Chapter 29

Hearing Elizabeth repeatedly scream his name, Jack rushed out the door to find several hotel guests in the hallway, two headed for Elizabeth's room. Jack rushed past them and into Elizabeth's room, where he saw Elizabeth squirming in Superintendent Higgins' hold. Jack pulled him off Elizabeth and slammed him against the bathroom door, "Enough! You're under arrest." He looked back to see Elizabeth cowering on the bed, "Are you okay?" Higgins kicked Jack and the two men struggled, but Jack regained control and slammed him against the door again.

A patron yelled into the room, "Someone's gone downstairs to get hotel security."

Jack pulled Higgins out of the room into the hallway and when security arrived he shoved the man into their hold, "Take him downstairs and hold him, I'll be down there shortly." He rushed back to Elizabeth, who was now standing, leaning on the bedpost. "Elizabeth… are you okay, what did he do to you?" Jack lifted the torn sleeve of her nightgown and felt her shaking. He gently took her into his arms, "Its okay, you're safe now…I'm here, you're okay."

She gently sobbed on his shoulder, "Jack…I'm so sorry…"

He held her shoulders and looked into her eyes, "Sorry? What on earth do you have to be sorry for…"

"Oh, there's glass all over the floor…" she said moving her bare feet carefully.

He swept her up into his arms, "Come with me, come to my room," Jack carried her past the curious group that gathered outside her door.

In his room, he gently lowered her onto a chair by the window. "Here, you sit here…you're safe. I'll be right back. I want to make sure they charge him and arrest him."

"Jack!" she reached up for him, "Please don't leave me…"

"I'll be right back, I promise," he crouched down in front of her, gently kissing her hand, "you're safe in here."

"Jack, I have to tell you….he's a horrible man."

"I know that Elizabeth," he held her hands near his face.

"No….you see …before I came to Coal Valley, when I applied for a teaching assignment, he interviewed me…and…he…"

Jack continued holding her hands, "What? What did he do?" Jack straightened, unsure what she was about to say.

"He offered me a prime teaching assignment, one that any teacher would be happy to get, at a very prestigious school, in exchange for my…for me and him…for certain favors."

"What?" Jack stood up. "He did that to you?"

She nodded, pulling his hands, forcing him to crouch down again, "That's how I ended up in Coal Valley, he wanted to punish me for refusing his disgusting advances and decided to send me to a post that no one wanted," she covered her face with her hands and sobbed. "I'm so sorry Jack…"

"Elizabeth," he touched her arm as his jaw clenched, "No, you did nothing wrong. He's an awful human being…He shouldn't be allowed to do that, to anyone, especially a woman and definitely not to you." His anger building, he looked to the door and then back at Elizabeth's tear stained face, "I'm going to take care of him…you stay right here." Jack was furious, "I'll be right back," he headed out the door.

Elizabeth slumped back into the chair as Jack stormed out of the room. There were still several hotel guests and workers in the hall, Jack asked them to be sure no one went into his room. Jack hurried into the security office to see Higgins sitting handcuffed and he swung and hit him so hard he knocked him right off the chair.

"Hey, hey!" the security officer grabbed Jack as Jack explained he was a Constable and that Higgins needed to go to the nearest jail. They filled out formal paperwork and the security officers took Higgins away. Before Jack left, he leaned into Higgins' face, "If I ever see you again, I'll do more than knock you off the chair."

Jack rushed back upstairs to the room, where Elizabeth was still sitting in the chair. "Jack, are you okay?"

"Of course I'm okay… it's you I'm concerned about," he pushed her hair from her face. "Please don't cry, I'm going to protect you." He stood up and pulled the blanket back on the bed, "Here, you lie down, I'll sleep in the chair right here, no one is going to bother you or hurt you ever again."

Elizabeth's soft whimpers shot through his heart as she stood. "Thank you Jack, just hold me for a minute….please."

He felt his heartbreak, "It's going to be okay, I love you." He held her shivering body for a moment, "You should have told me about him. How did he get into your room?"

"He knocked on the door, I was brushing my hair getting ready to go to bed. I did like you told me, I didn't open the door, but asked who was there. He said 'Telegram Miss Thatcher'. I thought maybe it was from father." She looked up into Jack's concerned eyes, "I opened the door Jack," she sighed heavily, "and he pushed his way in. I told him to leave but he said he wanted to discuss my assignment. Again I told him to leave but he grabbed my arm. It all happened so fast. I was scared of what he would do. I tried to get away from him, but he held my arm," she rubbed her arm where the sleeve was torn and looked at the nightstand, "I grabbed the top of the lamp like that one and tried to crack it over his head, but it didn't break over his head and fell to the floor… he got angry and was pushing me….I screamed for you Jack."

He pulled her into his arms, "Shhh, it's okay, I'm here and you're safe. It's okay, don't cry." He held her head as she sobbed softly on his shoulder.

She stepped away, "Thank you for rescuing me…"

"You see, you should have used the Spicy Jasmine and cracked that over his head," he smiled, trying to stop her tears.

Elizabeth smiled, "I didn't think of that…." She fell into his arms once again crying and laughing at the same time.

Jack squeezed her, "It's okay…everything will be okay now. You're safe here with me."

"I love you Jack." She blinked her wet eyes at him.

Jack stared at her for a moment then reached for the sheet on the bed, "Here, lie down on the bed, I'll sit right here in the chair next to you."

The knock on the door startled them both.

Elizabeth pulled the sheet up to her neck as Jack went and answered the door. Several hotel workers had cleaned the broken glass in Elizabeth's room and brought her belongings to Jack's room. He thanked them and then locked the door.

"Jack, I want to change out of this," she tugged on the nightgown's torn sleeve.

"Of course, I'm sorry, I didn't even think of that…" he put her bag in the bathroom and walked across the room to the window, giving her privacy. He also needed to control the building anger he felt. He couldn't believe a superintendent could get away with such acts on an innocent teacher. He felt so badly for Elizabeth, that she had to experience Higgins making his lewd demands on her for a teaching assignment. The man should be barred from the educational system and Jack was prepared to make that happen.

Elizabeth emerged from the bathroom and Jack turned and was halted by her beauty. She had brushed her hair out and the nightgown she was wearing was so pretty. He turned around and looked out the window again, hoping to maintain his composure.

Elizabeth looked at Jack, his arms up on either side of the window, his shoulders so broad and strong always protecting her. She smiled noticing he was still wearing the blue pants from his suit, one foot up on the small footstool. His image compelled her to be close to him and she padded her way over to him. She scanned his form and couldn't resist touching his back, biting her lip.

Jack felt her hand on his back, his shoulders rising.

"Jack?" Her voice was soft. "Thank you for taking care of me. I'm sorry to be a burden."

A soft laugh escaped Jack's lips, "You're never a burden Elizabeth. That's why I'm here, to take care of you."

He clenched his jaw when she rested her cheek on his back, "I'm so lucky."

"We take care of each other," his fingers drummed the window frame.

"If you didn't come to rescue me…" she sighed and pressed against him.

He gripped the window frame tightly. "I won't even think about that…I'm glad you're okay."

She moved to his side and rested her chin on his raised arm, looking up at him, "Thanks to you…"

Jack scanned her face, she was so beautiful, he only wanted to protect her.

She rubbed his back, "Jack?"

"Hmmm?" He couldn't move, didn't dare move.

"I appreciate you and how you take care of me," she blinked.

Jack looked at her and nodded. "Why don't you go to bed now, you need some sleep."

She tapped his shoulder, "I will, I just wanted you to know that I'm grateful and that I love you very much."

"I know…" He squeezed the window frame.

Elizabeth looked down and finally stepped away. Jack exhaled and turned his head slightly to watch her climb into bed. He looked up and shook his head.

After a minute, he walked to the bed, pulled the chair closer, put his feet up on the bed and waited for her to fall asleep before laying his head back and sighing, hoping to fall asleep.

Several hours later, Jack was awakened by Elizabeth's feet touching his leg. He smiled at the sight of her delicate feet moving around his legs. He stood up, stretched and walked to the window.

"Jack?" Elizabeth said, a touch of panic in her voice.

"I'm here," he rushed to her side and sat on the edge of the chair.

She reached out for his hands, "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, everything is fine, you're safe, go back to sleep," he kissed her hand.

"I'm thirsty," she said.

"I'll get you some water," he got up and went to the bathroom. As he came back into the room, he didn't see her and they collided in the doorway, the water spilled down the front of her nightgown.

Jack's eyes grew wide, "Oh, I'm so sorry…" he went to wipe the front of her nightgown but stopped himself. "Oh dear…"

Elizabeth, so shocked by the water, raised her arms, "Oh, that's cold…" she laughed.

Jack grabbed a towel and pressed it against her, "I'm…sorry." He looked at the glass in his hand and placed it near the sink.

"It's only water," she smiled, "but I do need to change." She went to her bag and pulled out the white robe, "I can wear this." She wanted to close the bathroom door, but Jack stood in the doorway. "Excuse me…" she watched him blink several times.

Jack forced himself to move, still apologizing.

Elizabeth closed the bathroom door and giggled at Jack's nervous response.

Jack exhaled and went back to the window and again gripped the window frame, a little tighter this time.