Hi Hearties it's been awhile. But I'm back. I hope you enjoy this little story of what might have happened if Elizabeth had accepted Charles' proposal. I am trying to convey Elizabeth's character of not knowing who she was yet in season two.
Warning: This story starts out as a bit of pot stirring.. (Brian Bird would be proud.) But SPOILER ALERT... If you've read any of my other stories you already have some idea of how it will turn out in the end.
Plot: It's immediately after the season two cliffhanger. (Though I have included characters from season three.) Jack walks in the church and sees that Elizabeth has accepted Charles' proposal despite the fact that she still loves Jack. Do Jack and Elizabeth find their way back to each other? Read and Find out.
Love Travels with You
Chapter One
Jack Thornton, made his way up to the steps of the schoolhouse. He was confident. He was ready to settle down, get married, start a family. He knew in his heart he was doing the right thing. He wanted to marry her. Elizabeth Thatcher was his entire world. He couldn't imagine his life without her. As he approached the door, he stopped dead in his tracks. He couldn't believe his eyes. Charles Kensington was inside the schoolhouse, on bended knee in front of Elizabeth… his Elizabeth. He dashed behind the closed door, so not to be seen. How can this be happening? He thought to himself. I love her. She loves me. At least that's what she told me in the mine. He couldn't help but be angry. Why would Charles Kensington humiliate himself? Why would he show up in Hope Valley, to propose to Elizabeth, if he thought she would say no? He braced himself turned back to face the open door. His mouth flew open as he witnessed Charles slip a diamond ring onto Elizabeth's finger. "What's going on in here?" He asked angrily as he walked toward them into the church.
Elizabeth let out a startled gasp. "Jack!" She cried. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to pick you up for our ride." Jack chided angrily. "But it appears you have a previous engagement." He pointed to the diamond ring that rested on her left hand. "I thought we resolved everything in the mine, but I guess we didn't." He quickly stormed out of the church.
"Jack wait!" Elizabeth called. "You don't understand." It was no use. She watched Jack descend the steps of the church and disappear from sight.
The following morning, Jack was sitting at his desk at the jail doing paperwork, when Elizabeth burst through the door. "Jack, may I talk you?" She begged.
"I suppose congratulations are in order?" Jack responded without looking up at her.
"Jack, let me explain…" Elizabeth began.
"It's quite obvious." Jack angrily interjected. "Charles proposed, to you and you accepted. End of story. No explanation needed."
"Jack you don't understand!" Elizabeth cried.
"I understand perfectly." He chided. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do."
Elizabeth opened her mouth to protest, but quickly changed her mind realizing it would be no use. Jack was angry. She turned to head out of the jail. I have to get him to understand what really happened when he has a chance to cool down, she thought sadly. She headed to the café, where Charles was sitting at a table waiting for her.
"Why were you talking to that Mountie?" Charles asked as soon as Elizabeth joined him at the table.
"That's none of your concern." Elizabeth answered coldly.
"If we're going to be married, it is my concern." Charles chided. "What will people think when you're engaged to me and enjoying the company of another man?"
"I don't want to hurt you, Charles. I care about you," Elizabeth responded bitterly, "but I still lo..."
"Well it doesn't matter." Charles interrupted, confidently. "I have some business investments to tend to with Mr. Coulter, which shouldn't take too long, then you and I will be on our way back to Hamilton." He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips. "I love you, Elizabeth. You may not think you love me yet, but you will and until then I will love you enough for the both of us.
"Well I have to get to school." Elizabeth pulled her hand from Charles' grasp and arose from her seat.
Charles followed suit and rose from his seat as well. "Allow me to walk you." He offered his hand.
"If you don't mind," Elizabeth declined his hand. "I'd like to walk alone."
"Are you sure you're alright?" Charles asked.
"I'm fine." She forced a smile and made her way toward the door.
Elizabeth slowly dawdled to school, remembering the events that had recently transpired. How could she and Jack professing their love for each other in the mine have gone completely different than she had expected? She didn't want to marry Charles, and yet she'd accepted his proposal. Charles was always able to put a guilt trip on her in order to get what he wanted. There was no way she would be able to get Jack to understand. But she was going to try, whatever it took, she had to try.
No matter how hard Jack tried, he couldn't get Elizabeth off his mind. He still loved her. He imagined he always would. He had been completely heartbroken when Charles had beaten him to the church, but he couldn't figure out why Elizabeth had accepted his proposal. She'd told him he didn't understand, but he'd been so angry, he hadn't given her the chance to explain. But what was there to explain? "Maybe I should talk to her, boy." He told Rip as he was getting dressed before heading on his rounds, "Give her a chance to explain."
"Alright children," Elizabeth rang the cowbell Jack had given her, "class is dismissed. Don't forget to study for your arithmetic test tomorrow." She watched her students scramble out of the schoolhouse. She glanced down at the cowbell and sighed before returning it to her desk. She'd remembered how Jack had teasingly given it to her as a gift to celebrate her successful accomplishments on the homestead. He had known that she wasn't accustomed to the kind of lifestyle that being on the homestead entailed and he stayed with her and let her know how proud of her he was for helping out the Harpers the way she had. She headed to the blackboard and began erasing the day's history lesson, when a loud thump behind her caught her attention. Startled, she turned around to see Jack standing in the open doorway of the church. "Jack, what are you doing here?"
"Why did you do it?" He asked.
"Why did I do what?" Elizabeth inquired.
"Accept his proposal," Jack started toward her, "Why did you say yes?"
"I-I," Elizabeth stammered.
"Do you love him?" Jack interjected, further decreasing the distance between them.
"He loves me." Elizabeth returned to erasing the blackboard, couldn't bring herself to look at him.
"That's not what I asked." Jack said walking even closer to her. "Do you love him?"
"He's a good man." Elizabeth continued vigorously erasing the blackboard.
"But do you love him?" Jack asked again. He was now standing mere inches from her. He grabbed her shoulders, turning her to face him. He gently began caressing her arm. "Does the mere thought of him make you smile?" He grabbed her hands and pulled her closer. He leaned forward and whispered in her ear. "Does he make you go weak at the knees when he's close to you?" He brushed a soft kiss across her neck. "Does he give you butterflies or make your heart pound out of your chest when he kisses you?" He brushed a kiss across her lips. He could tell by her instant reaction that he still had the same effect on her as he always had.
Elizabeth pulled back. "Jack, we shouldn't do this." She whispered. "I'm getting married to Charles.
Jack slowly released her. "Why?" he asked, "You said you wanted to explain, but I still don't understand. I don't think you love him. I think you still love me."
"Jack, I…" Elizabeth's eyes began to fill with tears. She knew he deserved an explanation, but she couldn't seem to find the correct words to say what she needed to say.
"Never mind." He interjected. He quickly headed toward the door of the church. "I can't do this." He whirled back around to face her.
"You can't do what?" She asked.
"I can't stand to watch you marry him." He replied. "He won't make you happy." He then stormed out of the door of the church, slamming it behind him.
Elizabeth stared at the closed door for several seconds. "What just happened?" She asked herself, even though she knew. She knew her family would be thrilled to know she was getting married to Charles and would be returning to Hamilton, but was it what she wanted? She cared for Charles. He was her best friend from childhood, but that was where the feelings ended. Jack would now and forever have her heart. Jack will probably never want to talk to me again anyway. She thought sadly as a tear trickled down her cheek.
Days passed. Charles and Elizabeth were still in town. Jack tried his best to avoid them, which seemed impossible in a small town like Hope Valley. One morning, while heading out on his rounds, he passed Elizabeth slowly making her way to the church for the school day. She appeared as though she'd been crying. He didn't want to care, but he did however; he couldn't help but care where Elizabeth was concerned. He pulled the reigns to slow Sergeant down. "Whoa" He shouted. He turned the horse around and rushed to catch up to Elizabeth. "Elizabeth," He called, as he got close enough for her to hear him. She kept on walking as if she didn't acknowledge his presence. "Elizabeth," He got a little closer. She didn't respond. "Elizabeth," He said once more. "Elizabeth," He was finally close enough to her to get her attention. He dismounted Sergeant and fell into step beside her. "Did you not hear me calling you?" He asked with concern in his voice.
"What do you want, Constable?" She turned her face from him to try to discreetly wipe her eyes of the unshed tears.
"What's wrong?" He asked. "Why are you crying?"
"I…" She stammered. "It… It's nothing."
He grabbed her elbow, turned her to face him. "I was right. You've been crying." He acknowledged. "Did he hurt you?"
"No!" She exclaimed. "He didn't. Not that you care."
"I do care." He countered.
"Well I'm fine." She answered coldly. "You needn't concern yourself with me."
Jack opened his mouth to speak
"If you'll excuse me," Elizabeth continued. "I have to get to school." She darted off, leaving Jack in the dust.
Jack discreetly followed a few steps behind her. Even though they were at odds, he realized that he would still do anything in his power to make sure nothing happened to her. He followed her until he saw that she was safely in the schoolhouse before continuing on his rounds.
"Can I talk to you?" Jack walked through the door of the church, that afternoon.
"We really don't have anything to talk about." Elizabeth quipped. "You've made it quite clear that you can't stand the sight of me."
"I never said that." Jack defended. "I said I can't stand to watch you marry him."
"Close enough." Elizabeth replied.
"Well I was wrong." Jack walked closer to her.
"Wrong about what?" She asked, his response piqued her interest.
"Elizabeth," he whispered. "Do you remember when I told you that if you ever need anything that you can count on me… that you can knock on my door day or night?"
"Yes." She answered. "But…"
"Well I meant it then," he interjected, "and I mean it now." He grabbed her hand and turned her to face him. "I love you, Elizabeth. I always have and I always will. Nothing will ever change that."
Elizabeth listened to him, trying to fight back tears.
"I want you to be happy," Jack continued, "so if marrying Charles is what is going to make you happy, if this is what you truly want, I will be behind you." He gripped her shoulders, pulled her closer, and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. He then ran his hands down her arms and slowly pulled away from her. He headed toward the door of the church. He turned back around, giving her a half smile, before continuing down the steps.
Elizabeth stared at the now closed door for several seconds, trying to grasp what had just happened. She couldn't believe Jack had just told her that he'd support her decision to marry Charles. "I guess that's it." She whispered as tears streamed down her cheeks, misinterpreting what Jack had Just said to her. "Jack wants me to marry Charles." Why did that upset her so? She wanted to be on friendly terms with Jack before leaving Hope Valley. She didn't want any hard feelings between them.
"Why are you leaving?" Opal asked Elizabeth after she'd told the children of her engagement to Charles and that she was going with him back to Hamilton. She hugged her bear, Brownie close to her body.
Elizabeth approached Opal and knelt to her level. "Opal," she tried to soothe the young girl, "Mr. Kensington has asked me to marry him. I'm going back to Hamilton to live with him and be close to my family again."
"Don't you love us anymore?" Emily asked.
"Of course I do." Elizabeth tried to fight back tears as she tried to explain to the children why she was leaving. "I love my family too and I miss them."
"Will you come visit us?" Debra inquired.
"Of course I will," Elizabeth replied, "as soon as I get settled. I'm not leaving until next week anyway."
When Elizabeth dismissed her students that afternoon, she collapsed at her desk and cried. She didn't want to leave Hope Valley. She didn't want to leave her students. She didn't want to leave Jack. She then remembered that Jack had given her his blessing. He wants me to marry Charles. She thought to herself. I can't blame Jack for not wanting to be with me anymore. Charles is a good man. He's my best friend from childhood. We'll have a good life together. She tried to convince herself.
"Ready to go?" Charles presence at the door pulled her out of her reverie.
"Sure." She forced a smile, grabbed her shawl and approached Charles, ignoring his outstretched hand.
"Are you alright?" Charles placed a hand on her elbow.
"I'm fine." She jerked away. "I just have a lot on my mind. My students are upset that I'm leaving. I will miss them too."
"You'll be fine, Elizabeth." Charles replied insensitively. "Once we're back in Hamilton, you will never have to work again. I will make enough money to support the both of us."
When they reached the café, Charles leaned forward to try to place a kiss on her cheek, but she backed away before he could. "I'm tired tonight. I think I will turn in early. Goodnight, Charles." She closed the door, leaving Charles standing on the other side. She went straight to her room, and pulled out her journal. She had a lot to write and think about before the stagecoach would arrive next week.
…to be continued…