Dear Readers: Thank you so much for your past reviews. (Thanks Lori for the last motivation to hurry up and write another chapter)

Chapter 25 Lessons to be Learned

What is she doing now? Jack thought as he stopped in the doorway to the kitchen and watched Elizabeth sitting at the table.

As Jack watched, Elizabeth smiled and put her engagement ring back on her finger after first having held in between her fingers, breathed heavily on it, and stared at it for two seconds. She now made a mark on the piece of paper in front of her.

"Check", she said quietly with another smile.

"Jack! I didn't see you come in", she called out when she looked up after feeling his presence.

"What are you doing?"

"Homework."

"What kind of homework entails taking off your engagement ring?"

"Your mother's", Elizabeth answered with a slight frown. "She's keeping me busy."

"Do you happen to have any ruby cuff links?" she added after consulting her paper.

"Actually I do. But I don't generally wear them with my uniform, or when playing darts, riding, chopping wood, or any of my other daily activities. And I can't remember the last time Hope Valley had a ball where I wore a tuxedo. Oh yeah, never", he replied with a grin.

"What's this all about?" Jack asked as he filled up a cup with tea and took a seat across from Elizabeth.

"Your mother apparently has quite a collection of jewelry -–"

"She does", Jack said with a nod as he set down his cup

"And she seems to think that one day she'll die and I'll inherit it", Elizabeth said worriedly.

Jack let out a loud chuckle. "Mom likes to be prepared for everything."

"She says that every lady needs to know the basics of jewelry. According to her, I won't be accepting jewelry from anyone but you, but it's still important for me to know the difference between real jewels and fake. So she's given me a list of tests which I'm supposed to learn. She seems to think I need to know all this to be a good wife. Apparently, I'm way behind in my lessons. Not just jewelry but bone china, crystal, silverware-"

"I'm sure you'll be fine", Jack said with a smile.

"She doesn't think I'll be able to learn everything before we're married", Elizabeth said with a frown.

"Did you tell her that you're busy with teaching?"

"She wrote that one is never too busy to learn. She also wrote that as a teacher, I would already agree with that", Elizabeth grumbled.

"So, let me guess. You want to hold my ruby cuff links up to the light and see if there are green and yellow colors in the light spectrum."

"Yes!" Elizabeth said in astonishment. "According to your mom, a ruby shouldn't have them."

"That's right. Mine are real by the way, . . .just in case you're worried about your inheritance when I die one day", he said with a smile.

"Don't talk that way!"

The next evening, Elizabeth tucked her hair behind her ears and looked across the table at Jack as he served her a plateful of wonderful smelling food. How can he look so handsome after a long day, she thought as she imagined how she must look.

She was exhausted now that she was back to teaching and getting the students caught up on the work they had missed while she was in jail and in Calgary.

"This is just what I needed", she remarked as she looked at the table he had set with candles.

"Another evening in jail?" Jack chuckled.

God, I love when he grins at me like that.

"Another evening with you."

"Well, it's not exactly dinner at the Ritz. . . . with Sergeant Johnson."

"It's the company that counts. But seriously Jack, you deserve your own place. Not just a room attached to the back of the jailhouse."

"I don't mind. And eventually we will have our own place. On the other hand, you deserve to teach in a real school, Elizabeth. Not a saloon. When my parents were here, I showed them around town a bit. My mom wants to donate enough money to build a schoolhouse for you."

"That's very sweet of her. But—"

"But?"

"I don't think it's a good idea. People in Hamilton are already talking about the difference in our social status. I don't want to give people anything more to talk about. I'm not marrying you for your money. Or your family's money. "

"Besides, I'm building the school!' she added with a big smile.

"You're building the school?" Jack looked at her skeptically. "You can't even cook."

"Hush", Elizabeth said as she swatted his arm. "I got a letter from Sergeant Johnson today!"

"What could that oaf possibly write to make you so happy?"

"I'm getting a reward! For catching Myrna! It should cover the costs of most of the materials. And if the townspeople donate their labor, we'll have a schoolhouse!"

"So, as a townsperson, I'll be building the school, not you", Jack noted with a smirk.

"We will be building the school . . . with the help of the town. But I will let your family name help me out in another way."

"It's going to be your family name soon", Jack reminded her.

Elizabeth grinned at the thought, "I know. And I think it's already proving useful."

"How so?"

"I wrote to the superintendent of schools about getting married. When I took this assignment, I knew it was for unmarried teachers, but I've asked for an exception. And . . .I think with your family name, and your mother's donations to various educational institutions, the superintendent will be more than happy to grant me an exception."

"So, you're not above using the Thornton name when it suits your purposes", Jack observed.

"I learn quickly", Elizabeth said with a smile as Jack leaned in for a kiss before he stood up to get them some water.

"Speaking of learning, I got another letter from your mother today", Elizabeth said with a frown as Jack crossed the room to get them a pitcher.

"Elizabeth, you'll get everything figured out. How to be good at being my wife. It may be hard at first, but I have faith that that will happen sooner rather than later."

"Why do you think I'll have a hard time being a good wife?" Elizabeth asked in indignant surprise as Jack poured water into their glasses.

"Well, because you don't know anything about running a large household or managing a staff, or jewels and society matters, or cooking or even doing your own wash. Not to mention, that you –"

Jack's voice trailed off as he looked up and saw Elizabeth's frosty glare.

"Not that I care about any of that!", he added hastily as he set down the pitcher.

"You don't care?", she asked, her eyebrows raised in disbelief.

"Not in the least bit. I'm just saying that my mother and father think those things are important. Not me!"

"So you don't care if I hire household staff that turns out to be a band of thieves which runs off with the family jewels and replaces them with fakes that I'm too stupid to detect."

"Nope." Jack sat back down and picked up his fork, and began eating.

"And when the kitchen staff runs off with our jewels and I'm left to do all the cooking and I accidently burn down the family mansion, you won't care?" Elizabeth asked skeptically.

"Not one bit", Jack replied with a shrug and a smile. "Family mansions are over-rated."

"Liar"

"Aah, but I'm your liar", he responded with a charming grin.

A week later, the sounds of nails being hammered into wood filled the air as the town volunteers began framing the school house. Elizabeth, a basket filled with sandwiches on her arm, approached the work crew and paused by Jack.

He stopped hammering and smiled when he looked up to find her standing next to him.

Elizabeth pushed against the wooden 2 x 4, testing its sturdiness.

"Nice job", she remarked.

"Contrary to what you may think, I am capable of a great deal beyond my boarding school and fancy college education", Jack replied humorously.

"Never said you weren't. In fact, I'm hoping there a quite a few things you're capable of showing me once we're married", Elizabeth replied, leaving Jack suddenly feeling flustered.

Four days later, Elizabeth was looking at Mrs. Thornton's latest letter which explained the difference between morning dress, morning grey, and Scottish Highland dress, and the various roles of staff for formal functions, when she heard the commotion outside. Picking up the ruby cuff links Jack has given her to examine, she stuffed them in her pocket and crossed the room.

"What's going on?" she asked as she stepped outside and saw a crowd of people standing around Jack's horse.

"Jack's horse came back. Without him."

Think. Think. Just remain calm and think. He was gone for three nights. There's still a little food in his saddlebag which means his horse left him before Jack had breakfast. He was supposed to stay outside of Union City last night. If he was closer to Union City when his horse left him, he would have made his way back there by foot and sent me a telegram. Which he hasn't done. So . . . figuring out when he normally stops for the night, when he normally sets out in the morning, and how fast he travels by horse, . . .God, I hate math sometimes! . . . He's got to be no more than four hours away. If I ride quickly, I can do it in two hours.

Elizabeth, riding astride the roan mare, crossed the open fields, followed the deer trails through the woods that she knew Jack normally took, and stayed close to streams when she came upon them and they were headed in her general direction.

Pausing to look around, she rested one hand momentarily on her leg and felt something hard in her skirt pocket. She remembered Jack's words about his ruby cuff links. "Mine are real by the way, . . .just in case you're worried about your inheritance when I die one day", he had said with a smile.

Not today, Jack, she thought as she prodded the horse into a canter.

Elizabeth had traveled almost two hours when she saw the dot of a figure off in the distance, walking along the bottom of a steep gully.

"I'm fine. I just twisted my ankle. I was just about to get breakfast started when my horse got spooked by a wolf. I think it was rabid. I shot it before it could attack the horse. . . or me. .. but my horse knocked me down and I ended up with a twisted ankle and some bumps and bruises. . . . And no horse." Jack explained after Elizabeth had left her horse halfway down the hill and scurried down the rocks to help him.

"How did you end up down the canyon?", Elizabeth asked as she helped Jack climb up the rocky sides.

"That would be when my horse knocked me down", Jack said as if it were obvious.

"And then I waited awhile to see if he would come back. And, well, obviously he didn't. I've been walking along the bottom of the canyon trying to find an easy path back up. It's one hell of a long canyon. And I've been moving pretty slowly with my ankle."

As they approached the top of the hill, Jack looked around. First casually and then whipping his head from side to side as if looking for something.

"Elizabeth?", he asked hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"Where's your horse?"

Elizabeth looked around frantically. "Damn!"

"You did tie it up, didn't you?"

" . . No. . . I was in a hurry to get to you!"

"Well, he's gone."

"I can see that!", Elizabeth wailed.

"We've got a long walk back to Hope Valley." Jack observed matter- of-factly.

Jack paused for a moment as if contemplating something before speaking.

"In fact, it's the same distance of walking as before you came to rescue me."

"What's your point exactly" Elizabeth asked with an indignant furrowed brow.

"Just that your rescuing of me needs a little work", Jack said casually with a shrug.

"What is that supposed to mean?!"

Jack didn't answer but responded with another question.

"Did you happen to bring me back my breakfast?"

Elizabeth cringed. Damn, I knew there was something I forgot.

When Jack saw her face, he shook his head slightly and his face creased into small smile. "I also notice that you don't have a water canteen with you. So that means, you'll be sharing my water."

Damn again! It was on the horse. Elizabeth thought in frustration.

"So. . . I have just as far to walk as before because you lost your horse. I still don't have breakfast, and now I have to share my water ration with you. If the situation were reversed and you were the Mountie and I were the school teacher, I'd have to give you a C minus for this rescue attempt. Maybe even a D+ . . . and you only get a passing grade because I like the way you look."

"Get moving, Constable", Elizabeth ordered.

An hour later, the terrain had changed from the valleys and open fields to deep woods.

"I'm starving", Jack grumbled.

"When did you last eat?"

"Yesterday."

"It's going to be several hours till we make it back to town. I hate killing animals, but if we catch something, will you kill it?"

"I've only got one shell left and we should save that for protection", Jack replied as he lifted his rifle.

"You got a knife?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yes. But just how do you plan on catching this fabulous meal for us?"

"We'll set a trap."

"That's a great idea. Except for one thing", Jack said wryly. "We don't have any bait for a trap."

"Oh, yes we do."

"If you've got food you didn't tell me about, I swear I'm hungry enough I may just fight you for it."

Elizabeth laughed. "Not food. Jewels", she said as she took Jack's cuff links out of her pocket and held them out. "Big fancy sparkly rubies."

Jack raised his eyebrows. "Are you planning on enticing some wild animal? Because last time I checked, they don't wear fancy French cuff shirts."

"Well, my rich city-boy fiancé, I'm going to teach you a thing or two about jewels. Something even your mother doesn't know."

"That's the best raccoon I ever ate. I have to admit it's also the only raccoon I've ever eaten", Jack said as he finished chewing the meat off the bone and tossed it into the fire. "But it sure hits the spot."

True to her word, Elizabeth had caught a raccoon. Jack had done the remainder. Killing and skinning it. He even had offered to be the one to cook it over the small fire. Although Elizabeth suspected that his offer was more out of worry that she would burn the meal, rather than a sense of chivalry on his part.

They sat by the burning pile of sticks, finishing the remainder of the animal and sharing Jack's water canteen.

"So, is that the kind of thing I'm going to teach our kids one day? How to live off the land using their grandmother's heirloom jewels to catch wild animals. God, mother would have a fit if she knew what we just did. You do realize those ruby cuff links cost more than most people in Hope Valley make in six months?"

"And they weren't harmed in anyway", Elizabeth said smugly as she threw a bone into the flame and looked around for a place to wipe her hands.

"So, did you do that a lot growing up?"

"Me? Never. I can't stand the idea of hurting animals. But the neighboring boys did. Usually just once or twice to get their first coon. You need a coon to teach hounds to hunt. And lots of folks don't want their kids handling guns before they're 12 or 13, and this is an easy way to trap. Of course, the boys didn't use ruby and gold cuff links. Anything shiny that attracts the raccoon's attention will do, even a simple tin can."

"I don't understand", Jack shook his head in disbelief. "All the raccoon had to do was let go of the cuff link and he could have gotten away. "

"But that's just it. The raccoon won't let go. They're obsessed with shiny objects. Your fianceé, on the other hand, is obsessed with her handsome Mountie", Elizabeth added as she reached over and wiped the raccoon grease from Jack's mouth before replacing it with her lips.

"Are you sure we're going in the right direction?" Elizabeth asked as Jack held her hand while she stepped over a fallen log.

"Actually, I'm not. I think we're heading north, but with the woods being so thick and the clouds blocking out the sun, it's hard to tell."

"I don't suppose my trusty Mountie happens to have his compass with him."

"Sorry, it was in my saddlebag. And the moss is growing on both sides of trees because the forest is so dense, so that's no help."

"Well, we're going to have to make a compass", Elizabeth said as she stopped and sat on a fallen dead tree, and pulled out her small sewing kit from her pocket.

It was just one needle threaded with black thread, one needle threaded with white thread, two pins, and a pair of scissors less than two inches in size, but Elizabeth found a strange sense of comfort in carrying this small sewing kit with her.

"You always carry that with you?", Jack asked.

"You know I do."

"You always carry a sewing kit, but you couldn't manage to bring me food or water", he said teasingly.

"Hush. I fed you."

"You planning on sewing us a compass?" Jack asked humorously.

Elizabeth gave him an exasperated look before holding out her hand. "Your handkerchief please, kind sir."

"Is this silk?" she asked as she ran her fingers on it after Jack took it from his pocket and handed it to her.

"Of course. From the finest men's clothier in Hamilton. Only the best for a Thornton man", he replied with a smile.

Jack watched curiously as Elizabeth tore the thread off one of the sewing needles, and then began rubbing one end of the needle across the silk handkerchief, over and over again.

"I have no absolutely no idea what you're doing, but you are the most amazing woman I have ever met. Will you marry me?"

Elizabeth looked up and returned his smile. "Yes. I will. And I'm making us a compass."

"Out of a needle and a piece of silk?"

"A magnetized needle. And a leaf and a puddle", Elizabeth added as she stood up.

Finding a small pool of water left over from yesterday's storm, Elizabeth placed the leaf on top of the water and then gently placed the needle on the leaf. Jack watched in bewilderment as the floating leaf slowly spun around and then stopped. He had no idea what Elizabeth was doing but he thought she looked awfully pretty doing it.

"That way's north", Elizabeth stated pointing in the direction that one end of the thin metal needle was pointing.

"What just happened?"

"Science, Constable Thornton. Never underestimate science. . . or school teachers", she added with a smile as she stood up, kissed him on the cheek, and started walking north.

"Oh, I'll never underestimate you", Jack said quietly with a mixture of awe, bewilderment, and something close to alarm as he hurried to catch up to her.

"Maybe we should turn around and make camp back in that cave we saw."

"Jack! We can't go back. Not when we've come this far."

"You're right. Just wait up a minute. I need to rest my ankle."

"I can wait. For as long as it takes. We'll take our time"

"But not too much time." Jack said as he looked around at the wilderness and then up towards the sky. It's going to be getting dark"

Elizabeth sat on the ground, not even bothering to try to keep her skirt clean. She watched as Jack rubbed his sore ankle and then took a thirsty gulp of water.

"Jack, I'm going to learn it all", Elizabeth said quietly, her eyes welling up with tears.

"Learn what?" Jack set down the canteen and looked at her curiously.

"Your mother's lessons."

"Elizabeth, I'm sorry if my mother's been giving you a hard time about getting married. I know she can be difficult. You're being a good sport."

Jack hobbled over to Elizabeth when he saw her wipe away the wetness falling down from her eyes.

"Hey, what's with the tears?", he said tenderly as his fingers gently ran along her cheeks, clearing away the tears. "I don't care a thing about any of that stuff, you know that."

"I know. . . . I . . . I just want you to know how much I want to be married to you. I was really worried about you. When you were missing this morning-"

"Shh. I'm sorry I worried you. And I'm okay." His voice was gentle and sweet as he gave her a small kiss.

"From the first day I met you... you . . . you got to me." Elizabeth paused to catch her breath so she wouldn't break into a sobbing mess before earnestly continuing. "All I knew was that I wanted to be with you. No matter what. We're meant for each other. I love you and I'm going to be the very best wife to you."

"I'm not worried about that. I already know you're going to be the best wife. I'm more worried about being the best husband." Jack said with a slight shake of his head and a frown.

Elizabeth looked at him in surprise.

"Why would you worry about that?", she asked in bewilderment before blurting out "You're perfect."

Jack chuckled. "I'll remind you of that when we're married and I forget to do something."

"Why would you be worried?" Elizabeth asked again.

Your mom gave me quite the talking to when she was in town."

"At least she didn't give you a list of things to learn", Elizabeth said, feeling sorry for herself.

Jack laughed even louder. "I didn't show it to you yet. It arrived in the mail earlier this week. Do you have any idea how many types of chickens she expects me to know?!"

Up Next: chapter 26

Dear Readers: Just in case any of you plan on marrying a rich city boy, below is Mrs. Thornton's lesson on jewels.

Mrs. Thornton's Lesson Number #1: Jewelry

1. Breathe on sapphires and diamonds to make them fog up. If they are real, the fog will disappear within one to two seconds. If it takes longer, the stones are fake.

2. Hold a ruby up to the light. It should not have yellow or green in its light spectrum (rainbow). If it has yellow or green lights, it may be a garnet. Garnets are also very pretty, but far less valuable than rubies, more orange in color than red, and a softer stone.

3. Rub pearls against your teeth. If they are real, they will feel gritty. Also a real pearl necklace will have a knot in the string between each pearl.

4. Jade is heavier than it looks and initially will feel cold when you touch it. It will warm up as you hold it.

5. Amber is very light and will float in a glass of salt water. Fake amber (glass) will sink.