Chapter 44 – Getting Settled (short)
Elizabeth gave Julie a look, but she completely missed it. Elizabeth knew that it was going to be a long week or however long it was Julie was staying.
"So." Julie said with a shrug. "When are you going to tell me what's really going on?"
"Pardon me?" Elizabeth said.
"Between you and that delectable Mountie?" Julie said.
"You must mean Jack Thornton." Elizabeth said.
"Mm-hmm." Julie said. "So what can you tell me?"
"We're just friends." Elizabeth said.
"Stop." Julie said. "I saw the way you were looking at him. So I bet he is the real reason that you didn't want to come home."
"For your information." Elizabeth said. "I didn't come 'home' as you call it because I got done teaching on July 8th and I just started again on Monday. I worked with students one on one this summer, all three weeks of it, on reading and math, trying to get them caught up."
"Sure, whatever." Julie said with a wave. "Does he feel the same way about you?"
Elizabeth let out an exasperated breath.
"Who says how I'm feeling?" Elizabeth said, trying to sound innocent.
"Please …" Julie begged.
Elizabeth just rolled her eyes. Julie sat down on the bed.
"It's as if there's gravity between you." Julie said "Like the earth pulling on the moon."
"You're being bombastic." Elizabeth said. "There is no gravity."
"Fine." Julie said flatly. "But since when do we keep secrets from each other?"
Elizabeth sighed. She really didn't want to tell Julie.
"Fine." Elizabeth said. "If you must know he asked me out for dinner this Saturday night and I accepted. It's his first clear expression of interest."
Julie squealed.
"I knew it." She said. "This is like something right out of a romance novel. A beautiful, vulnerable young teacher comes to a farming town –."
"It's a coal-mining town." Elizabeth said. "Which is why they call it 'Coal Valley'."
"Oh." Julie said. "Even better. Then, something is awakened inside of her by a virile man of the law in a red serge jacket –."
"'Awakened?" Elizabeth exclaimed "Virile? We went from bombastic, to melodramic to obscene."
"So where is he taking you?" Julie asked. "On a horse-drawn carriage ride? It should be white, like Cinderella."
"This is not a fairy tale." Elizabeth said. "I'm not a princess."
Elizabeth had walked back over to Julie's trunk and pulled out a piece of jewelry. It was silver diamond encrusted necklace and held it up to her wistfully.
"Then to a romantic French bistro." Julie said. "For crepes and sweet toffee liqueur."
"He's probably taking me to the saloon." Elizabeth said.
"What!?" Julie said distastefully. "You mean that dusty old hole teach in?"
"It's the thought that counts." Elizabeth hissed. "And more importantly, there will be no meddling in my love life. Understood!"
Elizabeth turned and gave Julie a scary teacher face with her arms crossed.
"Me? Meddle?" Julie said innocently. "I never meddle."
Elizabeth took a deep breath and deepened her stare at Julie.
"I don't meddle." Julie said. "I invest emotionally in your well-being. And when my sister tells me she's in love, of course, I want to!"
Elizabeth was getting extremely frustrated with Julie and she had only been there a couple of hours.
"Love?" Elizabeth said. "I said nothing of the sort. 'Love life' is general term for … friendly companionship between the sexes."
"Well …" Julie said wistfully. "If you say so."
Elizabeth was already fed up with the way that Julie was behaving. She was remembering why she left Hamilton in the first place. After they got things put away as best as they could, Elizabeth and Julie headed downstairs to have supper. By then Abigail had already closed the cafe and was cleaning up. Julie sat down expecting to be waited on. Elizabeth just looked at her and shook her head. Elizabeth went over and help Abigail make up a couple of plates before bring them over to set on the table for them. Julie didn't do anything to help. Elizabeth got everything ready for them and finally sat down. Julie just looked at her. Elizabeth didn't say anything, she was in no mood for Julie's behavior.
"Abigail." Elizabeth said. "Do you need help or can I turn in early?"
"You spend time with your sister." Abigail said. "It shouldn't take me long to get things cleaned up."
"If you are sure?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yes." Abigail said.
Elizabeth finished eating and then picked up her dishes and carried them over to the sink. Julie ate a little bit and when she was done, she just left her plate and headed upstairs. Elizabeth just shook her head. She looked at Abigail and mouthed 'sorry.' Abigail nodded knowingly. Elizabeth went upstairs and got ready for bed. Julie was sitting in their room.
"You're going to bed?" Julie asked. "I want to do something."
"Well" Elizabeth said. "I am going to bed. I have a busy day tomorrow with school. I also have things going on this weekend."
"I guess I will go to bed then." Julie said saddly. "I suppose I will go with you tomorrow then."
"If you want." Elizabeth said. "But I expect you to behave."
"I always behave." Julie said.
Elizabeth gave her a look. Elizabeth changed and crawled in bed. Julie changed and did the same but wanted to talk.
"Sleep, Julie." Elizabeth said.
She then rolled over and pulled the blankets up around her. Julie was miffed, but did the same.
After getting all of Julie's stuff over to the cafe, Jack helped Patrick get his horse settled and took his stuff over to the jail.
"Sorry." Jack said. "The saloon hotel is full of new miners right now. I have been staying here for months. Actually, it is much quieter then the saloon and that was why I moved over here. I even added the storage room in the back. Well, I expanded it quite a bit."
"This is fine by me." Patrick said.
"Well." Jack said. "Make yourself comfortable. I have to head over to the saloon. I have been have a little trouble with the new miners at night. So I go over as a show that I am around. Sam likes because he says there seems to be less trouble all the way around when I am there. Especially with the miners getting paid today."
"This can wait." Patrick said. "I will come with you. Do the miners usually get paid on Thursday?"
"Okay." Jack said. "Usually Friday, but sometimes payroll comes in early. It was brought in on the stagecoach yesterday when the only miner pulled out alive after the explosion came home."
"In uniform?" Patrick asked.
"Usually better." Jack said. "Sometimes, I don't, but they know me. Maybe both of us in red, will get the point across that I don't want trouble tonight."
"Red serge it is." Patrick said.
Jack and Patrick walked over to the saloon, just as the supper crowd was getting going. Patrick could already see three or four tables of cards. He followed Jack over to the bar.
"Sam." Jack said. "Please meet Constable Patrick O'Reilly. Patrick, this is the saloon owner, Sam Trevoy."
"Nice to meet you." Patrick said putting out his hand.
Sam nodded.
"Reinforcements?" Sam asked.
"Nope." Patrick said. "I was came as an escort, for Miss Thatcher's sister."
"Well." Sam said. "Whatever, glad your here. Jack, the boys over in the back corner have already been warned. Your usual tea?"
"Okay." Jack said. "Patrick, tea?"
"Yes, please." Patrick said.
Sam nodded and returned shortly with two cups of tea. The two sat at the end of the bar, where they could keep an eye on things. Patrick was hungry so he ordered some chili. They chatted about different things. They had no problems and stayed until Sam closed up. They then walked back over to the jail.
"Sorry, Patrick." Jack said. "It has been a long day. We can talk tomorrow. Right now, I need sleep."
"That is fine." Patrick said. "I didn't sleep well traveling. So I am tired as well."
With that, they got ready and turned in for the night.