and Cherish (21 page)

“You aren’t the only one with an alias. My name’s not Meghan. Everyone else calls me Meg, but you. I’ve never let anyone call me that until now. It’s never bothered me when you say it though.”

Jax smiled at her. “That’s a pretty big secret, boss-lady.”

“Oh, why do you call me that? It isn’t even true anymore.” She threw a stone into the river. “Meghan I can handle, but not that.”

“Because it bothers you and I like watching your brow get all wrinkled.” He touched his thumb to her forehead.

“When we’re old and grey and those wrinkles are there permanently, I’ll blame you.” She poked him in the ribs.

“Promise? And will you poke at me just like that when you do it?”

“Do you want me to?” She smiled.

“Yes, very much. It means I’ll be right next to you, just like we are right now.”

“I guess it would. Then yes, I suppose I will,” she said, a bit breathless.

He kissed her hand and she blushed. They climbed off the rock and began walking together hand-in-hand toward the village of Koochiching. They made it a little before dark.

“Jax, look. There it is, the village of Koochiching. We can go right to the post office and see if there’s a reply to my message.”

Jax looked at the sky, and his stomach rumbled loudly. Meg sighed, she knew he wouldn’t agree.

“It’s late in the evening. There’s no way the post is open. Let’s go find a place to stay tonight, some dinner that we both need, and tomorrow we can go down and check.”

“I suppose I don’t have much choice?”

“Nope. My boots are heading for the hotel.”

“All right, lead the way, cowboy.”

Meg took Jax’s arm and went to the stage coach station. They were able to get food and lodging there. This one had two rooms in the upper level and Jax and Meg rented one of them. They fell asleep, sore, cold, tired, and fully clothed, Jax’s arm wrapped protectively around Meg. They both slept better than they had in days.

Chapter
Twenty-Three

Meg woke with the sun. She felt refreshed and happy, today she’d make sure Lizzy was all right and send word home to Father. Crawling out of bed quietly she looked down at the still-sleeping man lying there. She was so smitten with him. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this excited about what life could hold. If Jax didn’t want the ranch, and wanted to be somewhere else, she’d follow him anywhere. The ranch didn’t hold the same draw anymore if he wasn’t there with her. She donned her coat and bonnet quickly, excited to see if a note waited at the post office.

“Good morning. What can I do for you Mrs…?” the man asked politely.

“Connor, my name is…Oh, just call me Meg.” She wasn’t really a Mrs. anymore, but there was no other title that fit either. “I sent a telegram a few days ago for a Lizzy Whitte. I was wondering if she received it?”

“Miss ‘Lisabeth doesn’t live here anymore. Fact is, she didn’t live here a’tall,” he explained.

Meg’s face fell. How would she ever find Lizzy now?

The post man saw her face and was quick to explain. “Don’t worry ma’am, she’s across the river at Fort Frances. She’s workin’ for a Dr. or some such. I sent the message over there.”

“Oh, thank you. Is there a ferry across the river?”

“Yes ma’am. But if you’re going, you’d better be going quickly. S’pec a bad blizzard to come in, prolly today, meybe t’night. Could freeze the ferry, then you won’t be able to cross ‘til she’s solid.”

“Thank you.” Meg left the post and directed her steps back to the station to get Jax. They’d have to hurry to beat the weather. She refused to wait another day.

Meg walked one of the two blocks back to the station when she saw Lars. She ducked into an alley to avoid being seen. They must have ridden all night on that trail to make it here so quickly. She hadn’t been seen but the alley was a dead end, totally walled off. No street behind or exit. She was trapped. If Jax came out to look for her he’d be caught, too.

She mentally kicked herself for not waiting. Now she’d gotten them in a predicament. Meg peeked around the corner trying to avoid being seen. Another woman came closer to the alley and Meg popped out to walk alongside her, using her as moving cover.

“Good morning. Which way is the ferry?” Meg asked in her most friendly voice.

The lady looked at her with a strange expression and started talking loudly in a foreign language. Meg had never heard anything like it. The woman waved her arms and then started yelling and backing away from Meg as if something was wrong with her.

Meg made it to the station the moment others on the street noticed the exchange. She ducked inside before anyone could get a good look at her. She knew she had precious few minutes before Lars would come walking through that door.

She grabbed her skirts and ran up the stairs two at a time. Forget ladylike, they had to get out of there. She ran into the room as Jax folded up the bedrolls.

“I thought you’d left me.” His eyes were sullen and his voice sharp.

“I don’t have time to explain. Lars and his men are right outside,” she hissed.

Jax got over his pique quickly, putting on his gun belt. He handed her one bag and her gun then put his bag on his shoulder. He grabbed her hand and they rushed back down the stairs. Looking up and down the street, sure enough, Meg pointed at the four remaining riders of Lars’s little group. They were talking and pointing at the station. Meg and Jax were trapped, yet again.

Meg began to understand what Jax’s life had been like before coming to the ranch and why it had been as much of a refuge to him as it was to her. Being chased constantly was stressful and scary. She just wanted Lars and his pack to go away.

Meg looked around for another exit, but didn’t see anything. Jax went to ask the station manager what could be done, and if there were another way out.

“Sure!” he boomed. “My men take special way to get horses when is very cold, eh? The tunnel, it go to the dock, too. Is back here, where no one go.” His accent was European, but she didn’t know from where. He opened a door to what looked like it should’ve been a small storage area, but was actually a narrow shoot with a ladder down into a dark cave under the building. He handed Jax a lantern and bid them good luck.

Jax climbed down first, then Meg followed. He grabbed her waist when she’d reached about half-way down and lifted her the rest of the way. They made their way along the dug-out path under the street. Meg thought it should’ve been cold down there, but it felt cool and damp.

“I hope we didn’t, oh.” her voice echoed and was louder than expected. Jax put a finger to his lips. She hadn’t realized how loud her voice would sound in the tunnel.

Without any sights or sounds to help them determine how far they’d gone, it seemed like it took an excruciatingly long time to get to the ferry landing. They came to the end of the cave. A wooden ladder hid in the shadows. Meg could only hope Lars wouldn’t figure out the ferry was their destination. Hopefully, the station master would help delay him.

They climbed up the rickety ladder into a stable next to the landing. The ferry was filling quickly with goods and people before the storm. Boarding the ferry, they hid behind other passengers. Soon, it shoved off and they were headed for Canada.

“Do you think Lars will find us?” Meg looked up at Jax, worry lining her face. She pulled herself as close to Jax as she could, hiding from the world in his steady, solid frame.

“Try not to worry Meghan.” He touched the lines on her forehead.

“I thought you liked those lines?” she asked, shifting her body back enough to look him in the face.

“The ones I put there are different. These make me want to—.”

“Shh, don’t.” Meg touched his lips with the tips of her fingers. She didn’t want anger right now.

Jax took the hand from his mouth and held them close to his chest. “We’ll only be here for a day or two. Hopefully, he’ll be busy focusing on Koochiching and we’ll be able to slide back through without notice.”

“And how long have you gone in the past before he finds you again?”

“Sometimes months, sometimes right away. He probably doesn’t have friends here, so that’s why I’m hoping he’ll be held up across the river.”

“I hope you’re right. Oh, thank Heavens. There’s the bank. It’s so cold.” She shivered.

They disembarked and Meg asked a local man where to find the doctor. She was pointed a few blocks down. Excited, she picked up her skirts and ran. Meg opened the door with a flourish, only to be shushed by a waiting older nurse.

“People are sick here.” The nurse scolded.

“I’m ever so sorry. It’s just that I’m looking for my younger sister, Lizzy Whitte. I was told she may be here. Have you seen her?”

“I daresay I have. Elizabeth is working right now in the infirmary. She’ll be able to see you later this afternoon.”

Chapter
Twenty-Four

Meg and Jax got settled at a nearby hotel. They took the few hours they had, while Lizzy finished her day at work, to clean themselves up after the long trip. The hotel even offered bath service. She took the opportunity to soak away the trail. The nickel charge was worth every penny.

Meg was excited yet hesitant to finally see her sister.
Will Lizzy even want to see me? Why is she working in an infirmary? What has happened to my sister? Why had that nurse called her Elizabeth? Why didn’t she come home?
Meg couldn’t keep her troubled thoughts from tumbling around in her head. The infirmary was the last place Meg would’ve ever expected Lizzy to be.

Meg met Jax that evening and they walked back to the infirmary to see Lizzy.

“I hope she’s okay. It’s been such a long time since she left.” Meg took the arm Jax offered.

“Prepare yourself, Meghan. She may not be glad to see you. She may not even want to come back with us. We assumed her reason for leaving. Let’s listen to what she has to say and go from there.”

“I know.” She hung her head thinking of all of the anger between them all these years.

Jax took her hand and held it as they came to the infirmary. They walked through the doors and there stood long lost Lizzy. She was as beautiful as always, but different. Meg ran up to her sister and hugged her close. Lizzy had aged five years in the month she’d been gone. The twenty year old now looked her age, instead of like a child. She acted mature and graceful. The look of disdain she’d always carried was gone. She was perfectly coiffed and immaculately dressed, but more calm and elegant than Meg had ever seen her.

“Meg, I was so surprised when I got your message. It’s so good to see you. How in the world did you find me here?” Elizabeth asked, giving Meg more enthusiasm and interest than she ever had before.

“That’s a long story. Perfect to share over dinner, shall we?” Meg asked.

“I…was waiting for someone. I didn’t know you’d be here today and...” Elizabeth looked perplexed, she picked at the edge of her embroidered kerchief.

“Where were you going to go?” asked Jax.

“The hotel is where we usually eat.” Elizabeth replied.

“Perfect!” Meg said. “Leave word you’ll meet her there and she can join us.”

“He. It was a man I was meeting. I’ll just leave him a note to join us, excuse me.” Elizabeth looked concerned, but only for a moment, then popped over to the desk nurse to leave a note. She rejoined Meg and Jax for the walk to the hotel dining room.

They chatted casually about the weather as they walked, Meg noticed they all looked as uncomfortable as she felt. Jax walked between the two women, one on each arm.

“Jax, I’m not surprised to see you still won’t let Meg out of your sight. I should’ve known better.” She looked to her feet and cleared her throat. “I’m sorry for being so forward with you.” Elizabeth blushed. Meg was shocked, she didn’t think she’d ever seen her sister do that before.

“Am I the only one who didn’t see Jax’s attention?” Meg blushed as well and looked at him.

“Yes.” Elizabeth laughed. “And I was so full of myself I was sure I could steal him right away from you. I’m sorry Meg. You’ve always been kind to me and I didn’t deserve it.”

Meg didn’t know what to say. Her sister had matured so much. It made her feel guilty because she hadn’t always been kind to Lizzy. She worried what had happened to her to make this change happen. They arrived at the hotel dining room and Jax directed them to a quiet table in the corner of the room. It would be good for catching up and planning the trip home.

“Lizzy, how soon can you be ready to go? There’s a blizzard coming in the next day or so. We’d hoped to be on our way before it comes,” Meg asked.

“Meg.” Elizabeth grabbed Meg’s hand and squeezed it. “I’m not going with you.”

“What do you mean you aren’t going with us? You can’t just stay here alone. There’s no one here to watch out for you. You have no chaperone, no family, no one.” She couldn’t fathom why Lizzy would want to stay.

Jax touched Meg’s shoulder. He looked at her and somehow she knew his thoughts. She was reminded of their quick talk on the way over. Meg needed to give her sister a chance to explain.

“I’m sorry.” Meg looked down at the table. “Go ahead.”

“I am staying here for the same reason you want to stay on the ranch. I love my work here with the doctor. He is kind and has helped me learn a lot even in the short time I’ve been here. The training I am receiving would also help me later if I partner with Robert…” Elizabeth stopped and the table waited for her to finish.

“Who is Robert?” Meg asked when Elizabeth didn’t continue. Jax took her hand, he must have sensed her tense up next to him.

“Robert is with the Royal Northwest Mounted Police. We met each other on the train here and I traveled with him the entire way. He also helped me find the position with the doctor and lodging when I had none.”

“Is Robert the man you came so far away to marry?” An anger coursed through Meg like a fire.

Elizabeth laughed, Meg was taken aback again at her laugh. It was real now, and truly as beautiful as she. Meg had always thought Lizzy was beautiful and this newfound maturity only added to it. But for the first time, Meg wasn’t jealous of her sister. She knew Jax only had eyes for her and he was the one that mattered.

“Yes, and no.” She smiled down at the table as if she had a lovely secret she wasn’t ready to share. “I’ve been going to church as long as you have, Meg, but I never took it to heart like you did. I was too cynical and mean to ever believe anyone or anything was more important than my needs, or mother’s. Now I know I was directed to come up here. Not for the husband I met for a day, but for the companion that is Robert. He’s the man I think I was made to be with. I only hope he’ll want to come back to Kansas with me at some point.”

“Lizzy…” Meg tried to say more.

“Elizabeth, please, Robert has always thought the name Elizabeth fit me better. So I decided, with a new life, a new home…a new name was in order. The old Lizzy that hated and used everyone is gone. Or rather, only comes out when I need her to.” Elizabeth laughed, blushing a pretty pink.

“What am I going to tell father?” Meg asked.

“He will understand, I know he will. You’re all welcome to visit me whenever you want and we can exchange letters.” Elizabeth paused. “So when are you two going to make it legal?”

Jax finally spoke up. “I haven’t even courted her yet.”

Elizabeth giggled behind her hand. “To anyone who was paying attention you did. I was only out there twice and I saw it.

Elizabeth’s face turned somber and she lowered her voice, leaning in. “I’m speaking in all seriousness. I think you both should wait a few days before traveling home. The doctor has warned me about these snowstorms. Even the ones we know are coming. People never seem to do the smart thing and just stay indoors. They decide they need to go do something outside and then they get caught out in it. Please don’t head out thinking you will beat it. You won’t. Stay here and spend Christmas with me. It might be the last one I spend with you in a long time.”

“But we could be stranded here.” Meg looked to Jax for support.

“Oh, how terrible. You’d be stuck with me.” Elizabeth’s mouth turned down in a mock frown. “I was thinking about the possibility of you staying for a while. The doctor also happens to be the Fort’s Reverend. He would be happy to marry you. A Christmas wedding would be perfect.”

“Two days,” Jax and Meg said at the same time, eyes wide.

“It would be lovely. A story to tell your children someday.”

Meg’s lovely reunion slammed to a halt. Children. She couldn’t have them, or it seemed quite possible she couldn’t. Jax might not want to marry her at all if he couldn’t have an heir. It had been so important to her father that his daughters have one he’d put it in writing and made it a condition to ownership of his property. Meg’s mood plummeted, she felt broken and insufficient. She didn’t want to be at this table any more. She wanted to be far away.

“I’m sorry Lizz… I mean, Elizabeth. That just won’t work. Jax is right. We’ve barely even realized we have feelings for each other. It simply isn’t possible.”

The silence surrounded them like wolves. Meg wanted desperately to change the subject or just leave but she couldn’t think of a single thing to talk about and it would be rude to just walk away.

“Why not?” Jax asked her after waiting for her to speak further, squeezing the hand he still held. “Your father likes me. He wouldn’t disapprove. Elisabeth is right. We’ve gotten to know each other for the whole trip here for sure, and for a long time before that. Let’s do this. I want to do this,” he pleaded.

“I don’t see why you’re suddenly in such a hurry. We should wait, make sure this is the right thing to do. You might not be so excited to marry me if you knew more about me.” Meg looked back and forth. She felt cornered and nervous, like a mouse trapped by a cat. She wouldn’t look him in the eye.

“Why do we need to wait? We’re both adults, and not getting any younger, I might add.” He laughed, but stifled it at Meg’s murderous look.

Meg’s thoughts frothed like the ocean. She could not take another minute of this conversation. Getting up from the table, she needed a few minutes of fresh air. She felt hot and she couldn’t breathe. Life had always been within her control and lately nothing ever was. Without another word, she stood and hurried outside, not even grabbing her coat. She needed to go out for a minute and cool her thoughts, so she shouldn’t need it.

Meg ran out the front door and looked up and down the streets. She couldn’t see anyone, but the wind rushed in her face and stole her breath. The frosty air bit her lungs. The sky was overcast and the street seemed dark and ominous. She wrapped her arms around herself, deciding her room might have been a better choice.

Something behind her made a swift rustling noise. She felt a moment of panic before someone put their hand over her mouth and grabbed her around the waist. She kicked and thrashed but the person’s strength overwhelmed her. He took her into a nearby building where her hands were tied behind her back and a cloth was tied over her eyes, another was put in her mouth. The room was bitter cold.