.

Chapter 14

"You brought the Mountie?" Frannie's father, Jasper Grigg, all but shouted. "That was hardly necessary."

"Not so loud, dear," his wife, Ruby, admonished, glancing at the young couple on the couch.

Frannie and her beau, Albert, looked at each other with trepidation.

"Constable Grant came along to make sure your son and I arrived safely — not to intervene," Elizabeth clarified. "He plans to wait outside."

"We've talked to these two till we're blue in the face, but they're as stubborn as mules." Jasper dismissively waved his hand at the couple. "They plan to run away and get married tomorrow at first light."

"May I have a word with you privately?" Elizabeth asked the parents.

Jasper nodded. "I'm sure they won't slip out the front door while the Mountie is standing guard." He led the way into the kitchen.

"As I said, Constable Grant is not here for that, but you're probably right," Elizabeth said. "I have a few questions. It appears Frannie and Albert came and told you their plans. If they'd planned to elope, wouldn't they have left without a word?"

"They asked for our blessing," he said, shaking his head. "But they're only sixteen years old!"

Ruby gave him a look that stopped him from staying more.

"Do you think they would be willing to postpone getting married for a little while?" Elizabeth asked. "Let them be promised to each other, but only if they agree to wait a year or two? Surely they need time to find a way to make a living and a place to live. One or two years would give them that — and the freedom to change their minds if they need to."

The Griggs looked at each other.

"We like Albert well enough," Ruby admitted. "And they've known each other since they were babies."

"He's a fine boy," Jasper said. "But he's just that — a boy!"

"Dear …" Ruby patted his shoulder to calm him.

"May I suggest it to them first?" Elizabeth offered. "Then, if there's more convincing needed, I'll bring you right in."

"Go ahead," Jasper agreed. "It's better than what they were planning."

"Thank you. Trust me, I'll do my best to convince them. Even though it's not uncommon for sixteen-year-olds marry and live happily, I, too, don't believe they're ready."

"Please, do what you can," Ruby urged. "We'll be waiting here."

"And listening," he added.

Elizabeth nodded and stepped into the main room of the small home.

"Thank you for coming, Mrs. Thornton," Frannie said, as she and Albert stood. "I know my parents will listen to you."

She gestured for Elizabeth to take the chair nearest Albert.

"I hope I can help, but it all depends on the two of you," Elizabeth said. "Your folks have suggested a compromise. Are you willing to consider it?"

"Yes," Albert agreed. "I know Frannie's mother and father only want the best for us."

"But we already know in our hearts what that is," Frannie insisted, gazing at Albert with love-filled eyes.

Oh, yes — romance rules this relationship. Elizabeth sighed, realizing that they might not be so easy to convince.

.

"So, how long have you been a Mountie?" Reggie Grigg asked, as he and Nathan stood on the wood-plank porch.

"Almost eight years," Nathan replied.

"Albert's been talking about joining. Is it hard to get in?"

"The force is more selective these days, but willing recruits are readily accepted. What's hard is sticking with the training, and putting your heart and soul into the assignments you're given, wherever they may be."

"I told Albert about the talk you gave in Mrs. Thornton's class, and he was interested," Reggie said. "It doesn't sound like your work is all that dangerous, since you never had to kill anyone, and you never got shot."

"Yet." Nathan gave him a serious look. "There are no guarantees. Anything could happen at any time."

"Sure. But you've been fine for eight years," the lad pointed out.

"Hold up your lantern."

Nathan turned toward the light and untucked his plaid flannel shirt and undershirt.

"Lord God Almighty!" Reggie exclaimed, when the garish, mostly healed scar on Nathan's midsection was revealed.

"You remember — the boys in class only asked if I'd been shot," Nathan said.

"But you haven't killed anyone," Reggie said, as though that minimized the likelihood of encountering danger.

"I've been able to capture outlaws without using deadly force — but trust me, I used force."

"Albert doesn't like blood," Reggie said. "He can hardly watch when we slaughter the stock."

"Ah. Then law enforcement is probably not for him."

"Are you afraid of blood?"

"No," Nathan answered.

"Have you seen people die?" Reggie persisted.

"Yes," was his abrupt response.

"Did you ever cry?"

"Once."

.

"Frannie, Albert, what if Mr. and Mrs. Grigg agreed to allow you to marry, but on the condition that you wait at least a year?" Elizabeth broached.

"We're ready now, Mrs. Thornton," Frannie assured. "Mother was sixteen when she married Father. Did she tell you that?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "Even so, what's right for one couple may not be right for another. And despite her own age when she married, your mother's in agreement that it's too soon for you."

"They say they were better prepared than we are," Frannie admitted. " Dad is a couple of years older than Mom, and he'd built a small house for them on Grandfather's farm. It's still there, in fact. Albert and I were hoping we could move into it after we got married."

"Does anyone live there now?" Elizabeth asked, wishing she'd known about an empty house before Nathan and Betsy had to be split up for a time.

"No." She laughed. "It's a little ramshackle at the moment. But we can't wait to fix it up and make it our own — all our own."

When Frannie turned to gaze rapturously at Albert, Elizabeth had to catch her breath as memories of Jack filled her heart. She gulped hard and clasped her hands tightly, forcing herself back into the moment.

"I love Frannie with all my heart," Albert proclaimed. "We want to start our life together and enjoy every day for as long as we can. We know there are no promises in life," he said philosophically. "My mother died from influenza when I was young. Not long after that, the mine exploded, and dozens of our family friends were lost. Even Mayor Ramsey — our very own mayor — was gunned down out of nowhere! And then …" His eyes sought Elizabeth's.

"You understand, don't you, Mrs. Thornton?" Frannie pleaded. "Don't you wish you'd had more time with your husband?"

Elizabeth swallowed hard, pausing before giving an answer.

"Of course I do," she said under her breath. Her eyes narrowed unhappily as she looked through the living room window at Nathan, a shadow in the lantern light. "But we spent many precious years together before our marriage, allowing our love to grow. I don't regret a single moment."

Except the moment he was taken from us, she thought.

"Mrs. Thornton?"

Frannie's voice pulled Elizabeth back to the present.

"You said Mother and Father would approve if Albert and I were betrothed now, as long as we agreed to wait to be married."

"Yes," Elizabeth replied. "They said so."

Frannie looked at her beau. "It would give us time to fix up the old house before we moved in," she said practically.

"We could work on it every day, side by side," Albert said with a smile, caressing Frannie's hand as if it were a priceless treasure.

Elizabeth forced herself to smile, though she was sure her expression was tinged with sadness.

.

See Chapter 15

.

Thank you to all who have offered enthusiastic reviews of my story!

My heart goes out to those who prefer to read stories about Elizabeth and Jack.

I know that his loss will forever be felt.

.

If you enjoyed this story, please check out my fan fiction about "Chesapeake Shores."

Search fanfiction . net for writer "Annette Zoaps."

.