Finding Our Way
"It was really just the two of us, finding our way." - Elizabeth Thornton (Heart of The Matter)
Part 1 of 4
After leaving Hope Valley only two hours earlier, Jack pulled at the reigns to stop their horse and the buggy came to a halt.
"Where are you going?" Elizabeth asked as Jack jumped off the buggy. This surprised her because he hadn't said anything about the sudden pause in their journey.
"You'll see. I'm sure you may want to give your legs a stretch, come with me if you want." He said, going to the other side of the buggy and offering her his hand which she gladly took and helped her down to the ground.
"Where are we going?" She said again as she noticed him head off the track.
"Come on." He said as he turned around to look at her and gave her a smile. He then gently pulled at her hand to encourage her along.
Elizabeth willingly followed and got lost in the beautiful surroundings while allowing Jack to lead her wherever he intended.
"Here." He said after a few moments.
She turned her attention back to her husband and he handed her a bunch of wildflowers.
He was rewarded with a smile from her as she took hold of them and took in their scent.
"Thank you Jack." She said, returning her eyes to him after looking down at the flowers. "They're beautiful."
"Not as beautiful as you, my wife." He said, enjoying pronouncing her new title.
She enjoyed hearing it just as much and she graced him with a gentle kiss on the cheek.
"So, when are you going to tell me where we are going?" She asked, holding the flowers to her chest, not wanting to damage them.
"Nowhere."
"Nowhere?" She asked surprised.
"I just wanted to pick you some flowers."
"You're sweet Jack."
"I try. Your happiness is the only question I want to spend answering."
"I recall you telling me that." She replied with a smile as she remembered the vows he'd spoken to her only a few days earlier.
"Good, because I don't want you to forget or ever have cause to doubt them." He said, taking hold of her hand before bringing it to his lips.
They then walked back to the buggy hand in hand, in a comfortable silence and continued their journey.
A few more hours into the journey, Jack noticed they had about an hour of daylight left and knew he was pushing time to make it to Otsego Lake before night fall. Not wanting to concern Elizabeth, he kept this news to himself and hoped for the best.
Much to his relief a few minutes later the large lake came into view. He noticed Elizabeth's excitement from the smile on her face and how she unconsciously clasped onto his thigh where her hand had been resting. He observed the small display of intimate affection which was new between them and was elated at how she had become so relaxed with their newfound intimacy so quickly. It caused his heart to swell. He had been observing over the course of the last few days how easy it had been for her to become so intimately comfortable with him. It was as if it was the most natural thing in the world, even for himself, he knew it was. He was aware that for years now she had placed all her trust in him, but now that she had fully given herself to him as a wife, he saw how she was entirely comfortable with it.
After finding somewhere suitable to stop for the night, not too far from the lake, Jack brought the buggy to a halt and unpacked their belongings.
"It's amazing here Jack."
"I thought you'd like it." He said as he watched her take in the surrounding view while he continued to unload the buggy.
She then turned to join him so they could continue to unload the buggy together.
Together, they pitched their tent before Jack started a fire and Elizabeth went to unpack their belongings.
Once Jack finished with the fire he went off to find Elizabeth who was still in the tent.
"You brought a lot of blankets." She said as she noticed him enter.
"Well I didn't expect you to have to share my bed roll." He said in a joking manner. "More importantly, I didn't want you to get cold." He added, his voice sounding more serious now.
"I don't think getting cold will be a problem." She said wrapping her arms around him.
"You're right, I don't know what I was thinking." He said with a grin.
They then both leaned in until their lips met. Their kisses quickly becoming passionate as they'd longed for such a kiss for most of the day. Their brief kisses and affectionate touches throughout the day had barely satisfied them. Now they gave in to their restraint and let their kisses intensify. After a few moments Jack pulled away, considering Elizabeth's other needs before they were to take things further.
"It's getting late, maybe we should eat." He suggested as fluently as possible between his ragged breathing.
She nodded, her cheeks now flushed from the intensity of his kisses and it made him feel even more drawn to her.
"It's a bit late to go fishing for trout, but I'm sure I can find something for us." He said as he headed out of the tent and she followed him.
They sat on a log by the fire and put together some of the food they had brought along with them.
Jack heated the beans over the fire while Elizabeth cut up some bread and fruit for them and placed it on their plates.
They ate mostly in silence, every so often glancing over at each other or trying to manoeuvre a little closer to each other's side.
Once Jack had finished, he put his plate down and turned to her. He watched her every movement as she finished the last of her own supper. In some way, she wished he'd avert his eyes from her as she finished eating. But, at the same time, she loved the intensity of his gaze and knew it was full of love.
"Did I tell you, you made the most breathtaking bride?" He asked, more as a statement as he broke their silence.
"No, you didn't." She said, her voice sounding soft as a smile crept onto her lips. She then placed her plate down onto the ground as she had finished her meal.
"When I saw you, I thought my knees may buckle and I was worried Lee or Bill would need to catch me." He said and they both shared a laugh. "I felt so exhilarated as you walked down that aisle towards me. It seemed so surreal, but at the same time I knew we were exactly where we were meant to be." He said while taking her closest hand and wrapping it within both of his own. "Sometimes I'm still surprised you chose me and this life. Not because I don't think it's what you're capable of, you're quite the frontier woman now Elizabeth. I realise this life is a part of you. That said however, I still appreciate and know how much you gave up when marrying me. How much you gave up to stay in Hope Valley."
"Giving up those things was worth it, you're more than worth it Jack. I don't even miss them because all I wanted was you." She said leaning into his side. "I see you almost every day in your serge, but when I saw you standing up the front of the Church there waiting for me, I was reminded of how handsome you are. Also knowing you as the man, not just my Constable, made me feel so unbelievably proud to have you as my groom."
They looked over at each other, their eyes meeting as the light of the fire flickered across their faces.
"I'm so glad you followed your calling to teach in Coal Valley."
"I'm so glad my Father had a Mountie stationed in Coal Valley, and that it was you." She said and they both shared a laugh. "But I'm also glad you made the decision to stay in Coal Valley."
"Coal Valley may not have had the excitement of Cape Fullerton that I thought I wanted at the time, but I know it was certainly where I was being called to be." He said in all honesty. "Plus, I realised in time that there were much more exciting things to discover in Coal Valley than there ever could be in Cape Fullerton." He said, looking over at her while brushing back a long tendril of hair that hung by her cheek.
"You were called to Coal Valley to be a Mountie just as you were called to be my husband." She said without any doubt.
"And you were called to teach and to be my wife." He said with just as much certainty.
Jack leaned in and brushed his lips against hers and their lips longingly danced with each other for a few moments. He felt her hand run through his hair as she gently encouraged his kisses to deepen which he willingly complied to. As they did, he heard her familiar little sigh, which was music to his ears, it roused him to draw her body closer.
Eventually he pulled away and looked into her eyes, studying them as if he could never learn enough about her through them. He hoped they would tell him more as they often did. In this moment, he saw pure love and adoration. He knew he was feeling the same and he hoped she could see the same thing radiating from him.
Knowing he had something else to do first, he broke them out of their reverie and interrupted their quiet moment together.
"I'll be back in a minute." He said softly and she quietly nodded and waited for him to return.
While waiting for his return she went through some of her personal belongings in the nearby basket. She found her brush and then pulled the pins from her hair, which she had tied back earlier to keep it out of the way for the day's journey. She went to brush her hair just as she felt Jack's hand enclose over her own.
"Let me." He said. She allowed him to take the brush from her.
He sat down by her side and faced her as he ever so gently ran the brush through her long auburn curls. After a few moments he gave into the urge and ran his free hand through her soft hair. He noticed her lean into his hand as she enjoyed the feel of his touch. He then leaned in and buried his face into her hair as he kissed her, taking in the flowery scent before pulling away. She gave him a small smile and he then continued to gently run the brush through her hair again.
Elizabeth sat quietly, enjoying the feel of Jack's touch while noticing how gentle he was being with her. She took note how intimate this action of him brushing her hair was. She had never had anyone but the women in her family brush her hair before and certainly never a man. But this was Jack, her husband and she reveled in this new found simple intimacy.
In time she noticed him put down the brush and change his focus from her hair to her eyes. He then stood and offered his hand which she willingly took hold of before standing herself. They walked over to the tent, their companionable silence continuing until she saw something she didn't expect.
"Jack…" She said, her voice trailing off after whispering his name with a certain wonder about it.
One side of the tent flap was pulled back and she could see inside that he had decorated the tent with half a dozen mason jars that had lit tea candles inside. She held tight to Jack's arm and snuggled up to his side as she looked over the display he had set up inside the tent.
"This is beautiful." She whispered.
"You're beautiful." He said turning to face her and he kissed her longingly.
He then led her into the tent and she willingly followed him.
They stood by the mound of blankets Jack had set up and turned into a makeshift bed. It seemed comfortable enough, maybe not as comfortable as the feather bed he'd ordered. Which would be at the row house to surprise her when she arrived home. For the time being though, this would suit them perfectly.
Elizabeth faced him and lay her hands on his chest before proceeding to play with the buttons on his coat while looking into his eyes.
He was doing the same action on the button of her skirt and he looked at her for approval before releasing it.
They gradually removed each others items of clothing. Jack now standing behind her as he struggled with the still new process of removing her corset.
"You just need a little more practice." She laughed as she noticed his slight frustration.
"More practice sounds good to me." He said as he leaned over her shoulder and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before returning his attention back to the corset.
"Aren't these candles some sort of fire hazard?" She joked, while patiently waiting for him to undo the corset.
"I can put them out…" He suggested as he released the corset and then gently pulled back at the edge of her chemise so he had access to the back of her shoulder. He then pressed his lips to the bare skin there and he felt her body shiver in response to his touch.
"Please don't put them out. I want to see you." She said, her voice soft, as she turned to face him.
He realised the boldness of her statement and it pleased him as he also wanted to see her. While wanting to see her, he also was hoping that he could show his love towards her not only physically, but also visually.
He slid the chemise off her shoulders as he ran kisses down her neck and shoulders. He felt her shiver, but he wasn't sure if it was from his touch, or the cold night air.
He encouraged her to lay down in the mound of blankets and pillows, his intention also to keep her warm.
"You cold sweetheart?" He asked, as he propped himself up on his elbow and looked down at her.
She noticed, that even during times of their new found intimacy he was always very considerate and took into account any of her possible concerns. It made her love him all the more for it.
She wrapped her arm around his waist and pulled him down closer to her side. They both instantly noticed the added body warmth as their bare skin touched and it awakened their desire further.
Jack leaned over and kissed her, their kisses intensifying quickly. He pulled back for a moment to look into her eyes, as if he was asking for approval before taking things further.
He was ever the gentleman she always knew him to be, but right now she didn't want him to have to hold back. She wanted him to know how much she loved him and she needed the same from him.
"I need my husband to make love to me." She told him. He closed the distance between them once more and gave into her request
Early the next morning…
Jack woke, realising it was well into the morning hours as he noticed how bright it was inside the tent.
He placed a gentle kiss on the top of Elizabeth's head as she lay in her new found customary position. Her head buried between his neck and shoulder and her arm draped across his chest.
He knew he needed to wake her as they needed to get moving but wanted to let her sleep. He also knew this time also gave him the opportunity to revel in her beauty. Even the sight of her bare uncovered shoulders brought him delight. He knew she must be cold though, so he pulled the blanket higher to cover them and keep her warm.
Just the feel of her in his arms brought him pleasure. He noticed her tousled hair splayed out across the pillow, some even resting on his own shoulder and her warm soft skin against his own gave him enough satisfaction to want to just lay there all day. A moment later though he felt her nuzzle into his neck as she started to rouse from sleep. He kept still, allowing her to awake slowly until he felt her lips press against his shoulder which he knew with-out a doubt was deliberate.
"Good morning my wife." He said as he noticed her lips curl into a smile as she recalled where she was.
"Good morning my husband." She replied, as she repositioned her head on his pillow so she could look at him. "Have you been awake long?"
"No, not long. It seems we have slept late though."
"You should have woken me." She said, starting to sit up.
"I didn't want to." He said, pulling her back down into his arms which delighted her.
"We need to get to Diamond Lake and then eventually onto Fort Clay though."
"We do, but we have plenty of time, and I'm sure if the Mountie's are to ever offer me a grace period, it would be now."
"I hope so."
"Elizabeth, I want this time to be about just us, ok? This is our honeymoon, I don't want it to be about my work, or even rushing it because I have duties to fulfil."
"Alright." She said as she took note of his scruffy hair that had become tousled from sleep. She affectionately ran her hand through it, in part because she appreciated his words, but also because she loved the fact that she was the only one who got to see him like this.
As a Mountie, his hair was never unkempt and unless coming home from a posting, he was always clean shaven. She loved this other side to him that she got to see in their early morning wake ups and she smiled as she thought about it.
"A penny for your thoughts?"
"It's not even worth a penny." She told him, feeling somewhat awkward about expressing her thoughts, even after all they had shared over the last few days and nights.
"That smile I just saw tells me it was worth more than a penny." He said, knowing her so well now that he could decipher the different smiles that would play out on her lips.
"I was just thinking about how I like seeing you like this." She admitted.
"Like what?"
"This rugged look you have going on."
"Rugged look?" He asked, questioning her further.
"The tousled hair, the unshaven face, the sleepy look in your eyes. It's nice I get to see you like this now."
He smiled at her words and he understood, as it was also somewhat similar to how he felt about her first thing in the morning.
"I love your tousled hair and the dreamy look you get in your eyes too Bella." He said, not really realising the last word that slipped off the edge of his tongue.
"It's been a long time since you called me that." She said remembering.
"You said from chalk dust, right?" He asked, not really expecting an answer as he already knew it. "It wasn't until a little later that I called you Bella, but it was another moment we shared by the old chalkboard at the Saloon. If you don't like it though I won't…"
"No Jack, I love it." She said cutting in, loving the fact that he'd called her that and how he'd pronounced it so instinctively.
She leaned over and captured his lips with her own. Hoping she hadn't discouraged him from using the term of endearment on her that seemed to come so naturally to him. She hoped he knew it was quite the opposite, that it in fact thrilled her to hear the words come from his mouth.
Their kisses became more passionate while their bodies became entangled with one another once more.
"Elizabeth…" He said, pulling away while trying to get his breath back.
"Hmm?" She said as she rest her hand on his jaw line and let her thumb caress his cheek, now rough from a day's growth of hair.
"I'm sorry, we really need to go." He said apologetically, as he felt terrible to have to end things, for his own sake and hers.
"I understand."
"Later alright?"
She nodded, as she understood. He'd promised they'd take their time on this honeymoon, but she also knew it didn't mean they had all the time in the world.
"Your lips are red and swollen." He said, running a finger along her lower lip.
"Aren't they always when our kisses get carried away?" She said with a slight giggle and he smiled at her response.
"Well, yes they can be but… it looks a little worse today. I'm guessing because I haven't shaven."
"We did do a lot of kissing late into the night…" She said, recalling the previous night events.
"We did." He said, knowing their thoughts were again on the same page. "Which reminds me, I should shave."
He gave her a quick peck on the cheek, not wanting to aggravate her smooth skin any further and sat up in the bed. He pulled on his trousers and gave her a smile before leaving the tent, allowing her to have some privacy, knowing she'd need some as this was still all so new to them.
Elizabeth threw on her chemise and headed down to the lake to have a quick wash. On her way over, she noticed Jack sitting by the fire, now fully dressed and trying his best at combing his hair without a mirror. She hurried off, realising she was taking too much time.
Once back at the tent, she slipped her clean clothes on. Jack then entered the tent and without saying a word proceeded to help her do up the buttons on the side of her skirt. He'd realised they would be at an awkward angle for her and he was all too eager to help. She noticed his willingness and realised how natural and domestic it felt to be participating in daily duties alongside each other.
"Since it's so late, how about we have brunch by the lake before taking off? Then we also won't need to stop for lunch. It may even buy us a little more time." He suggested after doing up the last button on her skirt.
"Sounds wonderful." She said, as she felt his lips gently press against her cheek. She ran her hand over his cheek, feeling the softer skin there now that he was clean shaven.
He smiled, knowing what she was thinking and was pleased that he'd taken the time to shave. The last thing he wanted was to aggravate her skin from all their kisses.
They packed up the tent together and most of their belongings. They brought a blanket and some food with them as they headed down to the lake. They found a nice grassy spot, sporadically surrounded by trees and Jack lay down the blanket.
They sat down close to each other before removing the items of food from their basket. There were stolen glances and hands brushing up against each others every so often as they moved about preparing the food.
"Once we get to Diamond Lake I should be able to catch some fish." Jack said, trying to distract his thoughts.
"Trout would be nice."
"It would." He said as she handed him his plate and he looked up at her, intending to thank her but the words didn't come out.
His hand covered hers as he took the plate and his eyes fell on hers. He knew he was getting to the point of no return. Since their first night as husband and wife, it was now difficult for him to resist her,even when just looking into her eyes. Plus, he was still left with a longing for her after resisting his urge to make love with her when they'd first woken that morning.
Jack put his plate down and Elizabeth, knowing what his intentions were going to be, moved in and wrapped her arms around him before finding her way to his lips. He pulled her onto his lap with ease which surprised her at first, but she delighted in their sudden closeness. All while their kisses continued, only breaking momentarily when need be.
After a few minutes, Jack pulled away and looked back into her eyes. She was aware of him being gentle and tentative which made her love him even more. However, now they'd been married four days, things were becoming more at ease and more comfortable for her. She certainly knew she'd been physically awakened by his intimacies quite quickly and she now had an understanding of what to expect. Although, each time was still new and different from the last. This time however, she was not needing him to be so cautious. Without saying a word, she spoke to him through her actions.
She placed her hands on his chest and while continuing to kiss him she gently pushed him back down onto the blanket. At first he was surprised by her forwardness, but it enticed him as she had hoped and he pulled her down onto his chest.
She captured his lips once more and their kisses became more passionate until she felt a smile on his lips.
"What?" She asked, slightly pulling away from him but still close enough that she could feel his breath on her lips.
He noticed the puzzled look on her face as she looked down at him.
"Your hair's tickling me." He admitted, while brushing away the long tendrils that were hanging down onto his face.
They shared a laugh before continuing with their kisses and becoming enraptured with each other once more.
He noticed the continuance of her eagerness and it only encouraged him to move forward as he realised she had no need for him to hold back like he had in the past.
He whispered I love you's into her ear which he noticed elicited a sigh from her. She also whispered words of love to him and called his name which enthralled him even more.
"I love you Jack Thornton." She said while momentarily pulling away and looking into his eyes.
Jack ran his hands through her hair and rest his hand at the side of her head.
"I love you Elizabeth Thornton." He replied with such depth that he noticed tears start to form in her eyes. He then captured her lips once more knowing that her tears were only of happiness.
Then, rather than verbalising it, they physically showed each other how much they loved each other.
A/N I hope you are enjoying this new story. I plan for it to just be 3 parts plus an Epilogue. I would love to hear some feedback from you, I always knew I'd write this story as I knew it was highly likely that Hallmark wasn't going to show us the storyline of Jack and Elizabeth travelling to Fort Clay. I hope however you are enjoying my version of this story.