“I understand completely.At least we married, and we can understand where each other is coming from.”
“I wasn’t expecting you to be so pretty,” James said, staring off into the distance.“Belle told me you had red hair and you were of Irish descent, but she never mentioned that you were a sight to behold.”
Maggie blushed, looking down at her hands.“I don’t consider myself pretty.You should have seen my mother.I still think she was the most beautiful woman in all of New England.”
“Sounds like the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” he said.He looked at her, noting that she was feeling shy.“May I kiss you?A real kiss?”
Maggie looked up at him for a moment, both embarrassed and excited at the prospect of a real kiss from him.She had been very disappointed with the kiss on her cheek after their wedding, and she didn’t even know why!“Yes, of course.You’re my husband.”
He frowned.“I want you to agree for me to kiss you because you want to be kissed, and not because it’s your duty.Maybe tomorrow.”
She could sense his disappointment and shook her head.“I want you to kiss me.I...I was a little upset that you only kissed my cheek after the wedding.”
“Really?”he asked.
At her nod, he leaned close and brushed his lips quickly across hers.When she leaned toward him, he deepened the kiss, his hands stroking up and down her sides.The passion between them was instant and intense.
When he finally broke away, he looked into her eyes.“You make me feel so much more than I imagined.”
“I do?”she asked, a bit startled.She was just plain Maggie, not someone special.
“You do.”He rubbed his hand over his face and into his hair.“I don’t want our wedding night to be on the ground, but...I want our wedding night.”He sighed.“I’ll give you a few days to adjust to the journey and all the walking, but then I think...if you’re willing...”
“Let’s see how we feel in those few days,” she said softly.She was willing right then and there, but more out of a sense of duty.She had a feeling she would want more from him if she gave it a little time.
“That sounds good.But I can tell you now, I won’t be keeping my lips off you.”
She laughed softly.“I wouldn’t ask you to.”
He put the fire out and stood.“It’s time to sleep.We want to be walking as soon as the sun rises tomorrow.We have a long way to go, and not much time to get there.”
“Breakfast?”she asked.
He shook his head.“More jerky and hard tack.There’ll be time to cook when we get to Yeti.You haven’t experienced an Alaskan winter yet.We need to beat the first storm.The first frost would be better, but that will be pushing it.I’m sorry that we have to move so quickly.We should have had you wait to come until after the first thaw, but...I didn’t want to spend another winter alone.”
“Don’t worry about me.Remember, I’m used to working a lot of hours on my feet every week.I’ll be fine.I won’t like it, but I can do it without complaint.”
“I would appreciate that,” he said, grinning at her.“I brought enough blankets for us each to have two.We’ll be going to higher altitudes, and we’ll need extra.Hopefully by the time it gets really cold, you won’t mind sharing with me.”
She smiled.“I’d share with you tonight.”
“That sounds good to me.”They moved into the makeshift tent and snuggled down together with two blankets covering them.They both slept fully clothed, as it seemed to make the most sense since they were sleeping in the wilderness.
True to his word, James woke Maggie before dawn the following morning.They ate a quick breakfast of hardtack and jerky and were on their way.She could tell he was walking slower than he usually would to suit her, and she said, “We can walk faster than this.”
“Are you certain?”he asked.
She nodded.“Yes, I’ll be fine.”
He picked up the pace, and she easily matched his.“Tell me about what happened after your parents died.”
Knowing he’d had a similar experience made it much easier to talk about.“My father died before I was born.Mother died when I was seven.I went to an orphanage after that, and I lived there until I turned sixteen and I was old enough to leave.”She shrugged.“
It wasn’t the kind of home I’d had as a small child, but at least I wasn’t totally alone.The matron helped me get the job as a waitress when it was time for me to leave, and I’ve worked at the same hotel since.”
“I’m glad you didn’t mind leaving your job to marry me.”
She bit her lip for a moment, wondering how to respond to that.“The day before I went to see Elizabeth Tandy, I spilled a tray full of food on a regular customer of the hotel.I was fired that day.I’m not sure I would have been able to work up the courage to see Mrs.Tandy otherwise.”
