Chapter 198 – Riding and Talking with Wynn
Both Dee and Wynn pulled up next to Jack and stopped all the horses. Wynn was close enough that he put his hand on Jack's knee.
"Jack." Wynn said. "Look at me."
Jack continued to look down.
"Jackson Thornton." Wynn said a little more forcibly. "Please look at me."
Jack looked Wynn in the eye. Dee looked down, because it was very clear to him that his father cared about Jack and he was trying to explain things in a way that he would understand, but Jack was wanting to pick a fight. It reminded Dee of Regina and he was positive about his memories from that time when they were sitting on those horses in the middle of the road leading south of Hope Valley.
"Beth doesn't care about the money." Wynn said. "She would sooner spend it on helping the children or making sure others are taken care of. The only thing that Beth has ever spend money on for herself is books. Her fancy clothes and jewelry have all come from her mother and father because they were called for. Beth would much rather wear something comfortable and curl up with a book."
"Beth told me that the money doesn't matter." Dee said. "She knows it is nice to have when needed, but she has never asked for it. From what I hear she honestly didn't want it, but her Aunt Agatha and Uncle Henry have insisted that she receive more then her fair share of their wealth. I am sure that Beth would rather give it away then have it for herself. She has never been like her sisters. She never wanted the latest toy or dress. Even the books she got, she would share with other. Think about it."
"Just because someone has money doesn't mean they are bad." Wynn said. "Am I a bad person for having money? Is my wife? She inherited a large portion of money when her father and mother died. Yet, she chose to use that money to help others, like Beth. Yes, we have a nice house, but that is because we have earned it. We have lived in tents and small cabins over the years. Part of my job is social and because of that, we have a nice house to host dinners and such."
Jack looked between the two men.
"Have either my wife or I." Wynn said. "Asked for anything for the wedding? No, because we are more then happy to do it. We had the means to give Beth a wonderful wedding it was our pleasure. Same thing with providing her with Thor. It was a need that I knew would come up, so I filled it, gladly."
"I guess your right." Jack said. "Just after the way that I have been treated by Elizabeth's father, mother and sisters … well …."
"Yeah." Wynn said. "My brother-in-law is a pompous ass. I love my nieces but your right Viola and Julie are spoiled. Grace just doesn't know anything else."
"So how did Elizabeth turn out so wonderful?" Jack asked.
"I ask myself that same thing." Wynn said. "You don't have to share if you don't want, but has Beth shared numbers with you or just spoken of money in general?"
"No, no numbers." Jack said. "Honestly, I really don't want to know. I am sure it is more money then I can even wrap my head around."
"Yes." Dee said. "Just know that no matter what happens with her father, you and Beth will be taken care of. From what my mother has shared, Aunt Grace and her sister Agatha's wills are ironclad and William Thatcher can't touch that money or property. Also from what I understand, Grace's money is to be split equally between the three girls. Agatha's will mostly go to Beth. Agatha and Henry never had children, but he has a couple of nephews from his brother so they will get some as well."
"Wow." Jack said. "Elizabeth didn't really explain everything, but then again, I guess I didn't really give her a chance."
"We are telling you this." Wynn said. "So that you can be ready. Dee and I will be able to help you. I am not sure when Elizabeth will get the money from her family, but when she does, someone to help manage and invest it, is not a bad idea. My daughter Sophie inherited some of her mother's money when she got married. Her and Andrew chose to invest some of it and the rest was put in a trust. They can access the trust in an emergency, but otherwise they live off their salaries and the interest of their investments. Do you understand?"
"I think so." Jack said. "They have money, but have chose to put it away and live based on what they currently earn."
"Yes." Dee said. "My money is all in a trust. I live on my Mountie salary. It helps that I am going to be back living with Mom and Dad. But the point we are trying to make is, you can be comfortable, ie furnishings for the house. But live within what you earn since you are both working. There will be money if the need arises, but no need to showoff. Granted, Beth was never one to do that."
"What about the fancy dresses that she wore while we were in Hamilton?" Jack asked.
"Her mother and father's doing." Wynn said. "They would have insisted that Beth dress in a manner fitting of their social status. You know that Beth hates those parties and having to have the latest style, right?"
"No, not really." Jack said. "She looked well within her element."
"Because she grew up putting a smile on and doing what was expected." Dee said.
"Let me ask you this." Wynn said. "In all the time that you have been here, other then her wedding dress when have you seen Beth dressed up in something that was above what the other women were wearing? I am talking once she realized and maybe not the first few days as she was adjusting."
"Probably our first date." Jack said.
Jack stopped and smiled at the memory of Elizabeth in that dress and the necklace she had wore. He could see the dress as it hugged Elizabeth's body and he smile got wider as he thought of how it felt to hold her dancing.
"Jack." Dee said.
Jack shook his head.
"Yes." Jack said.
"You know that dress and the jewelry." Wynn said. "Well they had been brought by Julie. It was not what Beth had planned to wear, but Julie insisted she dress up. At least that was what she wrote to her aunt. Elizabeth also wrote how she was glad that you had a private dinner as she would have not wanted to be in the saloon the way that she was dressed."
"Guess I didn't think about that." Jack said. "Now that I do, your right. Even the clothes that her family sent her, she had altered to be more simple. She fretted about traveling back to Hamilton in what I thought was a fancy dress, but I guess based on what I saw other women wearing, it was fairly simple. I mean it was fancy for here, but not Hamilton."
"Exactly." Dee said. "The money that her family sent her, what did she spend it on?"
"Mostly things for the school children." Jack said. "Gifts for me and Abigail."
"That is what we mean." Wynn said. "Just because Beth can afford whatever she wants doesn't mean she gets whatever she wants. Instead of getting something for herself, she would rather use the money to help others."
"It still doesn't change the fact that Elizabeth is rich." Jack said with a more sarcastic tone.
"Jackson Alexander Thornton." Wynn said.
Jack looked at him, especially since no one called him that other then his mother and that was the second time he had called him that, this time adding his middle name.
"Did you know that Elizabeth tried to refuse a salary when she learned that it was the widows who be paying her?" Wynn asked.
"No." Jack confessed.
"The only reason that she took a reduced salary." Dee said. "Was because she realized that not taking a salary from the mothers would be an insult to them. Elizabeth could have made three times what she makes here if she would have taken the job in Hamilton. The point was that she wanted to help this children have a better future. The money didn't matter. Are you starting to understand?"
"I guess." Jack said. "It is just hard to wrap my head around it. No matter what I do, Elizabeth will always have more money then I do. I want to buy this land and when I said something, Elizabeth offered to give me money. I told her that I wanted to be able to buy the land and build the house. I told her she could get some of the furnishings."
"And if you ask her." Dee said. "She will say it your money as well. She doesn't and won't think of it as hers and yours, but that you have it together. She knows what you make, she offered because she knows that you want to have your own place."
"Dee is right, Jack." Wynn said. "I know it is hard, but we are talking to you to try and make it easier. I know that Elizabeth's family's money has been an issue. She has written asking how to deal with it. I flat out told her to have an honest conversation with you about it."
"Thank you for talking to me." Jack said. "I know that I still have to have some hard conversations with Elizabeth, but your right, Elizabeth is very generous toward others. I guess I thought if we were here, it would be different and we wouldn't have to deal with her family or their money. But I guess we are going to have to sit down and have that conversation."
"Just remember." Wynn said. "Don't go into that conversation looking to pick a fight. Ask questions and listen to what she is telling you. I also believe that her mother sent some legal documents with Beth when she came back from Hamilton. If she hasn't shared those, ask her about them. I don't know what they are, but Agatha mentioned something to my Elizabeth."
"Yes, Sir." Jack said.
The three men continued to ride, stopping to talk to people as needed. Wynn had so much fun riding with Jack and Dee that morning. It had been a long time since he had ridden regular rounds, but he was also seeing why Jack had fallen in love with Hope Valley and wanted to stay there. When they got back to Hope Valley the rest of the day was busy with paperwork. Jack was enjoying spending time Dee and Wynn. He also knew that he would miss them when they left, but they had promised to visit as often as they could. It wasn't that Jack didn't like Bill, but having Dee there was different. Jack still hadn't figured out where he knew Dee from, but he figured that they were about the same age so they had that connection. They were also both sons of Mounties and teachers, so they shared stories about that. Then there was the connection that Wynn had with Jack's father. He had heard more stories about his father then he had ever heard. As much as Jack still struggled with his father's death at times, it was nice to hear stories about him, especially ones that his mother didn't know or wouldn't share.
Thursday afternoon, Jack was able to head over to the café and have lunch with Elizabeth. Aunt Elizabeth and Charlotte joined them for a little bit as well. Again they were all having a good time. Jack wished that his mother could stay longer, but figured that she would leave any day. Jack had wanted to talk to Elizabeth about the conversation that he had had with Wynn and Dee, but he also knew that the cafe was not the place to have that conversation. As Elizabeth looked at Jack over lunch, she knew that there was something on his mind.
"Is everything okay?" Elizabeth whispered squeezing Jack's hand.
Jack looked at her, leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Not here, not right now." Jack whispered back.
Elizabeth looked at him and nodded. She didn't know what was going on, but whatever it was Jack didn't want to discuss it in front of family or in public. She wasn't sure which, but she was going to leave it be for a time. She did make a mental note to talk to him about it later. After that, Elizabeth got lost in her thoughts about what it could be that was bothering Jack. It wasn't much longer after that, that Jack squeezed Elizabeth's hand.
"I should get back to work." Jack said. "It was nice to sit and have lunch. See you at home Elizabeth."
"Bye Jack." Elizabeth said.
Before Jack left, he pulled Elizabeth up and wrapped his arms around her. She wasn't complaining, but Jack was usually the one that held back when in public, especially when he was in uniform. Elizabeth hugged Jack back and before he left, he gave her a kiss, a real kiss that felt like a fire spreading though Elizabeth. She wished that Jack didn't have to go back to work, because she wanted to take him home and show him how much he meant to her. When Jack pulled away, Elizabeth was breathless and had to sit as soon as Jack let her go.