Bill's Reaction – Chapter 7
Thank you for the kind reviews.
Once again, many thanks to MamaBethany for sharing her ideas and beta reading the story.
I hope you enjoy the next chapter.
Early Sunday Morning
Nathan had been up late last night. After numerous attempts, he was finally able to speak with Christopher Hughes by phone. The outcome of that conversation was enlightening, making him eager to speak with Bill, after church.
As Sunday dawned, so did a beautiful morning. Nathan was particularly anxious to get his rounds done and head to church, where he would meet up with Allie. It had been a couple of days since he really saw Allie and he missed her.
He didn't like sending Allie to stay with another family when he was still in town, however, the jail was no place for his daughter, even if he was staying there, too. The way things were going, it might be a few more days before they could move home.
Canfield Row House - Prior to Church
Pastor Joseph liked to review his notes for the Sunday morning service. He wasn't sure why God had put this particular topic on his heart, but it was his job to send forth the message. God did not owe him an explanation. The topic was simple, yet complex at the same time. There certainly was enough material in the Bible to support it and he felt prepared.
In his short tenure as the preacher in Hope Valley, he thought he was beginning to understand his flock. The citizens of Hope Valley appeared to treat one another with love and respect, which is why he was struggling to understand today's sermon topic.
Sunday Morning Service
When it came time to welcome the parishioners to church, Pastor Joseph was pleased to additionally welcome Elizabeth Thornton's father, William Thatcher, as well as her childhood friend, Charles Kensington, III.
As usual, Lucas Bouchard was one of the few residents who did not attend the Sunday Service. The saloon owner was ever-present on Pastor Joseph's prayer list.
After greeting each person at the door, singing a couple of hymns and opening in prayer, Pastor Joseph took his place behind the pulpit and began with, "What is does it mean to Forgive?"
"To forgive someone essentially means to pardon them or overlook an offense, and treat the offender as not guilty. Forgiveness of others is a Christian duty."
As Pastor Joseph glanced around the room, he was surprised to see some of the reactions from the congregation.
Pastor Joseph thought to himself, 'Now I know why God put this message on my heart. I don't know my flock as well as I should; there appears to be a need for forgiveness in Hope Valley.'
He continued with his sermon, "The act of forgiving someone does not mean the incident never happened. True forgiveness means the penalty for the wrong has been removed and allows both parties to move past the incident."
"Sometimes, once true forgiveness has occurred, it is possible for people who were once at odds with each other to form beautiful friendships. Although this is not always possible, it still remains a blessing to be forgiven. As it says in Romans 4:6, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven."
"What is stopping you from extending forgiveness? Is your heart full of pride making you struggle to apologize to those you have wronged? Humble yourself and seek forgiveness."
When Pastor Joseph paused, he saw Elizabeth looking sadly down at the floor. He could only presume she was crying, from the occasional dabbing of her eyes, with her hanky. Thankfully, she had her father and Little Jack beside her for support.
His message continued with, "Perhaps you have been hurt so badly, you're not sure you'll ever overcome the hurt and be able to extend forgiveness."
"Ask God to soften your heart so you will be able to forgive others, just like God remains willing to grant forgiveness to you. Ephesians 4:32 instructs us, "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."
Looking around the room, he saw both Nathan and Allie close their eyes. Pastor Joseph's hope was they were praying and not trying to block out the message.
He concluded with, "Mankind needs only to seek the Lord's forgiveness with a sincere heart. One of the great joys of the Christian life is being blessed. Whether you are in need of giving or receiving forgiveness today, pray for wisdom and reach out to that person in Christian love."
The closing hymn was aptly chosen – "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" - by Joseph M. Scriven.
After the closing prayer, Pastor Joseph watched as the congregation exited the building and parted to go their separate ways. The usual cordial, after church socializing among friends and neighbours did not happen today. Only a handful of people gathered for after church fellowship.
Pastor Joseph's prayer list just got longer.
Outside the church
Bill and Nathan were among the few gathered outside the church. Allie said goodbye to her dad and went back home with Opal and her family, since Nathan told her he wouldn't be able to go fishing with her, this afternoon.
Allie was sad, but understood. Nathan felt like a heel for not spending more time with Allie, but he needed to wrap up this business, first. He made a mental note to make a special day with Allie, when this was all finished.
As they began walking back to town, Nathan shared with Bill how he was finally able to interview Christopher Hughes over the phone. As predicted, Christopher was careful with his words, never admitting to anything illegal.
He did admit to knowing Lucas, back in Hamilton. Lucas worked in the same bank as Christopher's father did, or more precisely, his step-father. Christopher also worked at the bank all throughout his high school years, as a way to earn some money.
Christopher first met Lucas when Lucas was working as a teller. Although he felt the position was beneath him, Lucas used to say he had his reasons for staying on.
On a couple of occasions, they spent some time together in the vault, where the safety deposit boxes were kept. They both commented on all the valuables that must be locked in the room.
Lucas once let his guard down and mentioned a little bit about his get-rich-quick scheme. He didn't go into a lot of specific details at the time; however, he did say that being a common teller did allow him the opportunity to meet 'the right kind of people.' It wasn't until after Lucas had moved on, the bank became aware of the full extent of his 'activities'. By then, Lucas' whereabouts were unknown.
Hughes didn't seem to mind talking about Lucas' plans. He told Nathan "One time Lucas really dropped his guard. He told me about an extremely wealthy businessman, a client of the bank, who had three wealthy daughters. The daughters were so well protected that Lucas could not approach them with his usual method."
"He had a wild plan to gain access to the family fortune, by charming and then marrying one of the daughters. Under the law, it was the husband who controlled the finances. Once he had control of her purse strings, he would leave her, used and penniless."
Nathan paused for effect, looked Bill straight in the eyes and said, "The man with the three daughters, is none other than William Thatcher."
Bill felt sick to his stomach. He was beginning to see the light.
He explained his thoughts to Nathan, "Bouchard arrived in Hope Valley not quite a year after Jack Thornton passed away. From his previous position at the bank, he knew exactly how much the Thatcher family was worth."
"With the Thatcher's being no stranger to the society pages, it was common knowledge when Elizabeth Thatcher-Thornton had been suddenly widowed after her Mountie husband was killed in a training accident."
"All of the sudden, Lucas shows up here, buys the saloon – sight unseen – and proceeds to start charming the fair Elizabeth. All at a time when she is vulnerable after Jack's passing and still learning how to be a single mother to their son."
Nathan whistled, lowly. "Wow, that is quite a story! And now, he's courting her! Something doesn't ring true, though. Why would he wait so long to make his move? I mean, three years is a long time for a scam artist to wait."
Bill got this funny expression on his face and said, "Yes, I thought of that, and I think I have a plausible explanation. I'm just not sure how to tell you."
Nathan looked at him, puzzled and asked, "What do you mean? If you have something relevant to say about the case, tell me."
Bill looked at Nathan and closed his eyes, as if he were searching for the proper words. Finally, he spoke and gently said, "Nathan, I think Lucas initially planned to connect with Elizabeth shortly after he settled here. He held off making his move, because he never counted on Elizabeth forming a bond with you."
Nathan gave him a blank stare.
Bill continued, "Think about it. He knows her husband was a Mountie and he recently passed away. She's vulnerable, grieving and far from home. He thinks he's got an easy mark. Then, out of nowhere, you come to town. Allie follows you here and settles in at school. Right away, you have a significant connection with her, without even trying. Firstly, you take your position as the new Mountie. Secondly, you are the legal guardian to one of her students."
"What scam artist is going to make a move on a woman who has connections with the Town Mountie? What do you think? Does it fit?"
Nathan just shook his head in bewilderment. "I don't know; It sounds really far-fetched to me."
Bill's tone softened and said, "There's one more thing and this one is going to be tough on you, My Friend."
Nathan looked at him with a wearied look, "What now?"
"Well," Bill started, "Lucas also never counted on you and Elizabeth falling in love."
Nathan barely let Bill finish his sentence when he jumped in, angrily, "Yeah, well, we know how that turned out, don't we?! Oh, and for the record, she was never 'in love' with me. She told me that, herself."
By now, Nathan's eyes were watering and Bill's heart was breaking for him, but he continued, "Nathan, I can't imagine how painful it was for you to be told that by the very woman you love. I also can't fathom whatever possessed her say those pitiful words to you."
"What I can tell you is this, I watched Elizabeth fall in love with Jack. Despite what she said to you, I also watched her fall in love with you. Believe me, Lucas doesn't hold a candle to what she feels for you."
"You wouldn't know this, but things were not always smooth sailing with Jack, either. They courted for over three years before they finally got engaged. I used to wonder, if it weren't for the war in the Northern Territories, if they would have ever gotten together."
Nathan still didn't respond, so Bill continued, "Nathan, she's afraid. She loved, she lost and now she's looking for a safe route for her and her child. She hasn't yet realized, there is no such thing."
"The good news is, we made progress with yesterday's interview. I could tell we managed to plant seeds of doubt in her mind about Lucas, even if she wouldn't admit it out loud." He chuckled and went on, "I know William Thatcher has his doubts about Lucas."
Nathan sighed and finally managed to speak, "IF what you say is true – and I'm not saying it is – what do I do now?"
Bill smiled and said, "I'm not saying it will be easy, but you need to keep loving her in your heart and be there for her. I know she wasn't very kind to either you or Allie and I'm certain some people feel she doesn't deserve any forgiveness. However, it seems to me Pastor Joseph was telling us this morning, none of us deserves forgiveness. Perhaps you should have a talk with Pastor Joseph."
Nathan didn't hear anything after Bill's first sentence.
He could only admit to himself, 'Loving her will be easy; I never stopped. It's what happens when she breaks my heart again, that concerns me.'