Chapter 16: School's Out!
The next day, Elizabeth had planned an end-of-year school field trip to a nearby fishing hole. A lot of the children brought along their fishing poles, swimsuits, and food for the day. Even Elizabeth brought along a modest swim outfit – a shorter version of her regular day dress, along with bloomers and high laced swim boots—in case she found herself wanting to take a dip.
Most of the morning Elizabeth stayed on her blanket watching the children fish or play in the shallow part of the lake. The older girls finally convinced Elizabeth to put on her swim outfit and wade in the lake with them. The girls took Elizabeth into the nearby woods, where they held up a sheet around Elizabeth so she could change.
While Elizabeth had gone swimming many times in Hamilton, she felt a little shy wearing her swim outfit for the first time in front of her students, as it exposed some of her arms and legs. But Elizabeth was determined to enjoy the day and show her students she could have fun out in nature, just like them. Besides, Elizabeth didn't know if this would be one of the last times she would be with her students, so she wanted to make sure the day would be memorable for them.
Elizabeth carefully waded into the lake up to her knees, and then stopped to adjust to the temperature of the lake. The water was bone chilling cold, but also refreshing. Elizabeth rubbed her hands along her arms, and jumped up and down trying to keep warm.
Then some of the boys started splashing the girls, who started shrieking and laughing and splashing them back. Of course, Elizabeth got caught in the middle of all the splashing, and ended up shrieking and splashing along with her students!
Just then, the students and Elizabeth heard the sound of a horse galloping towards them, and the children ran out of the lake to greet (who else?!) Mountie Jack. Elizabeth was horrified that Jack was there and would see her all wet and muddy, so she started shrinking down into the water to cover herself, but immediately found the water too bitter cold. Elizabeth ran out of the lake to find a towel to wrap around her. Jack had plenty of time to give Elizabeth - in her soaking wet bathing outfit - a complete up and down appraisal before she managed to cover herself up. "Miss Thatcher," Jack chuckled, "I see you're taking the waters with your students." Elizabeth scowled at Jack and huffed, "What are you doing here!?"
Jack laughed and hopped off his horse. "I heard through the grapevine that you were all coming here today, and thought I might join in the fun, if you don't mind." Elizabeth started to declare, "I do mind," but was drowned out by the children's cheers and calls to Mountie Jack to come swimming with them.
Jack started unbuttoning his red Mountie jacket, which caused Elizabeth to yelp and run into the woods. Jack laughed and moved behind his horse to finish pulling off his outer clothing, revealing a typical man's bathing outfit of the time, a one-piece, striped, form-fitting skivvy made of stretchy material. Although Elizabeth had seen men wearing these type of swimsuits in Hamilton, her eyes widened at seeing Jack so informally attired.
Jack shouted to the students, "One, two, three, go!" and ran into the lake, shrieking at how cold it was along with the rest of the children. Jack played with the children in the lake, splashing them and gently throwing them into deeper waters if he could tell they were good swimmers.
Elizabeth tiptoed back to her blanket and sat down, mesmerized at watching Jack playing so enthusiastically with the children. This was a side of Jack she hadn't seen very often, and wondered why Jack was being so carefree and fun-loving today – perhaps it was the nice weather, Elizabeth mused.
Jack shouted out, "Elizabeth, watch this," and swam to the deeper part of the lake to show her the different swim strokes he knew: freestyle, backstroke, and breaststroke. Elizabeth called back, "Showoff!" but was secretly impressed at Jack's swimming prowess. "Is there anything that man can't do?" Elizabeth wondered to herself.
Jack motioned to Elizabeth to come in the water with him and the children, but Elizabeth shook her head vehemently. "Too cold for me," Elizabeth insisted. Jack started to respond to Elizabeth and then suddenly stopped and stared hard at her.
Jack made his way to the shallow part of the lake and shouted, "Elizabeth, you better come in the water, now, I mean it." Elizabeth couldn't understand why Jack was talking to her so impertinently, and replied angrily, "No way!" Then the children started calling to her, "Miss Thatcher, please come in, you don't understand," but Elizabeth wouldn't budge. Jack began to walk slowly out of the lake towards her, saying, "Elizabeth, I don't want to frighten you, but . . . "
Exasperated, Elizabeth stood up, intending to give Jack a piece of her mind, when she felt something brush by her leg. The children started yelling and pointing "Skunk, skunk!" which caused Elizabeth to scream and run quickly towards the lake, throwing off her towel in the process. The skunk lifted its tail and sprayed all of Elizabeth's blanket, towel, and belongings, and then ran off.
Jack, Elizabeth, and the children all stared at the mess the skunk had made, and the children began gagging and holding their noses as the skunk's stink started wafting their way. Jack took charge and called out, "Okay, everyone, quickly get your belongings and move to the other side of the lake."
As Elizabeth started towards her items, Jack grabbed her arm and said, "Not you, Elizabeth, don't go anywhere near your belongings, they're ruined." Elizabeth replied forlornly, "But my dress, the food I prepared . . . ." Jack kept his hand on Elizabeth's arm and asked, "Have you ever been sprayed by a skunk?" Elizabeth shook her head no. Jack explained, "I have, and so has Tom, and so have the dogs on my uncle's ranch - I assure you, you do not want to go anywhere near that smell."
Jack held out his hand to Elizabeth and said firmly, "Come with me and I'll give you one of my blankets to wrap around yourself." Elizabeth, who was a little shell-shocked by this point, took Jack's hand, and they walked as far away from her belongings as they could, up the bank to Jack's horse.
Jack pulled out a blanket from his belongings, and gently put it around Elizabeth's shoulder. Jack pulled another blanket out for himself, then hoisted himself up on his horse, and held out his hand again to Elizabeth. "Here, come up on my horse and I'll take you to the other side of the lake where the children are." Elizabeth stared at Jack, and then allowed herself to be hoisted up on Jack's horse right in front of where Jack was sitting.
As Jack started trotting with Elizabeth, she leaned over and petted the horse. "I feel so badly for your horse, Jack. We're getting him all wet and cold." Jack chuckled and replied, "He's been in much worse situations, no doubt. Anyway, a smart horse never minds carrying a beautiful woman on his back."
Elizabeth raised her eyebrows at Jack and shushed him. "You shouldn't be saying things like that – what would my students think if they heard you!" Before Jack could answer, Elizabeth interrupted, "Anyway, I look and feel like a wet rag right now. Oh, why did I ever think I could live out here!"
Jack laughed and replied, "Elizabeth, you just provided your students with a story they'll tell for the rest of the lives, to their children and grandchildren. You've made their year, no doubt!"
Elizabeth huffed and retorted, "I want to be remembered for other things, not just the day I had it out with a skunk!"
Jack assured Elizabeth, "I'm sure you'll be remembered for many things. You've helped these children a lot, Elizabeth."
Elizabeth was quiet for a moment. Then she asked seriously, "Jack, why did you come here today. And why, yesterday, did you . . . I mean, have you changed your mind about anything?"
Jack was quiet for a few moments, and then asked, "What do you mean?"
Elizabeth turned around to look Jack full square in the face. "Jack, you told me that you're set on leaving Hope Valley for your next Mountie assignment, and that you're going to ask to go up North, or to the Yukon – isn't that right?"
Jack trotted his horse slowly as he considered his answer. "Yes, those are my plans." Jack's face was impassive.
Elizabeth demanded, "Then why did you come here today? Why did you ask me to take a walk with you yesterday?"
Jack looked down and answered quietly, "I have been enjoying your company, Elizabeth."
Elizabeth snapped her head around and stared straight ahead. "Jack, please let me down now." Jack started to say, "Elizabeth, please don't be mad . . . ." Elizabeth took her blanket off and handed it back to Jack. "Jack, please don't lead me on, after everything we've been through. It's not fair. I can't have my feelings toyed with again."
Jack stopped the horse and let Elizabeth off. "I didn't mean to toy with your feelings, Elizabeth. It's just . . . ." Jack stared off into the distance. "I feel drawn to you in many ways."
Elizabeth shook her head and said quietly, "I can't do this, I'm sorry." Elizabeth walked away from Jack and towards her students.
Jack stared at Elizabeth's back, and then turned his horse around and galloped away. Jack knew Elizabeth was right – if he wasn't serious about her, he shouldn't be paying her so much attention.
Jack chastised himself. "She's beautiful, but I shouldn't be flirting with her unless I'm willing to be more committed, which I can't be right now." Jack hung his head dolefully.
Jack knew how to remedy the situation – he would ask for his transfer to a more challenging location as soon as possible. Jack reasoned that, if his Hope Valley memories hadn't come back by now, they probably weren't going to, and he needed to move on with his life, just as Elizabeth was doing.
Jack stopped his horse, put his Mountie uniform back on, and then rode quickly back to town, determined to set things right by leaving Elizabeth – and Hope Valley – as soon as possible.
[Sorry, readers . . . this roller coaster of a story has a few more ups and downs to go before it will come to its conclusion, which hopefully will be the one we're all waiting for!]