Recalling the words his friend said, he did what would come naturally to a man holding his wife in the snow. He pulled her down and kissed her.

  Chapter 9

  Michael stopped by a few days later to let them know the judge would be in town by the end of the week. Michael secured an appointment for Hilde and Ben to appear in front of the judge, so Hilde could get the certification she needed to send back to Philadelphia.

  Hilde was grateful that soon all this would be behind her and she could resume her old life.

  She thanked Michael, but after seeing the way he and Natalie stared each other she asked him to stay for dinner. And then there was Ben. He had a staring problem as well. And she seemed to be his target.

  After the kiss they shared… no, the kiss Ben stole, she found she couldn’t get him off her mind. She watched him play with his daughters. He listened patiently as Anna practiced her reading out loud.

  She watched as he had afternoon tea with Ella and one of her dolls. She saw him being extremely nice to his in-laws and they were getting frustrated because there wasn’t any fault they could see in his behavior. She watched as he was a gracious host to her and Natalie.

  She wondered if he would kiss her again.

  As much as she was enjoying her time at Sulphur Springs, she didn’t want to forget she had a responsibility to the theater group. She needed to get to San Francisco before the holiday. Christmas was only two weeks away.

  She knew she could leave later as it was only a three-day train ride to San Francisco. If she was honest with herself, she simply didn’t want to admit that two little girls and their father were creeping their way into her heart.

  Benjamin was definitely different than the men in New York. That is probably why she found him so appealing. The men in New York put on airs and tried to outdo each other with their stories of importance. Ben… just was. He was authentic and that was definitely refreshing.

  She was sitting at the table reading one of the magazines Autumn had left. She made a practice of not reading the theater magazines because she didn’t want to read the critics tearing her performances apart.

  She had just flipped to the article about her move to join the theater in California. It was a nice article, outlining all of her accomplishments in New York. It was the last line that caught her attention. Miss Jenny Swanson will be performing as the understudy to Miss Cartier.

  Hilde admired the young actress that had been an understudy for previous roles that Hilde performed. Jenny was a talented actress and would definitely earn a leading role in the near future. Hilde was glad to have someone she admired working with her on Macbeth.

  “Hilde,” Anna said, walking into the dining room. “Will you play with me and Ella?”

  Hilde put the magazine aside. “What would you like to play?”

  “Will you play with my doll?” Ella asked, shoving a doll with a porcelain head into Hilde’s arms. The doll had fine cracks all over it. Hilde was surprised it wasn’t broken, as worn as it appeared.

  “I don’t think we should play with your dolly,” Hilde said, laying the doll gently on the table. “Is there anything else you might like to do?”

  “Can we play dress up?” Anna asked.

  Hilde gave her a big grin and tapped her nose. “That I most definitely know how to do. Let’s go to my room because I have a big trunk full of dress up clothes.”

  Ella gave a squeal and grabbed Hilde’s hand to drag her from the room. She ran straight into her grandmother’s legs as she raced down the hall.

  “What are you girls doing?” Mayam asked.

  “We are going to play dress up with Hilde.”

  Mayam raised her eyebrow. “You are?”

  “Would you like to join us?” Hilde asked.

  “I shouldn’t…” the older lady started to say.

  “Why ever not? I have a whole trunk filled with costumes and play jewelry. These are your grandchildren. You should play with them.” Hilde grabbed Mayam’s hand and allowed Ella to pull both of them down the hall.

  When they got into Hilde’s room, she moved things around until she found the dark chest at the back of the room. She lifted the lid and Anna oooohed as she saw Hilde lift costume after costume from the trunk.

  “This was my dress when I played Juliet,” Hilde said, pulling a blue silk dress from the trunk. She held it out to Anna. “Would you like to wear it?” The young girl nodded and took the dress with both hands.

  “This was my Queen Victoria costume.” She handed the costume to Mayam. “Why don’t you try that on?”

  “I really couldn’t.”

  Hilde raised her eyebrow and pointed to the dressing curtain at the side of the room. “I’ll help you get it fastened.” Mayam took the dress and slipped behind the dressing curtain.

  “What about me?” Ella asked.

  “I have something special for you.” Hilde took out a green costume with fabric leaves sewn all over it. “This is a special costume.”

  “Who is it?” Anna asked.

  “The character is called Puck. He was a fairy-like creature who narrated A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” She lifted the costume above Ella. “Let’s see if this fits you.”

  She helped Ella into the costume and then turned around to see Anna had already put on the Juliet costume. “You look absolutely beautiful, Anna.” The girl looked older than her ten years.

  “Who is Juliet?” Anna asked, twirling around in the dress. Hilde handed her a pair of matching slippers.

  “Juliet was deeply in love with a boy named Romeo. But their families didn’t want them to be together.”

  “Why not?”

  “Well, Anna, the two families were fighting so their families could never be joined together. But Romeo saw Juliet at a party and he instantly fell in love with her.”

  “Like you and Papa.”

  Hilde blushed. “So, they marry in secret,” she continued, ignoring the girl’s question. “The families don’t know anything about the marriage. When Juliet finds out that her parents want her to marry someone else, she is very sad.”

  “What did she do?” asked Ella.

  “She pretended to die so she didn’t have to marry this other person. But her husband came and found her. He didn’t realize she was actually asleep. So, he ended up poisoning himself.”

  Anna gasped. “That’s terrible.”

  “Yes, it was,” Mayam replied coming out from behind the dressing screen. “And when Juliet finds out that her husband is dead, she decides that she needs to join him.”

  “Well I don’t like that,” Anna responded.

  “How would you like the story to end?”

  “Well my mama died. I think Papa shouldn’t join Mama. He is needed here.”

  Hilde pulled the little girl close. “You are absolutely right.”

  Abruptly, a squeal was heard at the door. “Are you playing dress up?” Natalie raced into the room and pulled out Hilde’s train case filled with stage makeup. “If you are going to do it, you need to make sure you completely look the part.”

  That is how Ben found them several hours later. Anna had put makeup on her grandmother and Ella attempted to put it on herself. The only one that looked normal was Anna, because Natalie decorated her face.

  Mayam was sitting on the floor surround by her grandchildren and they were acting out the plays Hilde performed with dolls.

  Hilde caught Ben staring at her and she felt the nerves rising up in her belly. But instead of being unwanted, they took on a warm glow that spread throughout the rest of her body.

  Maybe the family was starting to heal.

  “What do you mean I need to remain here for a year?” Hilde looked in disbelief at the judge behind the bench.

  “Mrs. Remington,” the judge said pointing his gavel at her. “The will is clear in its meaning. The couple must be married for at least a year and live as man and wife. I know you are married and expected to perhaps live apart so you could continue your career, but I think that would be a mistake.”

  Hilde and Ben were finally standing in front of the judge who could certify their marriage. She wasn’t expecting that the judge would make her remain in Sulphur Springs for a full year.

  “But I need to be in San Francisco. Macbeth is opening soon and I’m playing the part of Lady Macbeth.”

  “I’m sorry, Mrs. Remington. But you are a wife and a mother now. And frankly, I’m not sure that I like this proxy marriage. A husband and wife should be together. Marriage is not an institution to take lightly.”

  Hilde turned to Ben. “What am I supposed to do? The stage has been my whole life.”

  “You could send a message to the theater letting them know what occurred and see if your understudy can perform until you get there,” Ben said taking her hand. “Or you can stay here with me and the children and start a new life.”

  “What about your in-laws?”

  “There is plenty of room in the hotel. I think it is good for the girls to get to know their grandparents.”

  “I understand your concern,” the judge interrupted. “But there is nothing saying that you can’t open a theater here. In fact, this area could do with some culture.”

  Hilde wiped a tear from her eye. She hadn’t thought about opening a theater of her own. But it did have merit. She would definitely have to think about that.

  The judge scribbled on the papers in front of him and handed them to Hilde. “I expect you to either appear before me in a year, or else return to Philadelphia and stand before the judge there.”

  “Philadelphia,” Hilde squeaked.

  The judge nodded. “You really should go there because that is where the case was filed. That is all. I will send my certification to your attorney and the judge today.”

  Hilde and Ben walked out of the courtroom. “I can’t believe that just happened,” Hilde said.

  “That you need to remain here?” Hilde nodded. “Would it really be that terrible?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Staying with us. Of course, Natalie can stay as well. I know you look out for her.”

  “Why would you do that?”

  “Because I am falling in love with you. And I would like to see if we can make this marriage really work.”

  “Really?” she asked, wiping another tear from her eye. Ben nodded.

  “I guess if I need to stay here for a year we might as well see if we can make it work. I’ll need to send a telegram to Mr. Turner and the playhouse.”

  “You can do that at the mercantile.” Ben took her arm and led her out the door.

  “Oh, and Benjamin?” Hilde paused as she looked at him. “I am falling in love with you too.”

  Ben gave her a smile that made her knees week before he leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. “Let’s go home, wife. We have our family waiting.”

  Chapter 10

  One year later, Philadelphia

  Hilde watched Anna and Ella sit at the table with the judge and answer the questions he was posing to them.

  She was so proud as they told the judge about the theatre that was being built in town and how Hilde and the children would act out the stories, she would read them each evening. They even mentioned that Nan Helen and Nana Mayam lived with them now.

  “She’s our momma,” Anna said to the man behind the bench. Ella nodded.

  “She braids our hair and makes sure we wash our face and hands,” Ella chimed in.

  “Is there anything she does that you don’t like?” the judge asked.

  Anna thought for a moment and shook her head. Ella wrinkled up her nose. “She makes us eat our vegetables.”

  The judge looked at the children, a soft look coming over his face as he let out a laugh. “My mother made me eat my vegetables too. That is how you grow big and strong.” The judge then looked to Hilde sitting behind the table.

  Hilde felt Ben take her hand and squeeze her fingers before bringing them to his lips for a kiss. “I love you, Mrs. Remington,” he whispered.

  “I love you right back,” she whispered.

  It was hard to believe that it had been a year since the proxy marriage occurred. Her life had changed so much since then.

  The hotel was in the capable hands of John and Mayam Evans while they travelled to Philadelphia. And although they weren’t her parents, Hilde had come to love them dearly and was so thankful that they stayed in Sulphur Springs.

  Mayam and Helen became very close friends, and the girls had access to two nanas that they loved very much. Even Ben and Mayam put aside differences when they each realized that the other only wanted the best of everything for the girls. The case in Boston was dismissed and Ben invited his in-laws to live permanently at the hotel.

  Natalie married Michael Somers and moved into his house in town. She thought the young couple might be expanding their family soon as Natalie hadn’t been feeling well lately.

  Hilde placed a protective hand over her belly. She was fortunate that she didn’t have the sickness that came with motherhood. She had received confirmation of the life growing inside her earlier that morning when she stopped by to see her physician.

  Doc gave her a hug and said he would get her medical cards together for her to take back to Montana. She would tell Ben after they found out about the judge’s ruling.

  Anna and Ella walked from the table to where Ben and Hilde were sitting. Ella sat on Hilde’s lap, and curled herself up. She was still a little girl at five years old. Anna sat on her father’s lap and draped her arm around his shoulder.

  The judge returned to the bench. “Mrs. Remington, I congratulate you on your marriage You have a fine family.” He shuffled the papers in front of him and scribbled on one of them. “I’m ordering that everything is the way it should be, and Mrs. Remington has met all the conditions of the estate. The importing company is hers to do with as she wishes.”

  A yell came out from the crowd behind them. “It’s not fair, I tell you!” her uncle yelled. The judge made a motion and one of the guards escorted Julian from the courtroom.

  “Thank you, your honor,” Ben said.

  They had one more night in Philadelphia before they could return home. Hilde and Ben needed to go to Mr. Turner’s office and sign the papers that would complete the sale of the Carter Import Company to Mr. Givens. He was the man who had been overseeing operations for the past year.

  Mr. Givens was devoted to the company and the employees and had even improved working conditions for everyone. Hilde felt confident that everyone would be overjoyed to hear that Mr. Givens had permanent control and her uncle no longer had a place.

  The judge left the courtroom and Ben stood, placing Anna on her feet. He held his arm out to Hilde. “Ready to go, my love?”

  Hilde nodded and slipped her hand into her husband’s. She stood, leaving Ella on her hip, the girl’s arms around her neck. “I can’t believe it is all over,” she said as they walked down the steps of the courthouse to the street.

  “It has been a long time coming, Hilde. Just think, we’ll be back in Montana soon, just in time for winter and the hot springs again.”

  Hilde watched Anna skip ahead. Ella insisted on being put down and raced after her sister.

  “About that, Ben,” Hilde said. Ben’s face displayed panic as he looked at her. “I don’t think we should open the hotel again this year.”

  “But it is our livelihood,” he protested.

  “Once we sell the company, we will have enough to carry us for quite a while.”

  “But all those rooms.”

  “There is another hotel in town. Perhaps you just shuttle people back and forth from that?”

  Ben tilted his head. Hilde knew her suggestion had merit. “That could work.” Ben pulled her closer, threading her arm with his. “And what would you want to do with all that extra space?”

  “I’m going to take a lesson from your grandpa,” Hilde smiled. “We are going to fill it with children.”

  Ben looked at her, but when she placed her hand on her belly, he let out a whoop that Hilde thought could be heard all the way to Broadway. He picked her up and swung her around before putting her on the sidewalk and placing a hard kiss against her lips.

  “Momma!” Anna called, waving Hilde to come to the newsstand on the corner. Hilde gave Ben one more peck and went to see what her daughter was so excited about. “Look, Momma,” Anna said pointing to a magazine.

  Hilde looked. It was a copy of the latest issue of The Theater Magazine. There on the cover was her understudy who took the starring role when she didn’t arrive in San Francisco as planned. Miss Jenny Swanson makes her debut in Pygmalion. Hilde smiled. She was happy to see a brand-new actress rising in the ranks.

  “We’ll have to get that for Autumn,” Hilde said. Ben held out a coin to the newsboy and picked up a copy, folding it under his arm.

  Although it was bittersweet, Hilde thought, that she wouldn’t be performing on the large stages anymore, she realized that she had the role of a lifetime standing right next to her.

  “Come on, Remington Family,” she said, grabbing Anna’s hand. “Let’s go home.”

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