Chapter 92 – Unexpected Surprise
Faith made her way upstairs. She knew that she had to tread lightly with Elizabeth, but she also was going to be firm with her. When she got to the top of the stairs, she heard Jack and Elizabeth talking, so she carefully knocked on the door.
"Good to see you more awake." Faith said to Jack. "How you feeling?"
"Better." Jack said. "Still tired, but getting there."
"Well." Faith said. "It is going to take some time to gain your strength back. I don't want you to push it, but if you want I may let you go to your own home tomorrow or Tuesday if you promise to rest."
"I don't think that is going to be a problem." Jack said. "In case you haven't noticed, I have a wife and my mother is in town."
Elizabeth and Faith just laughed.
"Elizabeth." Faith said. "How are you doing? I heard that you haven't left Jack's side. I am worried about you."
"I am fine." Elizabeth insisted. "I have been tired, but I will be better when Jack is home."
Faith just looked at Elizabeth and then at Jack. Elizabeth didn't see Jack shake is head at Faith. He silently pleaded that she press Elizabeth more. Jack knew that there was something going on, but Elizabeth was stubborn.
"Well." Faith said. "I know that you were sick a few weeks ago. I am concerned because I heard that you haven't eaten much and that you have been more then just tired."
"I am fine." Elizabeth said.
This time Jack wouldn't take no for an answer. If Elizabeth wasn't going to say something, then he was.
"Really Bella." Jack said. "You have been tired and had an upset stomach. I may have been out of it, but I know that something is going on. You need to take care of yourself. I will be fine, now please let Faith take a look at you."
"No need." Elizabeth said. "I think I know what is going on. I was going to talk to you later."
"Are you sure?" Faith asked.
"Not completely." Elizabeth said.
"Mind if I confirm it." Faith said.
Jack just looked between them, but didn't say anything. He thought he knew what was going on, but he wanted to know for sure. He had been worried about Elizabeth for some time, even before he got hurt. Elizabeth just looked at Jack and then Faith and back to Jack. She finally nodded her head to Faith.
"Here or the other room?" Faith asked.
"Might as well do it here." Elizabeth said.
Jack scooted over a little and Elizabeth laid down on the bed. Faith felt around Elizabeth's stomach and then she pulled out a stethoscope and listened. She had a big smile on her face when she looked back at Jack and Elizabeth. Jack was excited, but he wanted to hear it.
"Well." Faith said. "I think that there is going to be a little Thornton this fall."
"Really." Jack said. "That is amazing."
Jack leaned down and gave Elizabeth a kiss. She kissed him back and then she tried to sit up. Faith wanted to give them some space, so she packed up her stuff. Before she left, she turned back to them.
"Any questions right now?" Faith asked. "If not, I will let you be and we can talk later."
"Wait." Jack said. "When in the fall?"
"Well." Faith said. "It is hard to be exact, but let me ask Elizabeth some questions and maybe we can narrow it down."
"I can't be that far along." Elizabeth said almost in tears.
Jack wrapped his arms around her and Faith sat on the edge of the bed.
"Why?" Faith asked. "From what I understand, you were married at Christmas. It is not out of the realm of possibilities. I don't want to embarrass you but when was your last monthly?"
"January." Elizabeth said. "When we were in Hamilton."
"Again, I don't want to embarrass you." Faith said. "If you want, we can go talk in the other room."
"No it is okay." Elizabeth said.
"Okay." Faith said. "In January, was it normal?"
"Not really." Elizabeth said.
"How so?" Faith asked.
"It was really light and only lasted just over a day or two." Elizabeth said.
"When was your last normal one?" Faith asked.
Elizabeth was quiet for a moment like she was thinking. "I guess just before the wedding in December." She finally said.
"There you go." Faith said. "You were probably pregnant in January, it is not uncommon to have a little light bleeding in the first trimester. Especially if it is your first. Best guess is that you will welcome this little one sometime in September. Congratulations. I will leave you be. I will be around for awhile if you need anything."
"Are you leaving?" Jack asked.
"If I want to stay at Union City." Faith said. "I need to head back there by the end of the month. They understand that I am needed here right now with the landslide, but they can't make a permanent assignment."
"Okay." Jack said.
Elizabeth just looked at Jack, she heard the tone in his voice. She knew that he was thinking and something wasn't adding up. She also knew that she was concerned about Faith leaving. Jack didn't say anything else, but Elizabeth knew that there was more.
"Okay." Faith said. "You both need to rest. Please let me know if there are questions."
"Can you send Abigail up here?" Elizabeth asked.
"Sure." Faith said. "Again, congratulations and please rest."
"We will." Jack said.
Faith got up and grabbed her stuff, then headed downstairs. Jack waited until he heard her head down the steps before he turned to Elizabeth.
"I love you, Bella." Jack said. "This is so wonderful. Are you okay?"
"I love you too." Elizabeth said. "We will talk about this (indicating her midsection) in a moment, but I heard that tone in your voice when Faith said something about leaving. What is going on?"
"I had talked to Abigail about seeing if there was funding to offer Faith a full-time position." Jack said. "If Abigail didn't talk to her, then there must not be the funding. I guess I am disappointed. That is all. We really could have used her here. I also know that she wasn't looking forward to going back to Union City. I am not sure if you know that her and Adam broke up and he put her stuff in storage and left Union City."
Before Jack or Elizabeth could say anything else, Abigail appeared in the doorway.
"You wanted to see me." Abigail asked.
"Yes." Jack said. "Faith said something about leaving by the end of the month. I thought that you were going to talk to her."
"I wanted to go over the books first." Abigail said. "When I did, I realized that there was no way that we could pay her a full-time wage. Maybe if we started setting aside something we might be able to pay a nurse's wage next year. Gowen didn't do well with the town's money, but I have made some changes, so things will get better, but it will just take some time."
"Okay." Jack said with disappointment in his voice.
"Wait." Elizabeth said. "What if there was another way? The town would still have to start setting aside money to be able to cover at least a portion of the wage later, but I think there is a way."
"What are you up to now?" Jack asked.
"I have an idea." Elizabeth said. "Just let me check something. I need to go talk to Dee."
Elizabeth got up and headed downstairs to find Dee. Jack and Abigail just looked at each other and then at the doorway that Elizabeth had disappeared out of. Jack motioned for Abigail to sit down and talk for a moment.
"Honestly." Jack said. "How are things?"
"Been better and been worse." Abigail said. "Everyone is pulling together and helping, but there have been tensions. Nothing that we can't handle. I don't want to bother you. You need your rest."
"No." Jack said. "I need to know what is going on."
"There is grumbling among some of the men that were rescued." Abigail said. "The supervisor, a Mr Albertson, died as a result of his injuries. Some of the men are worried about what is going to happen. They want to get paid and those that are able want to go back to work."
"Dang!" Jack said hitting the bed.
"As far as I know." Abigail said. "Wynn has Dee trying to figure things out. We have tried to reassure the people from the settlement that we don't expect payment, but they are worried about losing their land. They said that a lawyer shows up to collect payment."
"I knew there was something that I forgot to tell you." Jack said. "I learned that the settlement land was originally Gowen land and a lawyer was going out and getting rent from the settlers. I thought that all of his land/property had been forfeited when he was arrested. I had meant to talk to you. I did request some information about Gowen and his holdings, as well as what happened to everything after his death. I know that some things came back to the town, but I wanted to double check on things."
"Well." Abigail said. "Wynn is here. I will talk to him and let him know. I am sure that Dee and/or Wynn will be able to handle things. I don't want you to worry about things. I will take care of things. I would love for Faith to stay, but I just don't see how."
"Well." Jack said. "If I know Elizabeth, she has a plan. Let her check out whatever it is that she needs to, but I think even if she had to pay for it herself right now, she would do it. She knows how much having a nurse means to the town."
"Okay." Abigail said. "Anything else?'
"No." Jack said. "I am going to try and rest until my wife comes back. Talk to you later."
"Night." Abigail said picking up the empty tray from earlier.
Abigail left Jack alone and headed back downstairs. She knew that she needed to talk to Wynn. She also didn't want Elizabeth to have to pay for a nurse, it was the town's responsibility and she felt bad. When Abigail got downstairs, she saw Wynn in the kitchen.
"Can I get you something?" Abigail asked.
"I was just going to make a quick sandwich." Wynn said.
"Here sit down." Abigail said. "I will make you a hot plate. I have to talk to you about something anyway."
Wynn took a seat and looked at Abigail. She pulled some food out of the icebox and set it to heating. She then poured some coffee for Wynn and sat with him for a minute.
"I was just talking with Jack." Abigail said. "Apparently the settlement had been land that had been owned by Henry Gowen. Also there was a lawyer that was going out to collect rent. Both Jack and I thought that everything had been forfeited when he was arrested. I know a bunch of land was bought up by Lee, and still other land came back to the town as repayment. I don't remember anything about that piece of land. I had let Jack know that there was some worry among the settlers that they were going to lose their land. I told them that I would check into things, but didn't have anything else that I could say."
"I will have Dee check into that." Wynn said. "He would know more then I off the top of my head. There is something else isn't there. I saw Elizabeth grab Dee and go off to talk. She had that determined look on her face. I wasn't going to interfer at the moment. I have seen that face and I have also learned that it is better to let them calm down and come to me."
"Your wife?" Abigail asked.
"Wife and daughter." Wynn joked. "I called it the Thatcher face. I have also seen it on William and his girls."
"Oh boy." Abigail said.
She got up and got Wynn his supper before sitting back down to talk to him some more.
"Elizabeth learned that the town can't afford to pay for Faith to stay here right now." Abigail said. "Jack had talked to me and I looked at the books and it just wasn't in the budget right now. I am still trying to get the town on better footing from Gowen's poor investments. Maybe if we planned and set aside money we might be able to cover part of the salary in a year. I know that the nurses in some of the bigger cities make up to fifteen or twenty dollars a month. I think that the best that we could do was maybe ten. That would also include an apartment above the infirmary, but I still didn't think that we could get anyone."
"Knowing my niece." Wynn said. "She would pay for it herself if she felt it was important. All I will say, is go ahead and make the change in the budget and start setting aside the money. I have a feeling that if Faith wants, she will be staying."
"Thank you." Abigail said. "Now what are we going to do about Rushman. He isn't going to drop this things with Jack and Elizabeth. Oh, Charlotte and I talked to both Jack and Elizabeth and gave them a heads up."
"Don't worry about Rushman." Wynn said. "I have restricted him to the office for now and warned him about talking to the towns people other then a polite greeting. I am also working on something, but can't say much yet. That boy, needs to be taught a lesson in humility and I know just the thing. I have already had Dee start the first part. It is just going to take a few days. Besides, I don't think that he is actually stupid enough to cross Charlotte at this point."
"Alright then." Abigail said. "I will leave you to it. Jack was going to go back to sleep, but feel free to check if you want. I am sure that you would feel better seeing him yourself."
Wynn just looked at Abigail and shook his head.
"Thank you." He said. "I just might."
"I will leave you be." Abigail said. "I need to go find Cody. There is more in the icebox if you are still hungry or if Dee comes in. Feel free to help yourself. There may still be a couple of cookies in the jar, unless Bill swiped them earlier."
"Thank you." Wynn said. "Also, I think that Cody was playing with a few of the other boys over behind the jail."
"Thank you." Abigail said.