Chapter 199 – Money Talks
After the door closed, Elizabeth looked at her aunt and mother-in-law, then blushed.
"Sorry." Elizabeth said.
"No need to be embarrassed." Aunt Elizabeth said.
Charlotte didn't say anything, but picked up the empty plates and went back to the kitchen. Aunt Elizabeth waited until Charlotte left before looking at her Beth.
"Everything okay?" Aunt Elizabeth asked.
"I think so." Elizabeth said. "I know something is bothering Jack and when I asked he said not here, not now."
"Well." Aunt Elizabeth said. "Talk to him later. But I should warn you. Wynn and Dee went on rounds with Jack this morning. They had a plan to talk to him about a few things, I am not all sure what, but I know money was on that list."
"Oh." Elizabeth said.
"What does that mean?" Aunt Elizabeth asked.
"Jack and I have had a few fights about money." Elizabeth said. "He can't quite wrap his head around that I come from money. It is like he thinks having money is evil or something. I don't care about the money. I am happy here in Hope Valley."
"Don't pick a fight." Aunt Elizabeth said. "But maybe that was part of what the guys wanted to talk to Jack about. Wynn had a hard time when I got the money after my mother died. We ended up putting most of it a trust for the kids. Sophie got her share when she got married and Dee's is still there. Listen to Jack and be patient with him. Have you talked actual numbers?"
"No." Elizabeth said. "But I am sure that he has some idea after seeing the house in Hamilton. I just wish that I could get him to understand that just because I have access to things doesn't change who I am or the things that I believe. I am not like Father and Mother or even Viola."
"I know, dear." Aunt Elizabeth said. "Remind him of that. I am sure that Wynn had some good advise for him. Please don't worry about it. Things will work out. Also your Aunt Agatha reminded me to remind you to look at the envelope of documents that your mother gave you. I don't know why, but I told you."
"Thank you." Elizabeth said. "I didn't know that you were in contact with my Aunt Agatha."
"We were at a social function together." Aunt Elizabeth said. "She asked if I had heard from you. I said that we have exchanged letters. She took me off to the side and explained what had happened when you had been home in October. She then said that your mother gave you some documents and that if I talked to you to remind you to look at them. I said I would."
"Okay." Elizabeth said. "I honestly had forgot about them. I opened the envelope there and saw my birth certificate, teaching certificate and a few other things. I pulled the certificates out and put them with other certificates that I had went I got back here. I wanted them in a safe in case something happened. The rest I left in the envelope and just took them when I moved."
"Well." Aunt Elizabeth said. "I have done my job of reminding you. I would suggest that you pull them out and look at them later. Let Wynn and I know if there is anything that we can help you with."
"I will." Elizabeth said.
The ladies picked up their tea and headed to the kitchen to spend some time with Charlotte and Abigail before Elizabeth headed home to make supper for Jack and herself. As much as Elizabeth tired to enjoy herself that afternoon since she knew time with family was limited, she couldn't help but think about the conversation that she and Jack needed. The last thing that she wanted was to fight with him, but the same time she wasn't sure how to avoid it and still talk about what they needed. The were technically on their honeymoon and she really didn't want to fight about money right then and there. Both Abigail and Aunt Elizabeth noticed that Elizabeth was distracted.
"Elizabeth." Abigail said. "Whatever it is, it is going to be fine."
"Thank you." Elizabeth said. "I just don't see how. Jack and I need to talk about something and every time we have tired in the past it has lead to us fighting. The last thing I want to do is fight with him, but I also know that we can't avoid this conversation any longer. We should have settled this before."
"Let me guess." Charlotte said sitting down next to Elizabeth. "Jack has a problem with your family's money."
"Pretty much." Elizabeth said. "I have tired to show him that I don't care about the money. I didn't ask for it and frankly I could take it or leave it. I know that there will be times that it will be nice to have that comfort, but how to do I show Jack that the money won't change me?"
The older three women all looked at each other. Elizabeth let out a frustrated sigh.
"Jack hasn't specifically talked to me about this." Charlotte said. "But from what little I do know, I know that you are talking about a very large sum of money."
"Yes." Elizabeth said. "Honestly, I don't even know numbers right now. Like I said, I don't care about it."
"Let me try to explain a little so you can understand Jack better." Charlotte said.
Charlotte took a deep breath and looked at Elizabeth.
"See." Charlotte said. "Neither Thomas or I came from money. There were times that we struggled to put food on the table despite both of us working. As Jack got older he saw this. He also saw how we struggled after losing his father. When we moved to Aberdeen to live with my brother. Well, there were a couple wealthier families. For whatever reason, their children picked on Jack, Tom and their cousins. Whether is was because they had patched clothes or didn't have the latest toy or whatever reason. Jack really struggled. He was having a hard time adjusting to being on the ranch and not having his father anymore. The teasing almost broke him. There were times he didn't want to go to school and that he begged me to allow him to just stay on the ranch. Despite being very bright, Jack hated being in school because of the other children. Because of the way that they treated him, I believe that Jack started associating the money with being nasty. We all know that there are people who no matter their wealth that are nasty. For Jack it is hard to separate the two because of the way he was treated at a critical time. Does that make sense?"
"Yes." Elizabeth said. "But that still doesn't excuse the way Jack has talked to me when we have brought up money."
"No, no it doesn't." Abigail said.
Abigail closed her eyes and Elizabeth could see her counting, so she waited.
"Elizabeth." Abigail finally said. "You have shown yourself nothing but generous to others since you came here. However, having talked to Jack on a number of occasions I can tell you that he has never felt like he was good enough for you because he would never be able to provide for you in a manner that you were use to."
"But …." Elizabeth interrupted.
"Let me finish." Abigail said.
Elizabeth nodded.
"I told Jack that you were different." Abigail continued. "I even pointed out specific examples to show him that you were not like that. I think he had come to terms with things, but then something happened when you went to Hamilton that caused him to doubt again. Don't get me wrong, I know he loves you. He won't talk to me about what happened in Hamilton, but something happened. I believe that is the root of the problem."
"He said I was a different person in Hamilton." Elizabeth said.
"Did he say why?" Charlotte asked.
"We hadn't even left the train station in Hamilton." Elizabeth said. "I ran into someone I knew from the society circle. I greeted her like we normally would with a kiss on each cheek and then she spoke French to me and I spoke French back and didn't even think about it. It is one of several languages that I speak. I forget and can easily move between them when I needed."
"Anything else?" Aunt Elizabeth asked.
"I guess I didn't think about it at the time." Elizabeth said. "But I took Jack to a fancy restaurant. When we were leaving he told he that he would never get use to waiters wearing a tux and gloves. Then there was the dinner party that my mother threw. She insisted that I get a brand new gown, top of the line of course. Looking back I realized that Mother and Father pulled out all the stops that night – fancy china and stemware, silver candle holders, the whole nine yards. Even inviting Charles Kensington and pulling me away every time I tried to talk to Jack. Father and Viola were openly rude to Jack during the dinner."
"You can see how that might make Jack feel?" Abigail asked.
"Yes." Elizabeth said. "I guess I didn't think about it. I had eaten at that restaurant many times. I got the gown because Mother insisted. I spoke French because that was expected of me. The entire time I was there, I just wanted to be with Jack, but my family …."
Elizabeth started crying. Aunt Elizabeth went over to her and pulled her into a hug.
"It is okay." Aunt Elizabeth said. "I am sure that my brother did that intentionally. And you are right, you are different when you are around your family and I don't mean that in a bad way. You have learned what is expected of you in certain social settings and you have always aimed to please."
"You need to talk to Jack." Charlotte said. "Money aside, I am sure that his discomfort was a huge part of whatever happened in Hamilton. Jack has never been one that like to dress up and he most certainly has never been comfortable in social situations where he didn't know people."
"I have told him that I don't want to live like that." Elizabeth said through tears. "I have told him that I would be happy here in Hope Valley. That is why Uncle Wynn gave him a permanent posting here."
"We understand that." Abigail said. "But I think that Jack is worried that you are going to change your mind."
Elizabeth looked at the three women before her and she was beginning to understand what they were saying.
"Thank you." Elizabeth said. "But if you don't mind. I would like some time alone before Jack comes home this evening."
"Go." Aunt Elizabeth said. "But also know that we are here if you need."
After another hug from her aunt and one from Abigail, Elizabeth gathered her things and headed back to the row house. She got the chicken pot pie ready for supper and then sat down with her journal. She poured out all her feelings and all the emotions that had been swirling in her head that afternoon. She wrote out her fears and what she wanted to talk to Jack about. That was when she remembered the envelope that her mother gave her. She went upstairs and retrieved it from her trunk. She brought it downstairs and once again sat at her writing desk. She opened it and pulled everything out. On top was her birth certificate and next was her teaching certificate. That she had replaced when she moved to the row house. She also found her baptism certificate, which she had never seen before. She didn't look at it closely, but set it aside with her other certificates. The next piece of paper that she picked up floored her. It was the document about her trust fund. She read through the document and then again. She couldn't believe what she was reading. She wondered if her mother knew what she would do if and when she saw this or was she also unaware of what it said. Elizabeth quickly realized that she actually had two trust funds – one her father had set up and one that her grandfather and grandmother had set up.
Elizabeth was again sitting at her writing desk, staring out into nothing with tears streaming down her face when Jack walked into the house. He was really beginning to worry about his new wife and wondered if she was having doubts about marrying him. Elizabeth didn't move when Jack entered the house or when he spoke to her. Jack quickly hung his coat and took off his boots. He then went and stoked the fire because he felt the chill in the house. He also went to put some water on for tea. He knew that he needed to have a conversation with Elizabeth, but at the moment he wasn't sure that he would be able to given her state. He debated for a moment if he should got get Wynn and Elizabeth, but then he thought that maybe he should try again. Jack walked over to Elizabeth.
"Bella." Jack said.
She looked at him, but it wasn't like she saw him.
"Bella." Jack repeated.
He offered her his hand and she took it. He pulled her to him and wrapped her in his arms. That was all it took for Elizabeth to completely break down again. Jack swooped her up and took her over to the couch. He set her down and sat down with her, but she once again clung to Jack. He was starting to get worried because he didn't know what was going on with her.
"Bella." Jack said. "Please talk to me. I can't help you if I don't know what is going on."
"I … I … no." Elizabeth stuttered.
Elizabeth couldn't speak, but continued to cry. Jack was really worried at that point. He quickly wrapped a blanket around Elizabeth.
"Don't go anywhere." Jack said. "I will be back in a moment."
Jack quickly put on his boots and coat. He left the house in a sprint back to town and he went straight to the café. He didn't even knock but when in the back door.
"Jack!" Charlotte said. "What is wrong?"
"Are Wynn and Elizabeth still here?" Jack asked while he tried to catch his breath.
"Right here." Wynn said coming in when he heard his name.
"It is Elizabeth." Jack gasped. "I don't know what is going on. She is crying and won't talk to me. When I got home, she was sitting at her writing desk, crying staring off into space. This is not the first time I have found her like this. I don't know what to do."
"We are right behind you." Aunt Elizabeth said. "Go to her, we will be there in a moment."
Jack left and headed back to the row house.
"Go." Charlotte said. "I will get Dee."
Wynn and Elizabeth took off after Jack and Charlotte went over to the saloon to get Dee. He had wanted to play darts with Pastor Frank. Charlotte walked into the saloon and right over to Dee. He spotted her.
"What?" Dee asked.
"I don't know." Charlotte said. "Jack came back into town frantic. He wasn't making sense. You mom and dad went to see what the matter was."
"I better go." Dee said.
"I am here if you need." Frank said. "I will be over at the café with Charlotte and Abigail."
Dee nodded and took off to his cousin's house.