"Jack!" Kate smiled seeing Jack standing outside the window of the mercantile. Jack didn't seem to hear her as Kate got closer she called to him again.
"Jack, hello" Kate tapped his shoulder as Jack jumped noticing her.
"Oh hey" Jack said. Kate turned to the window where he was looking into the store.
"What's that?" Kate asked seeing a machine sitting on the windowsill.
"It's a washing machine."
"Oh yeah i read about those, it's supposed to be laundry so much faster, everyone in Hamilton has them." Kate nodded.
"Elizabeth has to have one for Christmas." Jack said firmly.
"Umm, is that in the budget right now?"Kate asked.
"No, but I'll make it in the budget." Jack said sounding determined.
"Well Elizabeth sent me to tell you she is at the cafe with the kids ready for dinner they are just waiting for you." Kate said. Jack nodded as they both turned back down the street.
"Will you be joining us?"
"I can sit for a little but, dinner isn't to busy yet but I might have to get up and work if it starts to get busy." Kate said.
"Well here's to hoping you get a few bites of your own dinner in first." Jack smiled.
"I sure hope so." Kate chuckled.
"I know it sounds childish but I am actually looking forward to winter this year." Eric said holding Kate's hand tightly as he walked her home after work.
"Why is that?" Kate asked shivering and pulling her coat around her tighter.
"Well I happen to like winter, ice skating, sledding, going on sleigh rides."
"Taking walked through the woods after a snow storm when everything is silent and white and beautiful." Kate added.
"That too." Eric smiled.
"I jut hope we are here long enough to enjoy those things, I hope we get at least one good storm before Christmas while we are still here. The kids love sledding the big hill behind the bank, they talk about it all summer." Kate sighed.
"I hope that too." Eric whispered softly wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close as they walked a few more steps in silence through the dark woods, the lantern Eric carried being the only thing lighting the way. Kate felt like they could be swallowed up by darkness but it was somehow comforting.
"I have a question for you." Eric asked.
"What's that?"
"Has Jack ever thought about selling a portion of his land? I mean everything to the west of the pond is just pasture for the animals, if he sold that portion of his land I bet he would have enough to get by." Eric said as the woods opened up and they followed the wagon tracks, the warm glow of the house in the distance.
"I don't know that he ever considered it. This land means everything to Jack. He saved up everything he had to buy it and build the house before he and Elizabeth were married."
"Well, if you said something do you think he would consider it?" Eric asked.
"I don't know, he might. I but I don't think anyone in town is looking to buy land right now with money so tight for everyone. And if I'm being honest I think it would break his heart to sell to a stranger. He worked so hard for this land and it means so much to him." Kate said softly.
"Your right, forget I asked, I know that would be a sacrifice." Eric said softly as they reached the front porch.
"I wish we could think of a way to stay too. Keep thinking it's not to late yet." Kate gave him a little smile.
"I will" Eric nodded.
"See you tomorrow?"
"Yes, I have something to do on my lunch break so I won't be in for lunch, but what if we have dinner at my place after? I'll make you some chili?"
"Sounds good" Kate smiled she stood on her toes kissing Eric goodnight before going into the house. Elizabeth was sitting at the table going over school work and Jack sat on the sofa rocking Lily.
"How was work?" Elizabeth asked as Kate took off her coat and boots.
"Long, tiring, we are starting the search for more help soon. I think we are going to put an add in next Sundays paper." Kate said.
"Well I'm sure there will be no shortage of people looking for a job." Jack said as Kate nodded.
"Did Eric walk you home today?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yes, I'm going to have dinner with him after work tomorrow so I will be home late." Kate nodded sliding into a seat at the table next to her sister and glancing at the math papers she was grading.
"That sounds nice." Elizabeth smiled as Jack slowly stood up.
"She's out, I'm going to go put this girl to bed and check on the kids." Jack whispered.
"I'll be up in a few minutes." Elizabeth nodded.
"Good night" Kate whispered as Jack crept up the steps slowly not to jostle the baby.
"Is Eric still taking the idea of you leaving well?" Elizabeth asked as Kate reached for her teacup drinking some of her sister's tea.
"He is, he seems to be thinking of every way he can for us to say, but he is not bitter about it or anything." Kate nodded.
"Well we are all thinking, there just doesn't seem to be a way." Elizabeth sighed.
"I feel sorry for Abigail, she seems like the idea of it makes her so sad. When I brought up putting out the ad so someone could help her when I was gone I thought she was going to cry." Kate said softly.
"I know, I feel sorry for Rosie and Lee and Clara and Bill, all our friends that don't know yet. It will be awful telling them, not as awful as Abigail but still pretty awful." Elizabeth agreed.
"We should wait to tell them."
"I know, but I want to do it before all the holiday things start, I don't want it to put to much of a damper on the holidays, if they have time to come to terms with it before it won't ruin our Christmas."
"Just not yet, I can't bare to have everyone upset yet." Kate said quietly.
"Neither can I." Elizabeth sighed squeezing her hand.
"Morning" Bill gave Jack a nod as he walked into his office the next day.
"Morning Bill, what brings you here?" Jack asked looking up from his typewriter.
"I'm helping Paterson put a new roof on his barn today, it reminded me that you wanted to put on your roof too. Did you want to get that done before we get any snow?" Bill asked.
"Umm I'm afraid I'm going to have to put it off a few months." Jack sighed.
"Times are tough and shingles are expensive." Bill nodded not needing Jack to explain anymore.
"Hey Bill" Jack called him as Bill turned to leave, Jack ushered for Bill to close the door. Jack stood up coming around to stand in front of his desk.
"I have a big favor to ask you." Jack said.
"Anything" Bill nodded.
"I have to join back up in January, we don't have the money we need to get through the winter. I already know I'm going to be sent to the border. Elizabeth and the children are coming, Kate as well. I hope to be back here by middle of spring. While we are gone can you keep our animals, and things running here, I know it's a lot to ask..." Bill waved his hand cutting Jack off.
"It's nothing to ask, I will do that for you." Bill nodded.
"Thank you, we're taking the horses and Willow so it would just be the cow and chickens, I'm sure the barn cat will live just fine off all the mice she will catch in an empty barn." Jack sighed glancing over at Willow who lay by the stove wagging her tail.
"Is this your only choice?" Bill asked.
"It is if we want to keep the house." Jack nodded.
"I'm very sorry to see you go." Bill sighed.
"We're going to miss you, especially Will he had grown very fond of you." Jack said, Bill chuckled softly.
"He's a good kid." He laughed.
"You know how much you mean to my family, we are going to miss you Bill."
"Well I will take care of everything while your gone, and I will be right here waiting for you when you get back." Bill said patting Jack's arm before surprising them both and pulling him in for a hug. Jack sighed as Bill let him go again, patting his back and heading out. Bill was the closest thing Jack had to a father. Abigail had taken Elizabeth and Kate under her wing all those years ago, and Bill had done the same to Jack. He had a tough outer shell but he was sweet and kind. When Jack had to go away when Abby was a baby Bill had taken care of the girls and the farm for Jack, he walked Kate home at night when it was dark, he doted on their children in his own loving way.
"Thank you" Jack gave him a smile.
"Be safe out there." Bill nodded before turning to leave again.
"How does this sound?" Kate asked pulling a paper from Abigail's typewriter and holding it out. Elizabeth took it scanning it quickly looking up from where she was sitting at the kitchen table.
"You spelled gourmet wrong" Elizabeth said.
"No! Blasted thing, now I have to start over." Kate sighed taking the paper back and using it to copy as she started typing again and Elizabeth pointed out her mistake.
"Why on earth are you looking for a gourmet chief?" Abigail asked taking the ad to look at for herself.
"Because I don't want you to be pulling all the weight for yourself. It isn't fair for me to leave you to do all the work again." Kate sighed typing rhythmically as Elizabeth stirred honey into her tea.
"You act like I am so old lady who can't run my own cafe, did you forget I opened this place single handed and I think it ran pretty smoothly if I do say so myself." Abigail said. Elizabeth nodded along listening distractedly.
"Of course it did, I have no doubt that you could run it just fine. But we talked about hiring more help anyway, I figured I would just ask for something a little more then a few extra pair of hands. Someone who know what they were doing in the kitchen not just serving plates." Kate said.
"You leave the kitchen to me just find someone to run food out to tables." Abigail said firmly. Kate sighed not wanting to argue with her anymore.
"Well then I guess this paper is no good either." Kate sighed pulling the sheet from the roll tht was half typed.
"Oh may I have it, I want my 10th years to correct the grammar." Elizabeth said taking both ads as Kate shot her a dirty look.
"I don't like writing on type writers, I always hit the wrong letter and have to start over, what is wrong with plain old pen and paper anyway." Kate muttered slumping into a stool by the table and grabbing a cookie.
"My you sound like Jack." Abigail smirked.
"Even Jack is better then that, she sounds like Bill." Elizabeth teased as Kate elbowed her and Abigail laughed. They giggled together before Abigail turned away from them and Kate caught her dabbing the corner of her eyes with the hem of her sleeve.
"Abigail, what's wrong?" Elizabeth asked noticing too.
"Oh, I was just thinking about how I miss those afternoons we would spend sitting in this kitchen, you girls doing homework while I was making dinner. Then it made me realize how much I am truly going to miss you both when you are gone." Abigail sighed forcing a little smile. Kate and Elizabeth both stood up going around the table to hug Abigail together between them.
"We're going to miss you so much to Abigail" Kate sighed softly.
"Remind me again why we have all the Thornton children?" Lee muttered as he drove his car down main street. Tommy sat upfront between him and Rosemary who was holding Lily in her lap. In the back seat Aaron, William and Abby were arguing and Lee had just caught a second elbow to the back of the head.
"Oh Lee, don't you remember we talked about Aaron practicing have a sibling?" Rosemary whispered.
"Well sweetheart, mission accomplished they are certainly fighting like siblings." Lee sighed as Rosemary looked back to break up the fighting.
"Alright, why don't you all go play baseball, I'll let your Ma know your in the field." Lee said parking the car. The three older kids scrambled out of the back running to play.
"See, already made up and playing again." Rosemary said.
"Of course they are, they play together everyday, I don't see why you think having a picnic would change that." Lee said getting out of the car and reaching back to pull Tommy out lifting him into his arms.
"Your right, I suppose I thought it would be a little test for us to, I wanted to be sure we could handle more then one child." Rosemary agreed as Lee helped her out of the car and she cuddled a sleeping Lily in her arms.
"Well, as long as they are as cute as this I think we will have it handled." Lee smiled pinching Tommy's cheek making him laugh and squirm.
"Alright you get in there let your Ma know we have delivered you safely." Lee laughed putting Tommy down and he ran inside.
"I'm sorry the afternoon was not as enjoyable as I thought it would be." Rosemary sighed as they watched the kids playing.
"Are you kidding? I had a great afternoon with my son and my godchildren and my beautiful wife, what's not to love. And your right, it was good for us." Lee smiled putting his arm around Rosemary as they walked up the stairs to the cafe.
"We're back" Rosemary sang sweeping into the cafe.
"Oh Abigail, is everything alright?" Lee asked seeing her eyes red.
"Oh yes, yes, nothing a little cuddle from my girl won't fix." Abigail nodded quickly taking the baby into her arms.
"Well how was your day, did you survive with all the children?" Elizabeth asked pulling off Tommy's coat and wrapping him into a hug.
"Oh yes yes of course, it was good for everyone." Rosemary nodded.
"Though we might need a bigger car." Lee smirked.
"Jack says the number of children is the thing keeping us from getting a car. The wagon fits everyone easily." Kate nodded.
"Well if you ask me my feet and a horse do just fine." Abigail said firmly. Kate smiled softly at her.
"That reminds me! Elizabeth are you and Jack alright taking Aaron next weekend so Lee and I can go into the city?" Rosemary asked.
"Of course, he is always welcome."
"Thank you! We owe you and Jack a weekend away, you two should take a trip this winter and leave the kids with us for a weekend." Lee said. Elizabeth and Kate shared a look between them.
"We are always happy to have Aaron, he fits in so well, and he keeps the kids busy." Elizabeth gave her a little smile.
"Are you going to bring home a baby?" Kate asked excitedly.
"Not this weekend, they just want to have a meeting with us." Lee shook his head.
"Yes, Aaron is not ready, we will have to prepare him a little more." Rosemary nodded.
"Well you are welcome to borrow our kids anytime." Elizabeth laughed.
Jack looked up from his desk as there was a knock on his office door. He saw Eric looking through the window giving him a little wave. Jack waved him in putting away some papers on his desk.
"Hi Jack, is this a good time?" Eric asked slipping inside and closing the door behind him.
"Sure, is this personal or work related?" Jack asked leaning back in his chair.
"Personal, if that is alright." Jack nodded gesturing to the seat on the other side of his desk. Eric sat down pulling off his scarf.
"I know you didn't really want Kate saying anything but she told me about you all having to leave for a while." Eric said. Jack nodded.
"Word is going to get around soon I think, so far you and Abigail are the only people to know." Eric nodded nervously, Jack felt himself getting nervous. Surely Eric wasn't here to ask to marry Kate, Jack wasn't even sure he had that authority. That must be Elizabeth's choice, surly not his, if it was his choice he didn't even know what he was going to say, sure Eric was great, the best, Jack couldn't ask for more. But he was great as a man who treated Kate, well, who came to their family dinner on Sundays, who took Kate out to eat and cooked her dinner. But as a man to marry his first little girl? No, Jack couldn't even wrap his brain around that.
"I was going to ask you if you ever thought about selling the east side of you land? There's a decent amount there that you don't use except for pasture for the animals. You don't use it for farming or for building." Eric said. Jack breathed a sigh of relief, so he wasn't looking to marry Kate, at least not this time.
"I thought about it, but that land has a lot of meaning to me. It's the first big thing I bought for me family. You see when Kate and Elizabeth came here, they came from a lot, they had everything they could dream of. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to give them enough, that they would never be truly happy with what I had to offer. By buying that land, if felt like my first real ability to give them something, like I wasn't just a country boy without two pennies to rub together chasing after two city girls. I now know that was not the case and that I didn't have to prove myself to Elizabeth, but the land still feels so important to me." Jack shrugged.
"I understand that, you would do anything to make Elizabeth happy." Eric nodded.
"I just don't think I could part with it. I mean someone from town who I know maybe, Bill or Lee, I would even build Abigail a house out there with my own two hands, Lord knows that women does enough for us I would just give her a house and land. Problem is no one in town is looking to buy, no one has the money to buy and I can't stand the idea of losing my land to strangers." Jack sighed.
"What if I was looking to buy some land?" Eric asked trying to keep his voice brave. Jack looked up at him surprised.
"I know you know I intend on marrying Kate, I'm not here today to ask you for her hand or anything, I plan to have a lot more to my name when I approach you for that. But that is my intention. You said you couldn't give the land to anyone outside your family..."
"I can't ask you to pay..." Jack started but Eric interrupted him.
"I want to have something for Kate, just as you had something to give Elizabeth. I have savings, I can pay you for most of the land now, and pay off the rest by the end of the year. But what I can pay you now should get you through the winter so you can all stay in Hope Valley. Come springtime I'll start building a house there. You said you can't sell the land to a stranger Jack and I understand that. But if it were Kate and I, could you?" Eric asked. Jack sat back rocking in his chair looking Eric up and down.
"Well, I have to say I never thought about that as an option." Jack said
"I just, I buy the land, you guys stay and when Kate and I do get married she is still close by." Eric added, Jack's eyebrows raised at that thought.
"And suppose you and Kate don't get married?" Jack asked.
"We will." Eric said firmly.
"Humor me." Jack shrugged.
"If I don't marry Kate I will give you the land back and not expect any money back." Eric said.
"Wow, so you are that sure of marrying Kate then?"
"She makes me happy, I can't imagine my world without her. I would do anything to make her happy to spend the rest of her life with me." Eric nodded.
"Alright, I have to talk to Elizabeth about it first of course, but as long as she agrees you have a deal." Jack said. Eric smiled holding out his hand and Jack shook it firmly.
"We can draw up the lines and paperwork one day when you come out to the property." Jack said.
"Anything you want is fine with me! Just don't tell Kate yet, I would like to tell her myself." Eric said.
"Alright that's a promise." Jack nodded.
"Thanks Jack." Eric smiled rushing out the door. Jack shook his head sinking back into his seat.
"Well Willow what do you think of that?" Jack asked scratching the dogs ears.
Jack came home from work riding Sergeant down the dirt path whistling to himself. Abby was carrying the milk bucket in from the barn and William was scattering the chicken feed in the coop. They both looked up and saw him abandoning their chores and running to great him.
"Hi you two how was your day?" Jack smiled hopping off Sergeant to greet them. Willow ran barking happy circles around them.
"It was great! We went to Auntie's cafe after school and made a gingerbread cookies with Aunt Abigail." Will smile as Jack tossed him up into Sergeant's saddle and then put Abby up behind him.
"Well I hope you saved some for me." Jack smiled slowly leading Sergeant down the path. Elizabeth came out to great them on the porch.
"I see you had a good day." She smiled as Tommy slipped past her into the yard. Jack caught him up tossing him over his head making the boy laugh.
"One of the best, you lot run along and finish your chores, I have to talk to your mother and then we can go to the cafe for dinner." Jack said.
"Yayy!" Abby and the boys headed back to the barn as Jack jumped the steps to the porch gathering Elizabeth in his arms and kissing her firmly even dipping her back a little.
"Jack, what on earth has gotten into you?" Elizabeth laughed as Jack set her back on her feet.
"Come on, I have to tell you quick because it's a secret." Jack pulled her inside. The house smelled of fresh bread and Lily lay in the cradle napping by the low fire.
"What if I told you I had a way for us to stay in Hope Valley through the winter, and have enough money to not go hungry."
"So you wouldn't have to take the Mountie job?" Elizabeth asked.
"That's right." Jack nodded toeing off his boots and putting his hat on the hook.
"I say that's an answer to all out prayers, but how on earth did you come up with it?" Elizabeth asked starting to put away her schoolwork on the table.
"Well I didn't, Eric came up to me, he asked me about buying a piece of the land."
"This land?" Elizabeth asked surprised. Jack nodded.
"To built a house?"
"Yes, you know I was always resistant to selling the land, but he made a good point. He would pay a fair price and we wouldn't have to leave. The land would stay in the family and when he and Kate got married, she would still be right there." Jack said pointing out the window where the land on the other side of the house stood empty except for Gracie grazing in the fall grass.
"He is that confident about marrying Kate?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yes, he didn't ask for her hand, but he did certainly imply he has every intention of living in the house with her." Jack nodded as Elizabeth stacked up her books putting them in her school bag.
"Well what did you tell him?"
"I told him I had to talk to you about it of course, but I think I would like to." Jack said taking her bag from her and draping it over the chair.
"It would be nice to not have to leave, I could teach next term, the children wouldn't have to leave, you wouldn't have to join back up." Elizabeth nodded.
"The selling point for me what that even when Kate gets married, she will still be close. Eric isn't going to take her away to Lord knows where." Jack said making Elizabeth smirk and shake her head at him.
"So, what do you think?" Jack asked.
"I think I like the thought of anything that keeps us here, but this land means so much to you, whatever you decide I will be happy with." Elizabeth nodded.
"I bought this land with everything I had, I bought it for you, and Kate and our children. It feels only fitting that Kate live on a piece of it, especially if it means we don't have to uproot our children from their lives here." Jack said. Elizabeth nodded.
"I agree"
"Alright! So I will draw up the paperwork with Eric! Unpack your bags Baby, we are staying right here." Jack grinned lifting Elizabeth off her feet and swinging her around. Elizabeth laughed, happy to see Jack so free of the stress he had been under for so long.
"Now don't tell Kate, I promised I would let Eric surprise her." Jack said setting Elizabeth on her feet.
"Ugh I can't tell my sister?!" Elizabeth cried.
"No, but you can tell Abigail tonight when we go for dinner." Jack smiled.
"I suppose that will do." Elizabeth laughed
