Chapter 3
Author's note: Hi everyone. Here is the last part of this story. I hope you will enjoy it, it will worth the wait and fulfill your expectations.
English is not my native language so I am sorry if there is grammar, tense mistakes.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters within this story. All rights and respect go to Crown media, Hall mark, Brian Bird , Michael Landon Jr, the creators and writers of the show " When calls the heart".
Read and review, please.
The next morning, the rumors about Elizabeth and her father's argument were rife. Her father met her when she went out of the café to go to school.
"Good morning Elizabeth." He happily greeted her.
She didn't answer, turned around and walked away heading to the schoolhouse. She was furious against her father and his behavior to Jack. She didn't intend to talk to him anytime soon.
He sighed. He had to take care of his business in the surroundings. He decided to try to talk to her the very evening, when he came back and she would be less angry.
Jack had observed the scene from the jail's window and had smiled when he had seen Elizabeth's reaction, appreciating for once her stubbornness. She had stood up to her father for him and their love, he was very proud of her. Since their talk in the mine and her arrival in Hope Valley, she had changed a lot. That made him smile.
After that, he got back to work, looking forward to find her at the end of the day for their boat ride.
Later that day, he joined her at school.
"Good afternoon, Jack."
"Good afternoon Elizabeth. Are you ready for our stroll?"
"And my schoolbooks? I am going to drop off them in the café."
"No, let them here on your desk, we will collect them when we come back."
"Alright."
He took her hand and they exited the schoolhouse, approaching the little pontoon where the bark was tied. He helped her to climb into it, untie the little boat, climbed into it in his turn and pushed so that they drew away from the riverbank. He began to row.
They stayed quiet for a while.
"Jack, I am sorry for what my father has told you yesterday at the church." She finally told him.
Jack raised his head in surprise.
"Come on, it's not your fault. Anyway, I have perfectly understood, and this, since you went to Hamilton, that I am not the perfect son-in-law in his eyes. You deserve a life that I can't give you." He sadly noted.
Elizabeth was hurt by the sadness of his voice.
"I don't want this life, Jack! I want to stay in Hope Valley, I am at home here."
Jack smiled.
"Elizabeth, I love you. I don't want to lose you."
She smiled and put her hand on his.
"I love you too and I can assure you that this is not going to happen."
He sighed and looked away. He had to tell her about the conversation with her father even if he already knew that she will be hurt. She probably would be angrier against her father.
"Elizabeth … When your father came to see me yesterday morning in the jail, his intentions were obvious. He asked me to break up with you and had tried to buy me with a significant sum of money. I think that he is decided on taking you back in Hamilton with him."
Her eyes widened.
"What?" She exclaimed.
"I refused it." Jack added.
"I know it; you don't need to tell it to me. I trust you. How dared he?" She shouted.
"He wants to find you again, you will always be his little girl and he think that you stay in Hope Valley because of me. And it is clear that the town and I will never be good enough for you in his eyes, Jack completed looking away and continuing to row in silence."
Elizabeth saw the sadness on his features.
"Take me back. I am going to talk to him and I will give him a piece of my mind. He has not the right to decide for me, especially to judge you and to do what he has done. Who does he think he is?" She angrily said.
Jack rowed taking them back to the embankment. He knew that she would be furious and he dreaded the talk to come.
He got off first and helped her. She retrieved her books at the schoolhouse and they headed towards the town.
When they arrived in the main street, William Thatcher was getting out of the cart. He saw them, looking at Jack disdainfully because Elizabeth had her hand in the crook of the young man's elbow.
She stepped up the pace in the direction of him and told him curtly, anger being visible on her face.
"I have to talk to you." She curtly told him.
"The timing is good, me too. Is there a quiet place "in this town" where we can talk without eavesdroppers?" her father fought back.
"You shouldn't be interrupted in the jail by this time." Jack commentated.
Elizabeth's father headed for it, while Jack began to untie himself from Elizabeth, but she held him back.
"No, you come with me. It affects us both."
"If I am here, your father will be more furious." He pointed out.
"Perfect." She hurled.
And they headed towards the jail too.
When they came in, William Thatcher had turned his back. He spun, looked at Jack scornfully, even angrier. Elizabeth took the floor first, sliding her hand in his.
"How dared you to try to buy Jack to make us break up? I really am in disbelief that this could happen!" She shouted.
"It's for your own dear sake that I did it, so that you open your eyes." He stated.
"I have opened my eyes when I came here. I found out the true values of the life here: friendship, a wonderful job, love and people who like me for me and not because I am called Elizabeth THATCHER , I have a social status or because I am the Daughter of . I say it again once and for all; my life is here with Jack." She proudly answered.
Her father scowled.
"Alright, it's what you want. When I would have got through the door, it's not worth it to come and ask anything. You only will be a schoolteacher in a little coal town and the wife of a Mountie. You won't be alive for me. Farewell Elizabeth."
She didn't answer and look at him in the eyes. He exited the jail and never looked back, slamming the door. Elizabeth remained there, tense and tears appearing in corner of her eyes. Immediately, Jack took her in his embrace. She cuddled up to him, letting escape her sorrow.
"I am so sorry, Elizabeth." He apologized.
"Hush, it's better this way. I have all I need to be happy." She tenderly told him.
She put herself on tiptoe to kiss him. He responded to her kiss with all the love I felt for her, showing her that he always will be there no matter what. He promised himself he will make her as happy as he can, loving her, taking care of her and offering her what she needed.
The end