Chapter 55

Jack's POV

I was about to enter the barn to get Sergeant when I heard Elizabeth scream my name. I quickly turned around and saw her hurrying towards me with our eldest daughter Tilly and Johnathan Coulter in tow. I quickly ran towards her, and then as I reached her side I tried to catch my breath so I could speak.

"What is it?" I asked, knowing she would surely have something important to tell me. After all, we were trying to head off to find our missing daughter Abby.

"Tilly just told me that Rip's missing. He took off when the storm started."

I knew then exactly what Elizabeth was thinking…

"The Mine." I said, and Elizabeth nodded.

"Rip's likely gone there and it wouldn't surprise me if Abby had tried to follow him." She said, finishing both of our thoughts.

"That's exactly what I was thinking. I'll grab Bill before he leaves, the children can stay here with him while we head off to the Mine."

Elizabeth nodded and we all hurried back to the barn where we found Bill who was preparing his horse to start his search for Abby on our property.

I informed Bill of the change of plans and we left Tilly and Johnathan with him. Elizabeth and I then mounted Sergeant and took off towards the Mine.

On the way I kept my eyes on the look-out for Abby. She was so young that I knew it was possible she hadn't been able to keep up with Rip, or she wouldn't be able to make the distance. As we neared the Mine we heard Rip howling and I felt Elizabeth's hold on me tighten. At least knowing Rip was there raised our hope at Abby possibly being there too.

We neared the entrance of the Mine and I brought Sergeant to a halt. I quickly dismounted and then proceeded to help Elizabeth off the horse.

Rip looked at us and howled before turning his head and looking into the Mine.

"Is Abby here? Where is she boy?" I asked Rip. He turned around and made his way further into the Mine.

We followed him closely and a few moments later we heard cries which we knew to be Abby's.

"She's here!" Elizabeth cried.

I grabbed Elizabeth's hand and followed the sound of Abby's cries, not waiting for Rip as he was much too slow. Thankfully Elizabeth followed my lead when it came to determining where Abby's cries were coming from, and within a couple minutes we found her.

Abby was sitting on the ground sobbing, and I noticed her dress, face and hands were all covered in black coal dust. She lifted her arms towards Elizabeth who quickly picked her up. Her eyes were filled with tears and they created black stains down her cheeks from the coal dust. She buried her face into Elizabeth's chest and her cries became muffled whimpers.

"Remove her wet clothing." I informed Elizabeth as I quickly removed my coat.

Abby's cries then became louder as we both worked on her wet dress that was clinging to her skin. I noticed her blue lips quivering as her whole-body shivered.

"She's shivering, and her skin is cool to touch. She possibly has hypothermia and needs skin to skin contact for body warmth." I told Elizabeth as we struggled to get Abby's dress off.

I saw the fear in my wife's eyes but without me having to instruct her, she started to unbutton her blouse. Once Abby's dress was removed I placed her down on Elizabeth's chest and then wrapped my coat over the both of them before sitting down next to Elizabeth.

I knew Elizabeth was still nursing Abby at night, or whenever she was distressed so I suggested she try nurse her if she would accept it.

I noticed Abby instantly latch on and her whimpers subsided as she started to nurse. Elizabeth looked over at me, her face full of concern and I gave her a small smile to try reassure her.

"I'll start a fire, it will keep us all warm." I suggested just as I stood up.

"Shouldn't we head in to town and take her to the Infirmary?" Elizabeth asked as she looked from Abby and up to me.

"Your body heat and milk are better than anything Carson or Faith can provide for her right now. She needs to warm up before we take her out into the elements. I'll light a fire to keep us all warm, maybe in half an hour she'll have warmed up enough that we can take her into town."

Elizabeth nodded in agreement. I noticed she was quiet and possibly in some sort of shock, but I knew I had to light a fire before I could talk to her.

I collected whatever dry wood I could find lying around within the mine along with some coal. I brought it back over to where I'd left Elizabeth and Abby and then started up a fire with the matches I had in my pocket from my saddle bag. Once I was confident the wood was set to burn, I sat behind Elizabeth and pulled her into my chest, trying to keep her warm. I wrapped my arms around her as I looked over her shoulder at our daughter. Her eyes were closed, and her body looked relaxed as she continued to nurse. Every so often a little whimper came out of her but generally she looked much more content. She'd stopped shivering and her normal colouring had returned and I felt relief wash over me. Now Abby seemed to be on the mend I turned my attention back to my wife.

"Elizabeth." I said quietly, trying to be gentle about breaking the silence. "I'm quite certain she's going to be fine sweetheart. You're doing the right thing."

"I'm doing the right thing because my amazing husband knew exactly what to do."

"Elizabeth, I know this is exactly what you would have done even if I hadn't been here. You would have kept her warm, and you always nurse her when she's distressed. You're a natural at this, for me it's just my Mountie training kicking in."

"And you're the most amazing Mountie and husband I could have ever dreamed of." She told me as I saw a small smile form on her lips and I pressed my own lips to her cheek.

"Do you remember when Rosaleen Sullivan went missing all those years ago?" I asked Elizabeth and she nodded. "It was you that knew where to find her, and you carried her all the way back into town. It was also because of you that she regained her own voice. You did that Elizabeth and you weren't even her Mother. I could never have done that."

"You're a Mountie though, not a teacher."

"It's not a teacher's job to find lost children, or to know how to help children regain their voice and confidence after a disastrous life event, but you did that Elizabeth." I reminded her, but I noticed she was still feeling unsure about herself so I continued.

"When you first came to Coal Valley you know I thought you wouldn't be able to look after yourself out here on the frontier." She nodded her head and smiled, and I knew she was remembering our first encounter as I was. "Over time though, I discovered you to be an amazing teacher and a wonderful role model to all the children in this town. You have the biggest and kindest heart of any woman I have ever known. I saw your strength, courage, intelligence, and your patience. It was all these things that made me fall in love with you Elizabeth. There were also things you couldn't do like cook, sew, or ride a horse, but you learnt to do those things and you're amazing at them now. I once told you that you could come to me, day or night with any care in the world, but in time I discovered that I could count on you as much as you could count on me. In time I also realised that I somehow managed to win your love and I feel like the luckiest man on earth because of it."

"Thank you Jack." Elizabeth said as she turned her head to look at me.

"Whatever for?"

"For saying exactly what I needed to hear. I don't know what I'd do without you Jack Thornton."

"I thought I just convinced you that you would have done fine without me." I said with a smile.

"Maybe I would have been able to naturally work out what to do with Abby, but I still would have been here rubbing two sticks together trying to start a fire." I said and we both shared a laugh.

"We make a good team." I told her, knowing that in all honesty that was the truth, as I didn't know what I'd do without her either.

"We do."

She gently kissed my lips which I quickly responded to, but it was only brief. I felt her relax back into my chest and we looked down at Abby who now looked extremely relaxed.

"Is she asleep?" I asked as I noticed Abby appeared to be nursing, but I knew it was possible that she would be nursing for comfort in her sleep.

"She is." Elizabeth said quietly while I tried my best at checking Abby's skin colour, and for any other signs or symptoms from her.

"We could make our way into town now, but I don't want to wake her." I said, looking down at my daughter as she slept and it broke my heart to think of waking her, especially after the ordeal she had just been through.

"She was pretty tired. I think once we're set go to, she'll likely sleep through the ride into town."

"Well we will be riding into town slowly. Last thing I need is to have an accident with Abby, and with you being pregnant." I reminded her. I had initially hoped I could take off to the Mine alone but knew nothing would stop Elizabeth from coming. Now Elizabeth was here I was glad I'd brought her. After all, I knew I couldn't have nursed and settled Abby as she could.

I put the fire out and then helped Elizabeth up as she continued to cradle Abby in her arms. Once we were out of the Mine I helped Elizabeth up on the horse and then proceeded to place Abby in her arms. I then carefully mounted the horse myself and took hold of the reigns. Elizabeth took hold of me with one arm, and I felt Abby stirring against my back. I was thankful that at least she'd be warm as she was huddled in between the two of us. I then slowly rode Sergeant back into town, taking as much care as I could as Rip slowly followed from behind.

When we arrived at the Infirmary we were thankful to see that Faith was already there. Abby woke up and wailed as we lay her down on the Infirmary's bed. Eventually Elizabeth lay down with her so she would settle and so Faith could examine her. Faith also got me a warm cloth which I used to wipe the majority of the coal dust off Abby.

Not long after, Carson came in and took over the examination. Abby lay there quietly next to Elizabeth and looked up at Carson with her big hazel eyes and long eyelashes that Elizabeth was always telling me looked so much like my own.

"Considering what she went through she looks perfectly healthy to me." Carson reported back to us and I gave Elizabeth's hand a squeeze and we shared a smile. "Has she been eating or drinking? Although she certainly doesn't appear dehydrated."

"She's been nursing and she ate a bit of apple just before you got here."

"Whatever it was the both of you did out there was the right thing, considering her age and what she went through, I'm surprised she isn't showing signs of hypothermia, or at least some symptoms of lethargy and or shock."

"It was a good thing Abby and I had our Mountie with us, he knew exactly what to do."

"I think it was a good thing Abby had her Mother with her, because she knew exactly what to do." I reminded Elizabeth.

"It seems you both knew what you were doing. She's a perfectly healthy little girl, and you'll be pleased to know she's fine to go home." Carson told us and I felt a wave of relief wash over me. I knew that this whole ordeal could have ended so badly, but Abby appeared to come out of it unscathed.

I helped Elizabeth and Abby up out of the bed and Abby reached out and wrapped her little arms around my neck tightly.

"You ready to go home pumpkin?" I said to Abby and she nodded her head.

I took Elizabeth's hand and we thanked Carson and Faith and then made our way back to the homestead. When we arrived home, Bill and Tilly greeted us from the front porch. Tilly ran to us as soon as Bill allowed her to.

"Is sissy ok?" Tilly asked as she looked up at her sister who was in Elizabeth's arms, and I picked Tilly up so she could see her sister.

"She's fine, Aunty Faith and Dr Shepherd looked her over and said she's a very healthy little girl." I told her and Tilly grinned and reached out to take her little sisters hand.

Once I saw Tilly was satisfied that her sister was ok and she'd had her little reunion with her I took my girls inside out of the cold. As soon as we put them down, Tilly and Abby ran off to play as if nothing had happened.

Bill was so relieved to see Abby was fine. He apologised profusely and we tried to reassure him that it could have happened to any one of us and that we didn't blame him.

Once Bill had left to head home, Elizabeth and I went into the parlour where we found our daughters sitting in front of the fire by Rip

"Rip you naughty dog." I heard Tilly say and she and Abby gave him a gentle pat on the back which I knew he always loved.

"No No Rip." Abby said, although I'm sure Rip likely didn't know what either girls were saying. He just seemed to be basking in the attention he was getting from them.

I reminded Abby that she wasn't to run off after Rip next time and she was to tell an adult if she ever saw him running away. She nodded her little head at me, and then came over and climbed up on the settee in between Elizabeth and myself.

The four of us were all tired, although Tilly and Abby insisted that they weren't, and we all got ready to turn in for the night. Elizabeth heated up some soup she had leftover in the icebox, and since Abby was so dirty from being in the Mine, I gave both the girls a bath.

After supper, Elizabeth realised she was still worried about Abby, and wanted to keep an eye on her for the night. Abby was much too big for the crib now so we agreed to putting her in the bed with us.

Once Tilly caught onto the plan however she also wanted to sleep with us. Knowing that I wasn't good at saying no to the girls, and Elizabeth knew it, I looked over at my wife, hoping she would give me an answer.

"You can sleep with us, just for tonight." Elizabeth told her, and Tilly quickly climbed out of her bed and the four of us all went into Elizabeth's and my room and climbed into the big featherbed.

As soon as they all lay down I noticed Abby stick her thumb straight into her mouth, and I then covered Elizabeth and the girls with the blanket.

"Blankie." Abby called out, as she pulled her thumb out of her mouth to speak.

I looked at Elizabeth and rolled my eyes, remembering how Ma had passed my blankie onto Elizabeth when she was pregnant with Tilly, and how now both our daughters seemed to be quite attached to it. I got out of bed and went back into Tilly and Abby's room in search of my old blankie. Upon finding it, I brought it back to Abby who gave me a big grin when I handed it to her. She wrapped her arms around it and I realised that at least it seemed to prevent her from sucking her thumb.

I put out the lanterns and then got back into the big featherbed and closed my eyes as I felt Tilly snuggle up to my side. Then, amongst the darkness, I heard the sweet voice of my wife singing.

Rock-a-bye, baby, in the tree top

When the wind blows the cradle will rock

When the bough breaks the cradle will fall

Down will come baby, cradle and all

Baby is drowsing, cosy and fair

Mother sits near in her rocking chair

Forward and back, the cradle she swings

Though baby sleeps, she hears what she sings

Rock-a-bye baby, do not you fear

Never mind, baby, mother is near

Wee little fingers, eyes are shut tight

Now sound asleep - until morning light

I was barely awake when Elizabeth stopped singing but was awoken out of my dozy state when I heard her whisper my name.

"Yes?" I asked quietly as I knew our daughters would now be asleep.

"I love you Jack."

"I love you too sweetheart." I told her as I reached over our daughters to find her hand under the blanket and I gave it a squeeze. I was about to let myself drift off again when I remembered something. "I was going to wash your hair." I reminded her.

"It can wait till tomorrow, it's been a long day."

"It was a good day for the most part wasn't it? Aside from the obvious." I asked, knowing how upsetting it had been not being able find Abby, but I had found most of the day to be enjoyable.

"Aside from the obvious, yes it was."

"Once Abby was settled I found I actually liked being back in the Mine with you."

"I did too." She told me, and I knew we were both remembering the time we spent in the Mine all those years ago when we declared for the first time that we loved each-other.

"Goodnight Bella, I love you."

"Goodnight. I love you too." She told me, and I closed my eyes and thought about how blessed I was to have all three of my girls with me, and I fell asleep.

A/N Hope you enjoyed the result from the cliff hanger I left you in. Please leave a review, I love to know what you all think of the direction I take my stories.

Thanks for reading :)