Author's Note: Sorry for taking so long to update. I wanted to write a scene with Lucas reading to Little Jack in the library, and I wanted to use one of Beatrix Potter's books - problem was I had never read any of them. So as research I've been listening to an Audiobook of her stories. At first I was going to have him read Peter Rabbit, but as I was listening to the other stories, one of the character's names made me laugh and had me picturing Little Jack finding the name amusing, so I went with that story. I hope you enjoy the scene and the rest of the story. Once again, I want to give a grateful shout-out to everyone who has taken the time to review, favorite, and/or follow this story. I'm glad so many people seem to be enjoying it.
Chapter 15
"Enjoy," Lucas said to the couple as he set their meal down in front of them. "Let me know if there is anything else that I can get for you."
The couple thanked him, and Lucas made his way back to the bar, casting a surreptitious glance in the direction of the couches and chairs at the far end of the room. Mr. Thatcher had been sitting in one of the chairs, purportedly to read his newspaper, for the past couple of hours. Normally Lucas didn't mind if a patron wanted to sit and read in the far corner of the saloon, after all that was what the area was for. However, Lucas had a sneaking suspicion that it wasn't the newspaper that William Thatcher was studying.
Since Lucas had gone straight over to the oil company office after walking Elizabeth to school after breakfast, he had missed seeing the Thatchers the entire morning. It wasn't until he had come into the saloon shortly before lunch to help with the rush that he had noticed Elizabeth's father sitting at a table eating his meal. Then after he had finished, he had moved from the table to the armchair, where he had been sitting with a newspaper in hand ever since.
Lucas wished the other man would just approach him and say whatever it was that he felt needed to be said. He found the silent scrutiny to be a bit unnerving.
He had been honest with Elizabeth earlier when he had said that the only connection he knew between their fathers was the fact that they were business competitors, but now he had a suspicion that the connection went a whole lot deeper than that. His father had never mentioned having any sort of personal connection with the owner of Hamilton Shipping, but Lucas understood that his father wouldn't necessarily tell him every detail of his dealings with others, especially ones that didn't seem to concern him. Afterall, who could have predicted that he would fall in love with William Thatcher's middle daughter?
"Papa! Papa!"
Lucas turned at the sound of the familiar childish voice and watched as Little Jack came toddling slightly unsteadily towards him. Concerned that the boy might fall and hurt himself in his haste to get to him, Lucas took a few quick strides towards Jack, eagerly snatching him and swinging him up into his arms. He bit back a moan as his sore muscles protested the action. His run in with the car yesterday, combined with sitting hunched over a desk at the oil office all morning, had taken a toll on his body.
"How's my little buddy today?" Lucas asked the boy, ignoring the ache in his back.
Little Jack leaned forward and gave Lucas a kiss on the nose before letting out a happy giggle and throwing his arms around his neck.
Lucas couldn't help but laugh as well as he hugged the boy tightly to him. "I'm happy to see you too, Jack." Then turning his attention to the young girl now standing before him he asked, "And how are you today, Laura?"
"I'm fine, Mr. Bouchard," she said with a friendly smile. "Jack had a good nap today, so I was able to get a lot of my schoolwork done."
"That's wonderful," Lucas acknowledged, knowing how seriously she took her classes. "So, what are your plans then for the next hour? More study?"
"No, I was actually planning to go and see Mrs. Coulter and Mrs. Flynn at the dress shop," Laura informed him happily. "I have been saving some of my pay every week for the last several months and now I can afford to buy my very first store-made dress."
Lucas could tell that she was extremely excited about the fact. "That's wonderful, Laura. I'm very happy for you."
"Thank you," she said eagerly. "I can't wait to see what Mrs. Coulter will design for me."
Smiling Lucas reached into his pocket, feeling around for the coins he knew he had in there. Once he had gathered a small handful, he pulled his hand out and said, "I would like to make a contribution to this exciting event." He held out his closed hand to her, waiting for her to hold out hers.
When she did, he dropped the coins into her hand, which she looked at with surprise. She looked at him and said, "I can't accept this."
"Sure, you can," he assured her. "Consider it compensation for bringing little Jack to me every afternoon. Because you do so, I am able to use the time I would have had to spend picking him up to clear up any business-related matters that I need to attend to. That way I am able to spend a completely undistracted hour with him."
Laura hesitated as she looked down at the coins. He saw the longing look on her face, indicating how much she wanted to accept his offer.
"Please, Laura," he said gently. "I insist on repaying your kindness."
Laura looked at him and then suddenly threw her arms around him, saying, "Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Now I can have a dress as beautiful as all the other ladies in Hope Valley!"
Lucas smiled and put an arm around her, giving her a warm hug. "I'm glad, Laura. You deserve it for everything you do for Mrs. Thornton and little Jack. Because of that, you have my undying gratitude."
Laura released him and gave him a radiant smile.
"Go along and see to that dress then," he encouraged. "I can't wait to see what Mrs. Coulter and Mrs. Flynn create for you."
"Thank you, Mr. Bouchard," she said with obvious excitement. "I'll see you in an hour."
Lucas chuckled as he watched her almost fly out of the saloon. She may be growing into a fine young woman, but she was clearly still a girl at heart.
Turning his attention to Jack he asked with a grin, "So, my little man, what should we do today?"
"Ball!" Jack exclaimed eagerly.
Lucas tried not to groan at the thought. "Not today, I'm afraid. Your poor papa is too sore from what happened yesterday to play ball, especially your way of playing ball. So, what do you say we go to the stables and say 'hi' to Sergeant and King before going to the library and doing some reading? I actually have a surprise for you there that I think you will enjoy."
"Kin'!" Jack repeated with a broad smile. "Horsey!"
"That's right, 'horsey'," Lucas chuckled. "Come on, let's go tell Sam we're leaving."
After quickly checking in with Sam and Gustave, Lucas and Little Jack left the saloon and headed in the direction of the stables. When Jack saw King, he clapped his hands excitedly. King snorted a reply.
"Ride?" Jack asked as he gently patted King's neck.
"Not today," Lucas told him. "But perhaps you and I can convince your mother to go for another ride later this week. Maybe we can have a picnic supper on your mother's land." He paused for a moment before amending with a slight smile. "On our land."
Jack replied in what Lucas affectionately called 'Jack speak'.
"That reminds me," Lucas commented, "I need to speak to Lee about ordering the lumber we need to finish the house your father started. I then need to speak to a couple of the local builders to see if I can hire one of them to finish the house."
Jack's reply was another mix of unintelligible sounds, which caused Lucas to smile.
"I can't wait until we can have a real conversation," Lucas told the boy honestly. "I also can't wait until you, your mother and I are a real family." He paused for a moment before saying in a low tone. "Can I tell you a secret? Promise you won't say anything."
He smiled as Jack replied in a series of incoherent sounds.
"I'll take that as a 'yes'," Lucas grinned, then reaching into the pocket of his pants he pulled out an antique velvet box. Setting Jack down so that he was standing on a bale of hay, he opened the box and showed Little Jack the contents. The little boy peered at it curiously.
"This ring belonged to my grandmother," he told Jack. "She gave it to me shortly before she died and told me to save it for the woman that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with."
"Pretty," Jack said as he looked intently at the ring. The beam of sunlight coming in the door of the stable had caught the 5 diamonds of the ring making them sparkle.
Lucas couldn't help smiling when he noticed how the diamonds danced in the light. He remembered as a child being mesmerized by the ring on his grandmother's hand when it sparkled like that and couldn't wait to see it on Elizabeth's. He had retrieved it from the saloon's safe shortly after arriving there at lunchtime.
"I'm going to ask your mother to marry me," Lucas told Jack eagerly. "I plan to ask her this week." He returned the ring to his pocket before sitting down on the hay bale beside Jack. "Then we can celebrate with everyone during the Founders Day festival this weekend."
The boy climbed onto Lucas' knee and looked up at him with interest.
Lucas smiled at the fact that he seemed to have Jack's undivided attention. "I plan to do it at the library, and I want you to help me, little buddy. It'll take some planning, but I want you to be part of everything. I think it's important that you are. I'll let you in on the details once I've figured them out."
Jack continued to look up at him and Lucas couldn't help but smile and give him a hug.
"I never thought I could ever love anyone as much as I love you and your mother," he told Jack solemnly. "My father always told me that when I found the right woman that I would understand what love was all about. I never really believed him, since I didn't think I could ever love anyone as much as my father loves my mother. Then I met your mother. She is such an amazing woman. She's sweet, kind, and generous yet she's strong and feisty at the same time." He chuckled slightly. "I still remember the day she came into the saloon to scold me for teaching Allie a card trick. Her jaw was set, and her eyes were blazing with anger, yet she still spoke in a controlled tone. I remember how she defused slightly when I explained the reason that I had taught Allie the card trick. I had already noticed your mother's beauty and intelligence during our first conversation and had been captivated, but this side of her really intrigued me. I was hooked right from the start. And my love and admiration for her has continued to grow. I love everything about her."
Lucas noticed that Jack had not shifted his gaze away from Lucas' face the entire time he had been speaking. "And you are a wonderful bonus, little buddy and I promise to do everything I can to be the best father possible to you and to any siblings you may have. I hope we can have the same close relationship that I have always shared with my father. Even though he is busier with work than my mother or I would like, he is still a good father. I hope to be just like him; though I plan to be around a lot more than he was when I was growing up."
Jack reached up and touched Lucas' bearded cheek. "Papa." Then getting to his feet he stood beside Lucas on the hay bale and threw his arms around the older man's neck.
As he hugged the boy, Lucas marveled at how much Jack was like Elizabeth when it came to knowing when and how to comfort someone. "I love you," he whispered softly to the child. "I couldn't love you more if you were my own flesh and blood."
After a moment he rose to his feet, picking Jack up too, and said, "Come on, let's go say 'hi' to Sergeant and then head over to the library. I'm eager to show you your surprise."
Just then their quiet interlude was interrupted when Nathan came into the barn with Newton in tow.
"Good afternoon," Lucas greeted as he and Little Jack headed to Sergeant's stall, which happened to be located almost across from Newton's.
"Afternoon," Nathan grunted in return as he set about unsaddling Newton.
"I hope you're having a good day," Lucas added as he and Jack started petting Sergeant.
"It was a good day," the constable remarked as he placed the saddle over the edge of the stall. "Until now."
Lucas decided to let the conversation drop since it was evident that Nathan wasn't in the mood for idle chitchat, especially with him. Instead he focused on Jack and Sergeant.
"I see you managed to convince Elizabeth to let you spend time with her son when she's not around," Nathan commented suddenly.
Lucas glanced over to the other man before calmly replying, "I didn't have to convince Elizabeth of anything. We talked about it and she thought it was a great idea that Jack and I spend some time together without her around. That way we create our own bond."
"Why are you doing all this, Bouchard?" Nathan suddenly demanded, causing Lucas to look at him and frown.
"I beg your pardon?" Lucas asked in confusion.
"You've won the competition," the other man told him. "You've managed to convince Elizabeth that you are the better suitor, so why are you still hustling her? What do you have to gain by making a poor widow and her son grow attached to you like this?" He gestured to little Jack who was watching Nathan from Lucas' arms. "You know you're only going to end up hurting them in the end."
Lucas' frown deepened. "What competition are you talking about?"
Nathan gave him a look of disbelief, as he said coolly, "You know exactly what competition I'm talking about. The one that started the night we both gave Elizabeth flowers. The one that you have not been playing fairly by inviting her on trips to Union City and to candlelit dinners in the library. How can you expect me to compete with that? It's no wonder she turned her nose up at my invitation to dinner at the café."
"You invited Elizabeth to have dinner at the café?" Lucas questioned.
"Yes, I did," Nathan said. "But I guess it wasn't fancy enough for her after the way you've been wining and dining her. She just stood there and looked at me without saying a word. Now I know why."
"Nathan," Lucas sighed in exasperation. "Didn't you know that Elizabeth's first date with Jack was at Abigail's Café?"
Nathan looked surprised by the information.
"They had the entire place to themselves and Jack had gotten Abigail to prepare a special meal for them," Lucas informed him. "He'd decorated the place with candles and had a couple of her older students act as waiters and waitresses."
Nathan's eyes narrowed. "How do you know all this?"
"Elizabeth told me," Lucas replied. "So very likely when you suggested dinner at the café as a first 'date', she was remembering that first date with Jack."
"Why didn't she just say so?" The other man asked with a frown. "She just stood there not saying anything."
"I can't tell you exactly what was going through her head at that moment, Nathan, but when it comes to talking about her past with Jack, she's not going to just blurt out something so deeply personal like that," Lucas told him. "It takes time to build up that level of trust."
"And you've managed to do that?" Nathan retorted.
"We've had a few conversations about her history with Jack," Lucas replied cautiously. "Though I will admit that most of them have taken place since we started courting."
"And you don't mind taking second place in Elizabeth's life?" Nathan asked, then nodding towards Little Jack, he added, "Or is it third place?"
Lucas sighed, knowing that this conversation was not going to go anywhere productive. "Listen, Nathan, I don't know how you've been viewing what's been going on with you, me and Elizabeth, but this has never been a competition for me. I love Elizabeth with all my heart, and my biggest concern has always been for her happiness. I will not deny that Elizabeth choosing to allow me to court her has made me the happiest man in the world, but it's not because I won some competition, it's because I love her and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. Everything I have ever done with regards to Elizabeth was to show her how much she means to me and how important her hopes and dreams are to me."
"That sounds a little one sided to me," Nathan commented sarcastically. "It's no wonder she chose you. Sounds like she gets everything out of this relationship, but you get nothing from her."
Lucas frowned, shocked by Nathan's view of matters. "You are so wrong, Nathan. I get so much more than I could ever give her. I get the satisfaction of knowing that I am helping her fulfill her dreams, I have her love and support, and very soon she is going to help me fulfill one of my greatest dreams."
"What's that?" Nathan's eyes narrowed.
"That she, little Jack, and I become a real family," Lucas said solemnly.
Nathan's eyes widened again. "You're engaged?"
"Not yet," Lucas admitted. "But we've already talked about marriage – extensively – and it's just a matter of making it official, which I plan to do very soon. So, you see I get just as much from this relationship as she does. I will get to spend the rest of my life with the woman that I love more than anything else in the world, and I'll get to be Papa to this wonderful little man." He looked at Jack affectionately.
"Papa!" Jack echoed eagerly.
Nathan stared at them, apparently at a loss for words.
"Look, Nathan, I know we didn't get off on the right foot in the beginning," Lucas admitted, "And I will admit to being partially responsible for that because of the whole situation with Amos and Janette, but that's over with thanks to you and Bill. I have no more secrets that could potentially harm the town. All I want to do is settle down and live a happy life here in Hope Valley. That's all I ever wanted."
Nathan continued to stare at him wordlessly, so Lucas continued,
"Look, I know our mutual interest in Elizabeth didn't help things between us, but I honestly hope that one day we can become friends."
"Yeah," Nathan scoffed. "That is never going to happen."
"Never say never," Lucas replied with a slight smile. "Rosemary and Elizabeth are prime examples of former rivals becoming friends. They started off their acquaintance in the same situation that we're in – they were competing for Jack's attentions..."
"Yeah, I know the story," Nathan informed him, a look of triumph appeared in his eyes as he added, "Elizabeth told me. She and Jack were courting when Rosemary showed up in town wanting to renew the relationship that she had broken off with Jack a couple years before, but he chose Elizabeth and eventually she and Rosemary became friends. See, Elizabeth does share personal information with me."
Lucas ignored the jab, instead thinking about the interactions he'd witnessed between Elizabeth and Rosemary during his time in Hope Valley. "You would never know there had ever been any friction between them. They are as thick as thieves now."
"That may be true," Nathan acknowledged. "But we'll never be like that."
"I don't expect us to be best friends," Lucas admitted, thinking about Lee's offer in that department. "But I hope we can get past being rivals."
"We're cut from very different cloth," Nathan said crisply. "We're like oil and water; we don't mix."
Lucas shrugged. "Suit yourself. But the offer of friendship is always open if you ever change your mind. Now if you'll excuse me, young Mr. Thornton and I have an appointment with a book."
As Lucas left the stables, he let out a long sigh. He had been surprised to learn that Nathan had viewed their mutual attraction for Elizabeth as some sort of competition. That went a long way in explaining Nathan's attitude, especially his sulkiness, when it came to things Lucas did for Elizabeth. How anyone could view Elizabeth simply as some prize to be won was beyond him. She was such a warm, loving, and generous human being. She deserved the best that life could give her, and more than anything he wanted to be the one to give it to her.
"Lucas!"
He turned at the sound of his name being called and saw Fiona standing by the back door of the mercantile where the telephone switchboard was located.
"Yes, Fiona," he called back, approaching the porch of the store so they weren't shouting across the street at one another.
"Are you and Little Jack heading for the library?" she asked eagerly.
"Yes, we are," Lucas confirmed.
"Great!" She smiled broadly. "Things are quiet today and I need something to read! I'll just get Ned to watch the switchboard for a moment while I run over to the library and grab a book."
"Okay," he acknowledged before turning and continuing in the direction of the library.
"There you go, little man," Lucas said, setting the boy down once they entered the building. His back needed a break from carrying him around. Less than a minute later Fiona opened the door.
"I only have a minute," she told him. "But I was wondering if you happened to have picked up a copy of Virginia Woolf's new book for the library."
"As a matter of fact, I did," he told her. "I bought a copy when Elizabeth and I were at the reading." He moved to the section where he had filed the volume.
"Elizabeth was telling me about it the other day," Fiona explained, "But when I asked if I could borrow her copy, she was very reluctant to agree, which I found very strange. Normally she is more than happy to share her books."
Lucas tried to hide his smile as he pulled the book off the shelf. "You don't say. That does sound odd. I wonder why she's so protective of it." He gave her an innocent look as he handed her the library's copy of The Voyage Out.
Fiona looked at the plain green hardcopy edition, a smile twitching on her lips. "Interesting," she said, looking up at Lucas with dancing eyes.
Intrigued by her amused expression he questioned, "What?"
"Oh, nothing," she said innocently. "I was just thinking how much nicer Elizabeth's copy was."
A smile tugged at his lips. "Is that so?"
"Yes, it is," she nodded with a sly grin. "I would say that whoever gave it to her obviously loves her very much to go to so much trouble to have a brand-new book rebound so beautifully."
"It was no trouble," Lucas said dismissively, knowing what he was revealing by his admission.
Fiona smiled at him as she continued, "That would also explain her reluctance to loan it to anyone else."
"Could be," he said, trying hard not to let his smile break too widely. "I really couldn't say."
Fiona just smiled. "I'm thrilled for you and Elizabeth, Lucas. You two make a wonderful couple, and it's clear to everyone how much you love each other."
"Thank you, Fiona," he acknowledged with a genuine smile. "I appreciate you saying that." His mind traveled back to his conversation with Nathan in the stables earlier. "I know there are some who are less than thrilled for us."
Fiona's smile softened. "Give him some time."
Lucas lifted his eyebrows in surprise, but before he could say anything she asked,
"Do you want to know my thoughts on the matter?"
"Please." Lucas felt he could use all the help he could get in dealing with Nathan Grant.
"I think that because Elizabeth's late husband was a Mountie, Nathan feels a certain duty towards her," Fiona told him. "As if it's his job to protect her because Jack is no longer here to do it." She paused for a moment before adding, "I believe he's confusing that sense of duty with something else."
Lucas gave her an appraising look. "That is very astute of you, Miss Millar. How did you come to be such an expert at reading people's characters?" He smiled to let her know he was teasing her.
Fiona chuckled good-naturedly. "I have eight siblings, Mr. Bouchard, and about twenty cousins who practically grew up at our house and not one of us has the same personality; we all react to events and situations in vastly different ways. You learn a lot about human nature when you are part of such a big family."
"Well, that certainly puts me at a disadvantage," Lucas smiled a little sadly. "I'm an only child with only six cousins and we didn't see each other very often."
She shook her head. "I couldn't imagine being an only child, though there were certainly times when I was growing up that I wished for it."
"And there were many times growing up that I wished for a brother or sister to do things with," Lucas admitted, looking down when he suddenly felt something wrap around his leg. Jack was standing at his feet, one arm wrapped around his leg while he held a familiar blue book in the other.
"Well, you may not have any brothers or sisters, but this little guy really seems to love doing things with you," Fiona commented, bending down to ask the boy, "What have you got there, Jack?"
"Pee-ter," Jack said as he held the book up to Lucas.
Lucas smiled as he accepted it. "Jack and I have been reading about Peter Rabbit."
"How cute," Fiona said with a smile. "My youngest sister is in love with that book. She has my mother read it to her every night."
"How old is your sister?" Lucas asked curiously.
"She's ten," she replied. "And she is just as much of a bookworm as I am."
"Well, you are fortunate to have the type of work that allows you to indulge your passion for books," he commented.
"Speaking of which," she said, "I really should be getting back before the phone rings and gives Ned a heart attack. See you later, Lucas."
Lucas bid her good day before turning his attention back to the young boy still standing beside him with one arm wrapped around his leg. "So, Buddy, are you ready for your surprise?"
Jack lifted his arms up towards him, so Lucas bent down and scooped him up before heading towards the small desk by the window.
Opening the drawer, he pulled out a couple of books. "I bought a few more of Beatrix Potters' books for us to read together."
Carrying Jack and the books to the loveseat by the window, he sat down and after making sure that Jack was comfortable on his knee, he showed the boy the books. "We have The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin, The Tale of Benjamin Bunny, and The Tale of Two Bad Mice." Fanning the books out for Jack to see, he asked, "Which one should we read?"
Jack pointed to one of the books.
"The Tale of Two Bad Mice," Lucas read. After setting the other books aside, he opened the grey-colored tome and cleared his throat before beginning to read, "Once upon a time there was a very beautiful doll's house; it was red brick with white windows, and it had real muslin curtains and a front door and a chimney."
Pointing to the illustration in the book he said, "Look at the house, Jack."
"Howse," Jack repeated, looking at the picture intently.
"Beautiful house," Lucas said slowly, seeing if Jack would repeat the words.
"Bootiful howse," Jack dutifully repeated.
Lucas smiled as he continued to read, "It belonged to two Dolls called Lucinda and Jane; at least it belonged to Lucinda, but she never ordered meals. Jane was the cook; but she never did any cooking, because the dinner had been bought ready-made, in a box full of shavings."
Pointing to the next picture, he said, "Look at all that food, Jack. Mmmm, mmmm, yummy!"
"Ummy!" Jack exclaimed.
Lucas tickled Jack's stomach and said, "Yummy, yummy, in my tummy!"
Jack giggled and reached over to try to tickle Lucas' stomach as he said, "'Ummy, 'ummy, 'ummy!"
Lucas laughed in amusement and returned to the story.
"One morning Lucinda and Jane had gone out for a drive in the doll's perambulator. There was no one in the nursery, and it was very quiet. Presently there was a little scuffling, scratching noise in a corner near the fireplace, where there was a hole under the skirting -board.
Tom Thumb put out his head for a moment, and then popped it in again. Tom Thumb was a mouse."
Lucas pointed to the picture and said "mouse" very slowly.
Jack also pointed to the picture and repeated the word.
Lucas felt his heart swell with pride as the boy said the word clearly. "Great job, Jack!"
"A minute afterwards Hunca Munca, his wife, put her head out too," Lucas continued to read.
"Hunca Munca!" Little Jack exclaimed in delight, bouncing slightly on Lucas' knee. "Hunca Munca! Hunca Munca!"
Lucas couldn't help but laugh. Obviously, there was something about the name that struck the little boy's funny bone. "Okay, settle down, you little Hunca Munca."
Jack giggled again and exclaimed, "Hunca Munca!"
Lucas turned his attention back to the story. Dropping his tone to denote the sneakiness of the mice's next actions, he read, "The doll's house stood at the other side of the fireplace. Tom Thumb and Hunca Munca went cautiously across the hearthrug. They pushed the front door – it was not fast. Tom Thumb and Hunca Munca went upstairs and peeped into the dining room. Then they squeaked with joy! Such a lovely dinner was laid out upon the table! There were tin spoons, and lead knives and forks, and two dolly-chairs – all so convenient!"
"Tom Thumb set to work at once to carve the ham," Lucas related, his tone full of excitement and delight. "It was a beautiful shiny yellow, streaked with red."
Lucas opened his mouth wide to denote sudden surprise as he read, "The knife crumpled up and hurt him; he put his finger in his mouth." Putting an exaggerated look of pain on his face, he brought his hand up to his own mouth as if his fingers were hurt.
Jack reached up and grabbed Lucas' hand and brought it down to put a kiss on his fingers as if to kiss the injury. Lucas smiled, realizing this was something the little boy must have learned from Elizabeth.
Once again turning back to the story, Lucas' put an exaggerated pout on his lips as he complained, "'It is not boiled enough; it is hard. You have to try Hunca Munca.'"
"Hunca Munca!" Jack cried, once again bouncing with excitement.
"Hunca Munca stood up in her chair and chopped at the ham with another lead knife," Lucas narrated, his tone once again filling with excited expectation. Putting a higher pitch in his tone, he continued, "'It's as hard as the hams at the cheesemonger's,' said Hunca Munca. The ham broke off the plate with a jerk and rolled under the table."
"'Let it alone,' said Tom Thumb." Lucas' tone was deeper again and full of frustration. "'Give me some fish, Hunca Munca!'"
"Hunca Munca tried every tin spoon in turn; the fish was glued to the dish," Lucas related, "Then Tom Thumb lost his temper. He put the ham in the middle of the floor and hit it with the tongs and with the shovel – BANG, BANG, SMASH, SMASH!"
"Bang! Bang!" Jack repeated excitedly. "Hunca Munca! Bang! Bang!"
Lucas chuckled with amusement. "You sound like you're shooting mice," he told the little boy in amusement. "Not that I blame you."
"Hunca Munca! Bang! Bang!" Jack repeated, bouncing up and down on Lucas' knee in his excitement then letting out a laugh.
Chuckling, Lucas turned his attention back to the book and continued to read the story.
When he turned a page a few minutes later, the little boy suddenly slapped the picture Lucas had revealed.
"Bad Hunca Munca!" Jack exclaimed in a scolding tone.
Lucas chuckled. The picture was depicting the mischief the mice got into next. Lucas continued to read the story. A few pages later there was a picture of Tom Thumb and Hunca Munca carrying some pieces from the doll house across the floor to the hole of their home while the dolls were returning to the nursery.
"Run, Hunca Munca!" Jack surprised Lucas by exclaiming.
"The mice rushed back to their hole," Lucas continued to read, his voice breathless and excited. "And the dolls came into the nursery. What a sight met the eyes of Jane and Lucinda!"
Lucas finished reading the story, which ended with a picture of Hunca Munca, dustpan and broom in hand sweeping the dolls' house.
"Hunca Munca! Hunca Munca!" Jack said with excitement.
Lucas smiled indulgently at the young boy. "I think you're a little Hunca Munca," he said as he wrapped his arms around the boy and started tickling him.
Jack laughed and wiggled, trying to get away from Lucas fingers. "Papa! Papa!"
"Yes, you little Hunca Munca!" Lucas laughed, easing up a little on his tickling.
"I'm not sure how I feel about you nicknaming my grandson after a mouse," a voice suddenly said, interrupting the laughing pair and causing them both to freeze in surprise.
Lucas looked up to find William Thatcher standing by the closed library door, an amused smile on his lips. He had no idea how long the other man had been standing there since he hadn't heard the door open.
"Mr. Thatcher," he moved to rise to his feet, but Mr. Thatcher waved him back into his seat.
Moving closer to them, the older man pulled out one of the wooden chairs from the table and sat down, his eyes still showing his amusement as he looked at them.
"You and Jack seem to be getting along well," Mr. Thatcher remarked after studying them for a few moments.
"We are," Lucas confirmed, glancing down at Jack who was watching his grandfather intently. "Especially lately."
"Oh?"
"Since Elizabeth and I started courting last week, I've been setting aside an hour every afternoon to spend with Jack while Elizabeth is in school," Lucas informed him. "She and I both felt it was important for Jack and me to develop our own relationship."
Mr. Thatcher nodded. "Well, it's obvious he feels comfortable with you. He does call you 'Papa' after all."
"That was Elizabeth's idea," Lucas quickly informed him. "I was trying to teach him to call me 'Lucas', but Elizabeth thought it would be better to teach him to call me 'Papa' right from the beginning instead of having to try to teach him to call me that later. She said it would be less confusing for him that way."
"Makes sense especially since both of you seem to be pretty certain that the two of you are going to get married," the other man said solemnly.
Lucas couldn't hold back the broad smile that spread over his lips at the memory of the conversation he had had with Elizabeth that very morning. "We are. In fact, I'm planning to ask her this week to be my wife." Lucas hesitated for a moment, wondering if he dared to voice his desire. "And I would like to ask your blessing before I do."
Elizabeth's father studied him carefully for several moments before saying, "I remember when another young man came to ask me that very same question a little over two years ago." A wistful look appeared on his face. "I regret that I didn't get to know him better. He was a fine young man and he really did love Elizabeth very much." Looking at Lucas, he said, "I don't want to make the same mistake this time."
Lucas frowned slightly, not sure exactly what he meant by that comment.
"I've been observing you," the older man told him solemnly.
Lucas smirked. "Yeah, I noticed."
"I don't just mean at the saloon this afternoon," William Thatcher admitted. "After you and Jack had left, I followed you to the stable. I overheard your conversation with Little Jack about your plans to propose to Elizabeth this weekend and I also heard what you and Constable Grant were saying to each other."
Lucas cringed a bit at the news, hoping that he had kept his cool with the Mountie as much as he'd been trying to.
Mr. Thatcher chuckled slightly. "Sounds like its been interesting around here for Elizabeth the last little while."
Lucas smiled. "It's been interesting for a few of us."
A far away look appeared on the older man's face as he said a trifle sadly, "I know exactly how it feels to be in Constable Grant's shoes."
Lucas wasn't sure if he was expected to say anything or not, but before he could decide Mr. Thatcher looked at him and gave him a friendly smile. "I have learned that once Elizabeth has her mind and heart set on something there is no dissuading her, and it is clear that her mind and heart are set on you, Mr. Bouchard."
"Please, call me Lucas."
"Well, Lucas, as far as I'm concerned you have my blessing to ask Elizabeth to be your wife,"
Relief filled Lucas at the news. He knew that it was basically a formality to ask for Elizabeth's hand in marriage, especially since she had already been married before, but it made him feel so much better knowing that he had her father's approval. After yesterday he hadn't been sure he would gain Mr. Thatcher's consent so easily.
Unable to suppress it, a large smile broke over his face. "Thank you, Mr. Thatcher. I am incredibly happy to hear you say that. I promise you, that I will do everything I can to provide and care for both Elizabeth and Little Jack. I love them very much."
Mr. Thatcher nodded. "I know you do, and I have every confidence that you will provide them both with the best life possible."
"I'm planning to finish building the house that Jack started," Lucas informed him. "Elizabeth told me that you paid off the loan on the land after Jack died."
The older man nodded. "I didn't want her to have to worry about losing it to the bank if she couldn't make the payments. Jack may not have had much, but he did his very best to provide what he could for her." He looked at Lucas. "I'm glad to know that she will not have to worry about finances so much now. Speaking of which, how are things going with the oil company? I noticed that you spent the entire morning over at the office."
Lucas shouldn't have been surprised that Mr. Thatcher had observed what was becoming his morning ritual. Letting out a soft sigh he said, "I've gotten my head around what caused the problem in the first place, I'm just trying to figure out how to fix it. If we were to raise our prices to what we should be charging, we would likely lose a lot of our contracts, but if we don't, then there is no way to make the company viable. As I told Elizabeth when I was just an investor in the company and had decided to pull out, I can't keep throwing good money after bad."
"How so?"
"For a while, I was using my own money to pay the oil employees and fend off the oil company's vendors. I couldn't realistically keep doing that," Lucas told him.
"Certainly not," Mr. Thatcher agreed. "Are you sure that you'll lose a lot of your contracts if you were to raise your prices? If your prices are equal to what the other oil companies are charging, is there a chance that they'll stick with you because of your reputation for delivering a good quality product on time?"
Lucas shrugged. "It's possible. I guess the only thing to do is try. The problem is, if they don't stay with us, I'm not sure how to go about getting more contracts. I have no experience in the oil field."
"Did you have any experience running a saloon before you bought it?" The other man asked curiously.
Lucas shook his head. "No, I didn't."
"But it appears to be doing well," Mr. Thatcher remarked.
Lucas smiled proudly. "Much better than I ever hoped. Business has been very good."
"So, you obviously have a good head for business," the older man pointed out.
"My father taught me at an early age how to handle money responsibly," Lucas informed him. He chuckled slightly. "I had my own lemonade stand when I was seven and sold homemade candies that I helped our cook make when I was ten. It was a 40-40-20 split."
Mr. Thatcher frowned as he repeated, "A 40-40-20 split?"
"Forty percent each for me and our cook and twenty percent back to the household account for the supplies to make the candies," Lucas explained with a light chuckle.
"How did you do?"
Lucas grinned proudly. "I made enough with my profits to buy myself a brand-new bicycle."
Mr. Thatcher gave him a look of approval. "Sounds like your father did teach you well. He's a very shrewd businessman."
"I didn't know that you and my father knew each other," Lucas commented honestly. "I mean I knew that Hamilton Shipping has been R. B. Shipping's biggest competitor for many years, but I had no idea until yesterday that you owned Hamilton Shipping. I only learned that from Lee when he told me he provided the wood for your shipping crates."
Mr. Thatcher's face adopted the same expression that Lucas had seen the day before – one of discomfort, even pain.
The older man let out a deep sigh, one that seemed to come up from his very toes. After a brief pause, he said, "I have never met your father, Lucas. I only know him by reputation. It's your mother that I'm acquainted with."