Chapter 3: The Ten Commandments

The next day, Elizabeth left for the schoolhouse early and put a sign out on the schoolhouse steps. When the children arrived, they saw a slate on the steps with the words "Please Wait Outside" written on it. Once all the children had gathered, Elizabeth opened the doors and spoke to the children sternly from the top of the stairs. "Children, you are all aware of the Ten Commandments from church, right? Well, when this building is being used as a schoolhouse, there is a different set of Ten Commandments that I want you to follow. I've written them up on the blackboard – take your seats quietly and we'll discuss them."

The children quickly filed into their seats, curious as to what their schoolhouse Ten Commandments would be. Elizabeth walked briskly to the front of the schoolhouse and pointed to two columns written on the blackboard. In one column was written "Thou Shall Not Speak or Ask About Miss Thatcher's Private Life." In the other column was written "Thou Shall Not Speak or Ask About Constable Thornton." Elizabeth pointed to those two rules and read them out loud for emphasis. Elizabeth looked around at the children and asked in a no-nonsense voice, "Are there any questions?"

Miles tentatively raised his hand. "But Miss Thatcher, those are only two commandments. Where are the other eight?"

Elizabeth answered, "Just imagine that each rule is repeated five times. In fact, this is a good starting point for our lesson in multiplication. Please take out your slates." Elizabeth turned to erase the blackboard when she saw that Rosalie also had her hand up. "Yes, Rosalie?" Elizabeth asked. Rosalie pointed to the blackboard, "What happens if we break one of those rules . . . like, accidentally," Rosalie asked timidly.

Elizabeth stared menacingly at the entire classroom with her hands on her hips and answered tight-lipped, "You do not want to know, I assure you. Slates now, please!" The children all looked at each with scared expressions and scrambled for their slates to start their lessons that day.

At the end of the school day, Elizabeth rushed back to the café and up to her room, trying to avoid being seen out in public. As she entered her bedroom, Elizabeth saw that an envelope had been pushed under her door. Elizabeth picked up the letter and opened it.

Dear Elizabeth,

I am writing this letter quickly, as I am about to leave on the stage coach. I want to apologize for my behavior yesterday. People in love – and people who have been hurt while in love – sometimes say or do foolish things. I realize I went too far, but I hope you will find it in your heart to forgive me one day. I can't help loving you, but I understand now it is not meant to be. Please know I will always care for you and I wish you the best always.

Sincerely,

Charles

P.S. Jack won the darts game.

Elizabeth harrumphed at the end of the letter, and murmured to herself, "the arrogance." Elizabeth was about to crumple the letter and throw it into the trash bin, but then stopped herself. Elizabeth read the letter again slowly and let out a big sigh. "Oh, Charles," Elizabeth said to herself, feeling sadness displace a little bit of the anger in her heart.

Later that afternoon, Jack was at his desk at the jail finishing up some paperwork when he heard a light knock at the door. "Come in," he announced, looking up from his typewriter. In walked little Emily, an innocent look on her face. Jack grinned at her and said, "Hi, Emily. How can I help you today?" Emily skipped up to the desk and said, "I have a secret to tell you." Jack lowered his voice and whispered conspiratorially, "What is it?"

Emily looked around and answered in a low voice, "Miss Thatcher has forbidden us to talk about you at the schoolhouse. It's part of our new Ten Commandments. We're not allowed to say your name or ask Miss Thatcher about her personal life anymore." Jack smiled and his eyes glinted. "That's probably a good idea," he allowed. Emily raised her eyebrows and continued, "I think Miss Thatcher is mad at you." Jack nodded and answered, "I think you're right. And she probably is right to be mad," Jack admitted. Emily looked up at Jack with big eyes and asked, "Will you say you're sorry to Miss Thatcher?" Jack, looking chagrined, answered, "Yes, I will . . . eventually." Emily continued, "Because my mommy says when you do something wrong, you should say you're sorry." Jack acknowledged, "You're mommy is right." Emily looked around again and then whispered, "I can tell Miss Thatcher loves you." Jack chuckled and asked quietly, "How can you tell?" Emily looked up in the air and then down at the ground, rocking back and forth on her feet. "I can just tell. Bye bye!" Emily ran out the door to join some friends she saw out on the street. Jack shook his head in wonderment as he watched the little girl run out the door, then returned to his work at the typewriter with a smile on his face.

That evening, Elizabeth took a light dinner in her room so she didn't need to come downstairs to the café. After dinner, Elizabeth was writing in her journal when she heard Abigail call out to her in an insistent voice, "Elizabeth, you have a visitor. Please come, quickly." Elizabeth opened her door and yelled down to Abigail haughtily, "Please explain I am not accepting visitors at the moment." Abigail called up again in an exasperated tone. "Elizabeth, it's Julie – she's here in town."

Elizabeth, surprised, ran downstairs. "Julie, what are you doing here?" Elizabeth exclaimed as she went to hug her. Julie set down her two bags and announced dramatically, "I've left home. I can't stand it there anymore. I have to find my own way, just like you did. I didn't know where to go, so I came here. I caught the train and then had a private carriage bring me here. I left a note for Mother and Father, but I didn't tell them where I was going." Elizabeth cried out, "Oh, Julie. Why did you do that? They're probably terribly worried!" Julie answered in a huff, "I don't care. They don't care about my feelings, so why should I care about theirs."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and said, "We'll send a telegram to them in the morning. Julie, what is this about?" Julie sat down and wiped her eyes. "I know I'm being impetuous. I'm not like you, Elizabeth. I don't think through every single decision I make. But I felt like I was suffocating there. And this is not about Tom. I didn't go to him; I'm letting him make his own way in life right now. I just need to make a fresh start in a new place. That's what Hope Valley is all about, right?" Julie looked up at Elizabeth with wide eyes.

Elizabeth sat down next to Julie and hugged her. "Julie, I understand how you feel and I'm happy to help you find your new purpose in life. I don't know if it will be here in Hope Valley, but you can stay here with us for now." Elizabeth looked up at Abigail, who was standing nearby. "Is that okay, Abigail? Can Julie stay here with us? She can stay in my bedroom with me, if it's okay with you."

Abigail smiled and nodded. "Of course that's fine. Here, Julie, let us help you bring your bags up." Julie jumped up and hugged Abigail. "Thank you so much, Abigail. You're the best. And look, I've hardly brought any bags this time – I'm ready to tough it out in the wild west, just like Elizabeth did!" Abigail raised her eyebrows and answered, "I'm glad to hear it. Let's start by getting you unpacked, why don't we." Abigail and Elizabeth exchanged glances – they knew they had their work cut out for them with Julie being in town!

While Julie was unpacking, Elizabeth told her about the terrible events of the day before with Charles and Jack. Julie listened intently to the story, and then announced, "My my, it looks like Jack has more of the Thornton naughtiness than we all thought. My estimation of him has gone up!" Elizabeth rolled her eyes and chastised Julie. "Julie, only you would think that what Jack did was a good thing." Julie replied, "Well, someone needed to tell Charles to shove off already. You're too soft-hearted, Elizabeth. You can't be wishy washy with men – they don't understand nuance."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "So you're an expert on men, now? I'd be a fool to take advice from you about men." Julie grinned mischievously and said, "There are some things I know that you don't, Elizabeth, even though you're supposedly older and wiser than I am." Elizabeth turned her back on Julie and said, "That's enough. I'm tired of talking about Jack or Charles or Tom or anyone else for that matter." Julie shrugged her shoulders and said, "Fine with me. Let's talk about me and my future now." Julie threw herself down on the bed and asked, "What careers do you think I'd be good at?" Elizabeth sighed and shook her head, wondering whether she actually had the patience to help her sister find her purpose in life after all!

The next morning, Elizabeth and Julie walked together, arm-in-arm, to the mercantile to send the telegram to their parents about Julie's arrival, and to pick up some supplies. Elizabeth felt bolstered by having her sister next to her, and was able to hold her head up high again in the town, feeling a little less embarrassed about the events of the previous days. On the way there, they passed the saw mill office, where Jack was standing outside talking to Lee Coulter and a few other men.

Jack was startled to see Julie in town with Elizabeth, and tipped his hat at the two of them. Elizabeth deliberately walked by the men without looking at any of them, much less at Jack, while Julie waved happily at Jack and looked back at him and winked. Jack stood watching the two Thatcher sisters walk into the mercantile, and felt his heart sink a little at Elizabeth's snub of him, though he knew he deserved it. Lee asked, "Who's that woman walking with Elizabeth?" Jack answered carefully, "That's Elizabeth's sister, Julie. I didn't realize she was in town." Jack shook his head - if Julie Thatcher was smiling at him approvingly, and Elizabeth was not, Jack realized he truly was in trouble, in more ways than one!