Chapter 39
"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes,
always perseveres."
~1 Corinthians 13: 6-7
As Jack and Elizabeth entered the saloon, they were immediately accosted by Dottie Ramsay, "Constable Thornton, the way you caught that runaway horse was absolutely amazing!" she gushed. "We are lucky indeed to have you in a Coal Valley." She turned to Elizabeth and smiled.
Elizabeth saw Dottie's gaze drop slightly and it was then that Elizabeth realized that she and Jack were still holding hands. Dottie seemed quite pleased at seeing this. Elizabeth tried to wriggle her hand free from Jack's, though he refused to let go. Elizabeth's eyes widened and her mouth went into a straight line as she blushed. She cut her eyes sideways at Jack but he did not meet her gaze, as he continued to hold her hand firmly.
"Aren't we very lucky to have him here, Miss Thatcher?" Dottie asked, with a very smug look on her face.
Realizing what Dottie had just said, Elizabeth forgot her embarrassment and threw Jack a questioning look. "You stopped a runaway horse?"
"You bet he did!" Tom Trevoy joined the conversation. "Who was that man, Jack?"
Jack looked at Elizabeth, who was still confused. "Uhhh.. It was your uncle, Elizabeth."
Elizabeth's eyes widened. "Uncle Charles was on a runaway horse?"
"Yeah," Wendell Backus chimed in. "He and that blamed horse went rarin' through town three, four times before the good constable here finally stopped 'em."
"Uncle Charles was on a horse?" she asked again, incredulous.
Jack nodded.
"But, Uncle Charles doesn't ride!" she exclaimed. "My father said he had a bad experience when they were boys. The closest I've ever seen Uncle Charles get to a horse was riding in a carriage. In fact, he was one of the first in the city to get a motorcar because he dislikes horses so much!"
"Well, I guess that might explain why the horse was a runaway," Abigail observed.
"Well done, Constable Thornton," Dottie Ramsay praised again, glancing again at Jack and Elizabeth's still clasped hands. Elizabeth once again grew uncomfortable under her gaze and, this time, she managed to free her hand from Jack's.
Jack, too, was clearly uncomfortable, not liking all the attention he was receiving. "Thank you, Mrs. Ramsay," he said as he placed his now empty hand on Elizabeth's elbow to guide her to a table. Mrs. Ramsay headed out of the saloon as Abigail followed Elizabeth and Jack to the table.
Trevoy slapped Jack on the shoulder. "What'll you have? Chili and cornbread? Whatever you want, it's on the house. That was quite a sight!"
"The ladies would like some tea and I'd like coffee," Jack told Trevoy.
"Alright, coming right up," Trevoy told them as he headed to the bar.
"Why on earth was Uncle Charles on a horse?" Elizabeth asked, still not able to reconcile the notion.
"He said he didn't want to wait for the stagecoach later in the week. He thought your aunt was still sick and wanted to get to her as soon as he could," Jack explained.
"Really?" Abigail asked, pleased with the news.
"Yeah," Jack acknowledged. "But why is your aunt so mad at him?"
Elizabeth shook her head. "Aunt Olivia said they haven't been communicating well these days." She looked to the door, as though she was hoping Aunt Olivia and Uncle Charles would come walking through it.
"All their children moved away and sometimes that can put a strain on a marriage," Abigail informed Jack and Elizabeth. "They just need some time to talk about things. I'm sure they'll sort it all out."
"How long do you think that will take?" Elizabeth asked.
"I don't know," Abigail admitted. "Why?"
"Because you have rolls in the oven and beef stew on the stove," Elizabeth reminded Abigail. "I don't want our Sunday dinner to burn. And I certainly don't want our home to burn down!"
"Oh my!" Abigail exclaimed, startling Trevoy as he delivered their tea and coffee. "Sorry, Mr. Trevoy," she apologized to the bartender before turning back to Jack and Elizabeth. "I'll give them a little while longer, then perhaps I'll sneak in through the kitchen door to check on the food."
All three became quiet as they drank their tea and coffee. After several moments, Elizabeth leaned to Jack, putting her hand on his arm. "Thank you for rescuing my uncle from that runaway horse."
Jack's face lit up as he smiled. He covered her hand with his. "Anytime, ma'am," he replied with a laugh.
Abigail sipped her tea as she, once again, enjoyed watching Jack and Elizabeth's affectionate exchange.
After several minutes, all three decided to head back to the café. They went to the kitchen door and Abigail peeked inside. All was quiet inside. In fact, Olivia and Charles were nowhere in sight. Abigail turned back to Elizabeth and Jack. "They're not here."
"What?!" Elizabeth exclaimed as she and Jack followed Abigail inside. She looked in the dining room and then headed upstairs. "Where could they have gone?" she asked as she came back downstairs.
"I don't know," Jack answered. "Perhaps they decided to take a walk and talk about things."
Olivia and Charles were indeed out walking. Olivia rushed out of the café shortly after the others left and Charles followed her. She sped down one of her usual walking paths, with Charles trailing her. He kept imploring her to talk to him.
Much to her chagrin, Olivia finally had to stop as she was getting out of breath. Charles caught up with her and stood behind her, unsure of what to do.
"Livy, what is wrong?" he asked. "I've come all this way because, when Kate told me you were sick. I was so worried..."
"Why?" Olivia asked sharply as she whirled around to face him. "Why are you all of a sudden so concerned? You certainly haven't been very concerned about me for months now!" Tears were welling in her eyes, threatening to spill down her cheeks at any moment.
Charles realized just how upset his wife was, but still had no clue why she was so angry with him. He opened and closed his mouth several times, searching for what to say.
"I've been traveling over much of Canada and even the United States for weeks and weeks! Have I heard one word from my husband?" She forcefully shook her head. "When did you even notice I wasn't at home?"
Charles blinked against the vehement onslaught. "Olivia... Olivia..." was all he could stammer.
Olivia turned away as the tears fell down her cheeks. "No! It's clear to me that our marriage is over!" She was sobbing now. "You just don't love me anymore." She'd whispered the last line as her strength was giving out.
Charles's mouth dropped in horror. Fear and astonishment seemed to help him find his voice. "Olivia, no!" He tried to embrace her, but she pushed him away. He moved around to face her. "Olivia, of course I still love you!"
She refused to look at him. Instead, she looked down as the tears continued to slip down her cheeks. She placed her hand over her mouth to catch her sobs.
He reached for her arms and looked into her face intently. "Of course I still love you," he repeated. "You're my Livy." She turned away slightly but he followed her. "And what do you mean, I didn't notice you'd left? Of course, I knew you'd left! That house was so empty."
Olivia harrumphed her skeptical reply.
"Truth was, I didn't want you to go, but I figured you wanted to see the kids and your friends. Our house is pretty empty now that Vic is studying overseas," he told her. "I know you threw yourself into all those clubs and things because you missed the children. I certainly couldn't compete with the Ladies' Society, Garden Club, Women's Church Sodality, the Botanical Society, or your bridge were so busy with all those meetings!"
Olivia looked up at him, anger still ruling her face. "What are you talking about? You were so busy at work, how'd you even notice that I was going to meetings? After the children left, all you wanted to do was work, work, work! You certainly had no time for me!"
Anger was now clouding Charles' face. "No, no! You were the one who was so busy that you had no time for me! You were even taking your meals with William and Kate, for crying out loud! You wouldn't even eat with me!"
Olivia's expression softened. "I was only eating with them because you weren't there or were so busy you wouldn't even talk with me while we dined. I just felt so alone!"
Charles looked at his wife, as though he was seeing her for the first time. He exhaled sharply. "Well, it seems you and I have gotten ourselves into a heck of a pickle, Livy!"
She nodded. The tears had stopped and she was now looking at him, eager to hear what he had to say.
He bravely reached for her hands and she didn't resist. He met her gaze and assured her, "Livy, of course I still love you! How could I not love my fiery Livy?"
A smile curled at the corners of her mouth as the tears started to fill her eyes again, but this time they were brought on by her happiness at his words.
"I've loved you since you told me off in your father's office over twenty-eight years ago! Why on earth would you think I didn't?" he asked, exasperated.
Olivia sighed before answering. "I just... I just missed you so much! And when you worked more and more, I figured you were bored with me and didn't want to spend time with me anymore. I thought that we had become one of those old couples that..." she hesitated as a sob filled her throat. "One of those old couples that become roommates and don't like each other. You know the ones that call each other horrible names and tell people how much they can't wait for the other one to be gone!" She swallowed hard, trying to quell the sobs.
Charles shook his head as he slid his arms around her. Olivia leaned against him, her face buried in his neck. "Absolutely not!" He whispered into her hair. "I love you, Livy! Always have! Always will!"
They held their embrace for several minutes before Charles teased Olivia, "Besides, we can't become one of those old couples, Livy. If I called you a horrible name, you'd clean my clock!" They collapsed against each other in laughter.