Hi Hearties...
Slightly different story than my last one. Not a 100% sure where I'm going with this one, but here's the first chapter.
Again to LisaNY thank you for reading, editing and chatting to me about ideas.
Elizabeth bid her students farewell, "Good afternoon children. Don't forget your lunch pails. And for the older students, please do not forget your homework." She returned the wave that Emily gave her before she shut the door to the schoolhouse behind her.
Elizabeth stopped for a moment, leaning against the edge of her teacher's table, enjoying the sound of children's laughter and chatter that could be heard through the open windows as they hurried down the path towards their homes. Sighing contentedly, Elizabeth pushed herself off the desk and turned to look at the parting quote that she had written on the board. She enjoyed having a quote or saying on chalkboard at the beginning of the day, something for the children to discuss, and sometimes she would have one to end the day also. Look up she took in what she had written:
'Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle' ~ Abraham Lincoln
Elizabeth stood for a few moments longer, dust rag in hand. Whilst thinking about what she could next write, she watched as the speck of chalk dust flew around and were caught up in the sunlight that streamed through the side window. She decided on another president, after thinking about over hearing the older children talk about what their future might hold, seemingly some of them were not holding themselves in high regard and they didn't think they would have much hope for themselves. Yes, she had the perfect quote.
'It is hard to fail, but it is worse…'
"…it is worse never to have tried to succeed. Theodore Roosevelt 1901-1909… The United States' most recent president," came a voice from behind her.
Elizabeth gasped and spun around, dropping her chalk and ran into the person behind her.
"Whoa," Jack said as he reached out to steady her, his hands moving to grasp onto her shoulders.
"Jack," she exclaimed. "When did you get back into Hope Valley? I didn't think you were going to back for at least another few days."
"A short while ago," he smiled at her. "You are my first stop," he told her, releasing her.
Elizabeth gave him a shy smile as she took a step back. Her eyes widen slightly as she noticed a chalky handprint on Jack's red serge just above his left top pocket. She giggled faintly as a distant memory. Jack gave her a slightly confused look and looked down at this uniform, following her gaze. He only became more confused, not understanding what was causing her laughter. He raised his eyebrows slightly at her.
Elizabeth took a step back towards Jack again, beginning to brush off the dust that had settled on his tunic.
"You did once say that you felt cheated since I didn't leave you with any of my chalk dust," Elizabeth informed him.
Jack's smile widen as he caught Elizabeth's hand, trapping it to his chest. Elizabeth felt her heart begin to race slightly. Reaching up with his other hand, he tucked a curl behind her ear and trailed a finger down her cheek.
"I did feel cheated," Jack informed her. "But now I've got chalk dust on my uniform I think I deserve some compensation for that," he teased.
Elizabeth's jaw dropped slightly.
"Jack Thornton!" she huffed. " First you feel cheated that I didn't leave chalk dust on you… now you want compensation because I have?" she asked.
"I felt cheated that you didn't leave me with any of your chalk dust on my hands, this is my Mountie's uniform," Jack smiled impishly.
"Well," she continued. "Remembering our first meeting, you're lucky that I didn't throw my chalk at you. Of course, I am too much of a lady to do that," she informed him.
Jack huffed slightly. "It was an interesting first meeting. Elizabeth, you irritated me that first day in the saloon. You and your stubbed toes were not what I had been picturing when I got my first assignment."
"And you were flirting with me Constable Thornton," she replied.
"I might have been… You interested me. That soon turned into irritation."
Elizabeth screwed up her nose slightly.
"And that turned to intrigue," he finished leaning down to capture her lips.
"That's a lot of 'I' words," she mumbled against his lips.
"You're still talking," Jack replied.
Elizabeth pulled back. "I just need to finish up here Jack."
"You finish writing and I'll gather up your books," Jack told her as he released her for the second time.
"I just need those readers from the front row," Elizabeth instructed as she bent down to retrieve her abandon chalk. "And those books from my desk along with my basket, please."
"Yes Mrs Thornton… will there be anything else?" Jack teased.
Elizabeth turned on her heel and threw her dust rag at him.
"Careful, I might not share the dinner that I picked up from Abigail's Café on the way home. It's sitting in the kitchen at home," he told her, catching the rag before it hit the floor.
"Jack… you said that I was your first stop."
"Okay…" Jack looked at her slyly. "Actually you're my last stop," he confirmed as he placed the rag on the lip of the chalkboard. "I got in from Rock Creek. Filed my paperwork at the jail. Been to Abigail's for our dinner and it's sitting in our kitchen waiting for us to get home, it was supposed to be a surprise," he explained as he took the chalk from her hands, placing it down. Taking her by the hand, he began to lead her towards the door, only stopping to allow her to pick up her basket and coat.
"And, besides I would really like to get out of this uniform," he told her as he helped her on with her coat and leading her out of the door before she was able to say anything.
Not long after Jack and Elizabeth finished dinner they found themselves in the living room beside an open fire. Nearby, Rip was snoozing on his rug, a mere foot or so away. Jack was stretched out over the couch; book in hand, stealing glances over at Elizabeth from time to time.
Elizabeth was sitting at the small writing desk that she shared with Jack, going through her students' readers, a slight chuckle every now and then. She too was throwing glances over to where Jack was sitting. Marking the last of her students' grammar exercises, she placed her pencil down, stretching her fingers slightly. She was glad that school would be breaking for the summer soon. She loved the children, but she could do without the marking. Again she let her eyes wander over to Jack. He was relaxing with a book, feet up on the end of the couch. It had been a long week without Jack around. She had been fairly lucky in their first eight months of marriage, in that Jack had been away very little during that time. Elizabeth had grown accustomed to having Jack around all the time, especially at night, but she was learning to cope in their house by herself. She was yet to have burned down the house with her cooking skills, which she congratulated herself about.
Gathering up her books she placed them into her basket ready for school the next day, before making her way over to the couch.
Jack, seeing her coming, slid up and righted himself, placing his book on the table next to the couch. Opening up his arms, he motioned for Elizabeth to join him on the couch.
"I've missed this," she quietly spoke. Jack smiled as he placed a kiss behind her ear.
"Did you sleep better this time?" he asked. Elizabeth had been having problems sleeping when Jack was away. She had become accustomed to having someone else, namely Jack in the bed and missed the warm comfort when Jack's job took him away. The first time Jack was called away after their marriage, he had come home to a very tired Elizabeth, who was having trouble performing even the most basic task due to the extreme lack of sleep.
"Getting better," she told him. "Spent a night at Abigail's when you first left. It's easier to be alone in the bed when I'm not alone in the house at the same time. Gives me time to get used to it," she confessed. "What are you reading?" she asked, peering at the book that Jack had previously discarded.
"Great Expectations. I picked it out from your collection. It was either this or War and Peace, but I won't read anything that I can't lift," Jack said with a twinkle in his eye.
Elizabeth turned her head up to face Jack, a matching twinkle to be seen.
"A strong Mountie? Can't lift a book?" she teased.
Jack simply smirked at her. "Maybe you might like to read it to me?"
"Hmmm…. How was your time in Rock Creek?" Elizabeth asked changing the subject.
Jack pulled her a slight bit closer as Elizabeth laid her hand down onto his chest. He brought up his fingers up to her head and begun to caress her hair.
"Same as always. I met a new constable, fresh out of the academy. Constable George Butler, he's learning the ropes out on the western frontier. Nice young constable, a little bit green however I am sure he will learn, very eager to get to know things. And he wasn't interested in the having a job in the big city; he really wanted a posting out in the west. You know, Elizabeth, a few years ago I probably would have tried to convince him that for a young Mountie just starting out it would be more wise to want a city posting…"
"And now?" came the sleepy reply as she snuggled further into his chest. Jack continued to absentmindedly run his fingers through her hair.
"I believe that a rural placement can be a teaching lesson just as much as chasing the criminals in the big towns. If I've learnt anything, Hope Valley has provided me with just as much excitement as I could have in Cape Fullerton. And this life has provided me experiences that I would never had in a busy shipping port. And being a sole Mountie in a town means that I've had to learn to do jobs that might have otherwise been passed onto a more senior officer. And if I hadn't been here, I wouldn't have met you," he finished.
Silence met him. Jack glanced down towards the sleeping form that was his wife. Jack smiled slightly, "Well, I must be so interesting that I can put people to sleep," Jack chuckled under this breath.
Actually he found himself quite enjoying this silence and just being in the moment with Elizabeth curled up in his embrace. Whilst Jack enjoyed his life as a Mountie, it was nice to come back to a warm house and someone to come home to. He wondered how long Elizabeth would stay asleep here on the couch; experience had taught him that whilst they both enjoyed curling up in front of a warm fire, rarely did Elizabeth stay asleep for a long period; it was not the most comfortable position to spend an entire night in.
Pulling her slight tighter still, Jack reached out for his book and continued to read.
Before he knew it, Jack was finding himself waking up, book strewn on the floor and arm flung over the arm of the couch. Looking up at the large living room clock, he found that it was at least an hour or so since he had first picked up his book. Glancing down, he found the still sleeping Elizabeth who had managed to snuggle down into his form even more. Brushing the hair out of her face, he smiled again.
He eased himself out from underneath her, allowing her to lie fully on the couch, managing to do so without waking her. Turning around, he stoked the fire and gave Rip a scratch behind the ears. Smiling to himself, he gently lifted Elizabeth into his arms and headed towards the bedroom.
Elizabeth yawned and arched her back slightly the next morning. She stretched her arms out to where she believed Jack to be, yet she found the bed empty. Turning the other way, she looked up at the clock to find the hour still early. Confused she swung herself out of bed, intent on finding where Jack had seemingly disappeared to. On her way to the closet she noticed a piece of paper on her dresser.
My dearest Elizabeth,
Woke early and decided to get an early start at the jail and didn't have the heart to wake you. I thought if I got an early start I could be home early. So we could have a romantic dinner tonight.
Jack
Elizabeth smiled as she placed the note into her journal, along with all the many notes that Jack had begun leaving for her. She treasured each and every one of them.
As she got ready for the day, she decided that if she dropped off her basket off at the schoolhouse now, she might be able to see Jack before school started. She might even be able to surprise him with a breakfast from Abigail's.
Before long she was locking up the schoolhouse and heading towards the town. She decided to make a quick stop at the mercantile to pick up some pencils for the classroom before getting breakfast.
"Good morning Mr Yost," Elizabeth greeted as she walked in the door.
"Mrs Thornton, how are you this morning?"
"Well, thank you. I was wondering if I could pick up a few boxes of pencils?"
"Certainly," he replied as he looked around, checking under the counter for where he kept the stationery supplies for the school teacher.
"Oh, and there is a telegram for you also," he told her as passed over the boxes.
Elizabeth smiled as she opened the door. "Thank you," she said as she bid him farewell.
Unfolding the paper, she read the telegram from her parents as she began to walk towards the jail.
Dear Elizabeth,
Viola and Lionel will be returning to Hamilton in the next few weeks, they will be bring baby Mary too. Mother and I expect that you and Jack will also be gracing us with your presence whilst they are visiting. Telegram when you have made your travel plans.
Father
Elizabeth frowned slightly as she stopped outside the jail. Since Viola and Lionel had married, rather than moving back to England where Lionel came from, they had instead moved to New York and made a life for themselves there. They had only been to visit Canada once since they had moved and that was for Elizabeth and Jack's wedding and that wasn't a very long visit. According to a telegram from Julie, Viola had delivered a healthy baby girl five months ago. Elizabeth on the other hand, was yet to have heard from Viola.
Hand poised over the jail's doorknob, Elizabeth thought that she caught a flash of red serge out of the corner of her eye. She turned around fully to see if she had missed Jack, but she saw nothing. She shook her head slightly as she turned the doorknob.
Opening the door, she found Jack sitting at her desk hurriedly writing something. He didn't even look up at sound of her entering the room.
"Jack," she softly called.
Jack's head jerked up at the sound of her voice. A smile spread over his face and he pushed the chair out to get up.
"Good morning," he whispered as he took her into his arms, placing a kiss on her lips.
"Morning," she replied as she rested her forehead against his.
"Did you sleep well?"
Elizabeth nodded. "I don't remember quite how I got into to bed though."
"Yes, it wasn't quite the homecoming that I was imagining," he teased gently.
"Oh Jack, I am sorry. It's been a long week," she apologised as she started to pull away.
"Hey, hey," Jack tightened his hold on her waist and pulled her closer. "It's okay. I was only teasing… However if you want to make it up to me tonight…" he commented suggestibly.
"Constable Thornton!" Elizabeth's shocked voice rang out.
"What? It's proper, we're married," Jack told her as he dipped her slightly and leaned down to kiss her.
Once air became an issue, Jack pulled her upright. "I love you," Jack told her, slightly breathless.
A small smile graced her face and she began to play with the whips of hair on the nape of his neck.
"Well then," she whispered as she tilted her head up for a kiss as Jack circled his arms around her waist.
Neither of them heard the door open.
"Ahem…" a voice cleared nervously.
Jack and Elizabeth sprang apart, Elizabeth's face turning as red as Jack's tunic.
Standing in front of them was a young Mountie, looking slightly flustered at what he had just witnessed.
"George?" Jack questioned. "George, what are you doing here?"
The Mountie shook his head in an attempt to pull himself out to the state of daze he seemed to be in.
"Sorry Constable Thornton," came the reply along with a salute.
"Elizabeth, this is Constable George Butler," he introduced. "The constable who I meet whilst I was working Rock Creek. And George, this is my wife Elizabeth."
"Mrs Thornton, what a pleasure to meet you. Your husband was most helpful last week on my first week on the job."
"Jack, I am just going to be on my way to Abigail's for breakfast. Perhaps when you and George have finished here, you might like to join me before I head to work?"
"Certainly," Jack replied.
"It was lovely to meet you George," Elizabeth told him as she headed towards the door.
George tipped his head slightly in reply. Elizabeth smiled surreptitiously at Jack as she left.
"So George, what brings you to Hope Valley?" Jack questioned again as he sat down behind his desk.
George pulled hat off and placed it on the desk as he unbuttoned his top pocket to pull out an official looking letter. Jack looked confused as he put out his hand to receive it.
Jack's eyes widen as he skimmed the letter from the head office in Hamilton.
"I've been reassigned to Hamilton…" Jack commented. "And you're here to take over?"
As always thanks for reading ~ Em
