Dear readers, this is my fourth story with Jack and Elizabeth. As always, you don't need to have read the other Vignettes to enjoy this one, but there is a little carry-over. Enjoy!
Vignette Four – Gypsy Woes
Chapter 1
Elizabeth finished her eggs and looked out the Café window as the fog began to lift from the low valley. It had been a chilly night, but it looked like she was going to get a sunny spring day.
After the long winter, it wasn't just her students who were getting restless. Elizabeth found herself eagerly looking forward to the upcoming spring break from teaching. It can't come soon enough, she thought.
"Daydreaming again?" Abigail asked as she walked by Elizabeth's table.
"Oh, I didn't realize it was so late. I better hurry. I want to make sure I have a glass of vodka when I get to school", Elizabeth said as she put down her cup of tea and hurriedly put on her coat.
"I'll see you later, Abigail. Thanks for breakfast", Elizabeth added, oblivious to the glances some Café customers were now giving her.
As Elizabeth raced out the door, Abigail shook her head and raised her eyebrows. Elizabeth was certainly the most unique teacher she had ever met.
After school let out for the afternoon, Elizabeth went straight to the jail.
"Jack, I want to file a complaint", she said in a frustrated voice. "Someone drank my vodka again!"
Jack smiled as he looked up from his desk. "That's the fifth time, Elizabeth. Maybe you should try a different science experiment. One that doesn't involve leaving a glass of vodka outside on the school window ledge at night."
"Jack, I need vodka! "
Jack chuckled. "I wouldn't say that so loudly. We don't want to get the townspeople talking."
"I'm serious, Jack. It won't be enough just to have a glass of water and a glass of salt water. I wanted to have three liquids with different freezing points."
"I know, Elizabeth. But you have to realize that you're tempting some logger by leaving it out there night after night."
"Well, it won't be cold enough much longer at night so I now have to come up with a different science experiment," she said with exasperation.
"I don't know why anyone would want to drink vodka anyway", she muttered.
Jack smiled at her innocence. He knew plenty of men who would love a glass of vodka after a long day.
"How about I buy you a root beer over at the saloon? I want to talk to you about something anyway. Just give me five minutes to finish up this paperwork."
As Jack finished his work, Elizabeth wandered aimlessly around the jail. She smiled when she saw the sketch which Jack had drawn of the two of them, almost identical to the one he had given to her. She gently ran a finger along the penciled lines of his handsome face.
She looked from the drawing to the real version of him sitting at his desk, intently filling out his paperwork. Sometimes she felt like pinching herself just to make sure it wasn't just a dream; he was really hers.
She picked up his sketchpad and flipped through it. She loved looking through his sketches, seeing his landscapes, the buildings in the town, and of course, his drawings of her. A few of the drawings were of the two of them, but most were of just her.
As she put the sketchpad down, Elizabeth fingered the quilt on Jack's cot. Hmm, she found herself blushing at the thought of him lying there at night.
"I'll just be another minute" Jack said, interrupting her from her daydreams.
"I'm fine. Take your time." Elizabeth said quickly moving away from his sleeping area before her mind strayed too far into topics that weren't appropriate for an unmarried lady.
Staring at the Wanted posters on the bulletin board, she realized that Jack was just as good, if not, better than the artist who made those.
Why the artist has made that man have such tiny beady eyes. If Jack ever drew me with those eyes, I'd give him back his engagement ring! , she thought to herself.
"All finished. You're not thinking of ending our engagement to court one of these men, are you?"Jack teased as he came up behind her and put his arms around her waist.
"Goodness, no. That man with the mole has beady eyes. I prefer a fiancé with dimples", she teased as she turned around for a kiss.
"I was hoping the fact that they are dangerous criminals would also be a deterrent", Jack said amusingly as he raised his eyebrows at her.
"Oh, they don't look so dangerous. I could handle them. After all, I've handled Mr. Spurlock and the Tolliver gang, " she said, feeling very proud of herself.
"I believe I rescued you on both occasions", Jack reminded her.
"If you hadn't arrived when you did, I would have handled it just fine", Elizabeth retorted.
"How? By giving them a classroom lecture and boring them to sleep?"
"Jack Thornton!", she exclaimed with her hands on her hips.
"Come on, Mountie Elizabeth, let's get you that root beer."
Over drinks, Jack explained that he was applying for an intensive Mountie course. It would be five weeks of advanced training, with time spent in Hamilton, Cape Fullerton, and also wilderness portions of Ontario. If he were accepted and did well in the course, it would mean almost certain advancement and promotion.
"Jack, that sounds fantastic. Spring break will be here soon and I can go to Hamilton with you," Elizabeth clapped her hands in joy.
Jack looked at her with apprehension. He wasn't looking forward to her spending time with her family. If it weren't for the training, he would hate the idea of a trip to Hamilton. Before he could say anything, Elizabeth recognized his look.
"Don't worry, Jack. I'm sure my family will be on their best behavior. I promise!"
"It's okay, Elizabeth. Actually, I won't be able to see much of you or them. This course is pretty intensive. I'm not sure I'll even be accepted. It's pretty competitive just to get admitted."
Two weeks later, Elizabeth stopped by the jail to visit Jack before dinner. Seeing him busy working at his desk, she playfully grabbed his paperwork and demanded some attention.
Jack chased her around the room, finally catching her in one of the jail cell, where he grabbed her by the waist, pulling her to his body. Her giggles stopped and she caught her breath when she saw the look of desire on his face. Without a word, his mouth parted hers. His hands roamed along her back, loosening her blouse. Elizabeth eagerly returned his kisses; she dropped the papers to the floor, and ran her fingers through his short hair, keeping him close.
As Jack's mouth moved on her body, she leaned against the cell bars. Tilting her head back, she exposed her neck to his kisses. When his lips lightly touched the soft white space between her breasts left uncovered by the V neck of her blouse, she sighed in pleasure.
He smiled at her response, and reclaimed her lips with his.
"We've got to stop", she said, breathing heavily.
"We will, in a few minutes", Jack murmured as he continued his kisses. His hands moved along her hips pressing her to him. His mouth was warm and inviting.
Elizabeth found herself wrapping one of her legs against Jack's. Her hands untucked his shirt, and her fingers roamed up this back.
Her heart was pounding so hard, Elizabeth could swear it sounded like heavy footsteps on a wooden floor.
"AHEM, I'll just leave this telegram for you on your desk, Constable", Mr. Yost said quickly as he moved towards the desk.
They jumped apart at the sound of the voice. Oh my goodness, those were footsteps I heard!
Keeping her back towards Mr. Yost, a flustered Elizabeth fixed her clothes. Jack shoved his own shirt into his pants and ran a hand through his disheveled hair as he left the cell and walked towards his desk.
"Thank you, Ned", he managed to say in calm professional voice.
Ned Yost looked embarrassed to have once again caught the couple in an intimate embrace. He quickly placed the telegram on the desk and excused himself.
"Sorry about that", Jack said to Elizabeth. "You have a certain effect on me."
Elizabeth didn't say anything but quickly gathered Jack's paperwork from the cell floor, pushing her own disheveled hair out of her eyes. She certainly knew the effect he had on her.
Jack read the telegram and smiled broadly.
"I've been accepted for the training! We're going to Hamilton in two weeks."
The next few weeks went by in a whirlwind. Elizabeth kept busy with finishing her teaching lessons before the spring break, and Jack spent the time on rounds, and introducing his temporary replacement to the job. Before they knew it, Jack and Elizabeth were settled in Hamilton.
"Wake up!" Julie said as she pulled on a sleeping Elizabeth's bed covers.
Elizabeth had been home for over a week. While she hadn't seen much of Jack during that time, Elizabeth had been kept busy by Julie, who was thrilled to have her favorite sister home.
"You promised to go to the local market with me today. And the best time to go is early in the morning."
"Julie, it's barely light outside!" Elizabeth protested.
"Come on, sister. It's an adventure! I'll meet you downstairs in 20 minutes", Julie said as she threw some clothes onto Elizabeth's bed.
The market on Queen Street stretched for several blocks. Stalls and tables lined the street with vendors hawking their wares. Crowds of people moved from table to table, greeting each other with "good morning" and haggling over prices. The smells of fish, coffee, roasting nuts, everything one could imagine, permeated the air. Elizabeth had to admit that Julie was right; it was an adventure.
Elizabeth's basket was soon filled with cigars for her father, lavender sachets for herself, and spices for Abigail.
Elizabeth was looking at an array of mittens for sale, when Julie suddenly grabbed her arm and dragged to her to gypsy lady who sharpened kitchen knives and scissors on a stone wheel. Julie had discovered that the old woman told fortunes, and would be willing to read their palms for the price of sharpening a pair of scissors. Elizabeth scoffed at the idea, but Julie was excitedly insistent.
"It will be fun!"
"Julie, it's just nonsense."
"Then you have nothing to worry about!" Julie said as she grabbed Elizabeth's arm with one hand and thrust her other hand at the woman.
Ten minutes later, Elizabeth tried to put the woman's words about her future out of her mind. It's just nonsense she told herself. But still . . . . The woman had seemed to know so much.
The whole experience had been odd. The old woman had held Julie's palm, running her wrinkled finger lightly on her skin. After less than a minute, she had announced in a bored voice that Julie would have a long future of adventure and romance, which had pleased Julie immensely.
Julie didn't have to pay to be told that. I could have told her that for free, Elizabeth thought.
"It's your turn now, Elizabeth", Julie had said as she eagerly nudged Elizabeth forward.
Not wanting to insult the woman or argue with Julie, Elizabeth had impatiently held out her hand and allowed the woman to take it. This whole thing will take 30 seconds and we can be on our way, Elizabeth had thought.
The old woman frowned when she looked at Elizabeth's hand. She dropped the hand with a curious look at Elizabeth, and then told her that she would be better with her cards. Herding Julie and Elizabeth inside her caravan wagon, the gypsy led Elizabeth to a small table.
Julie gasped at the brightly painted interior of the wagon, and Elizabeth's eyes grew wide when she saw the curved ceiling, the built-in seats, and the small cast-iron cooking stove and chimney. Why there's even a china cabinet in here!
As the gypsy turned over card after card of the oddest deck Elizabeth had ever seen, she began talking. The old woman told Elizabeth that she saw many books and groups of young people in Elizabeth's future. She could say that to anyone; it doesn't mean that she can tell I'm a teacher, Elizabeth thought dismissively.
But then, the gypsy mentioned seeing sketches, lots and lots of pencil drawings. Why, that must be Jack's sketches!, Elizabeth thought. When the woman mentioned seeing a young man with dark hair, Elizabeth kept quiet, but immediately thought of Jack.
"She must be seeing the drawing of you and Jack", Julie whispered to Elizabeth.
Elizabeth got goose bumps and Julie grabbed Elizabeth's arm in shock when the old woman mentioned seeing red clothing.
"It's his red serge jacket!", Julie exclaimed.
As she turned over another card, the woman paused for a moment before speaking gravely.
"The man in the drawing, . . he'll run away and leave you, he will", the woman said looking at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth sat there stunned.
"But, he'll come back to her, right?" Julie prodded the gypsy.
"No, he won't. He'll end up in someone else's arms."
"You must be wrong. Look at the cards again!", Julie insisted.
"I don't need to look at the cards again, young lady. The man in the drawing will leave your sister for good. She will have money, lots and lots of money, but not the man."
The woman gathered up her deck of cards, and held out her hand for payment.
"Elizabeth, you were right. It's just nonsense. Jack is not going to leave you! Now let's go look at some mittens," Julie said as they climbed down from the wagon and stood in the street.
As Elizabeth left the wagon, she couldn't help worrying that there might be some truth to the odd deck of cards.
Meanwhile, across town, Jack had a small break from training, and for the first time in days was able to run some errands. He lingered at the department store counter staring at the array of choices. Finally choosing an item, he spoke to the saleslady and left his name. She assured him that the item would be ready for pick-up by the next day.
As Jack left the store, he never noticed the man who had been quietly watching him.
Charles couldn't believe his luck when he saw Jack and overhead his conversation with the saleslady. Charles wondered if maybe there was hope for a relationship with Elizabeth after all. Glancing at his watch, Charles realized he didn't have time to see her today before his afternoon meetings. He could wait until tomorrow.