Chapter Two – A New Home

The town's last Mountie had lived in a small one room cabin in the middle of the woods. When Elizabeth and Jack had looked at simple wooden structure, they had both agreed immediately that the 20 foot by 20 foot building wouldn't do at all as their new home.

It was too small. Too far from town. And as Elizabeth observed, too close to nature with its spiders and cracks between the walls where rodents entered. It has only been empty for a few weeks, but the squirrels had already managed to make a nest on the front porch.

The cabin was nearly barren with only a simple metal framed bed meant for one, a small nightstand, a stove, an ice box, and a kitchen table with one sole chair. As Elizabeth looked around the building, she made a mental list of what would be required to make it into a suitable home. It needs a rug . . . more furniture . . . throw pillows . . . curtains . . . a double bed! . . . another window to let some more light in . . . . plumbing . . . and at least another 100 feet of space.

The only things the cabin had going for it were privacy. . although, perhaps a little too much, Elizabeth thought, and that it was still standing.

The same couldn't be said for the home of the last school teacher.

The town's last teacher had lived in a small room above the school. He was single and had eaten most of his dinners with the town's citizens, who rotated inviting him to their home, ensuring that he always had a full belly and hadn't needed a kitchen. When the town burned down the school, they had burned down the only housing designated for the town's teacher.

The town's new Mountie and town's new teacher, the young Thornton couple, were homeless.

After too many days of staying at the Bear Creek hotel, the keys to their new home clinked in Jack's pocket as he and Elizabeth walked down the street hand in hand in the early morning.

When the mayor had told him where they could live, Jack's first thought was that he was lucky to be married to Elizabeth. She had proved herself to be quite adaptable since she had first left Hamilton to begin a life as a teacher. First living in Abigail's' row home, then above the Café, and later in their own home in Hope Valley.

She's adaptable. And a good sport. At least I hope she is.

When Jack stopped walking, he smiled at Elizabeth and motioned towards their new home. "This is it."

"A mercantile? You must be joking", Elizabeth said in disbelief.

Elizabeth watched as Jack chuckled and put the key into the front door, unlocking it, and then swinging it open. The movement of the door caused the jingling of the bell over it to greet them. It was a friendly musical welcome despite the cloud of dust that puffed up from the wooden floor as they stepped inside.

"It's only for a year. It comes with a reduced rent since the town burned down the school and left us without a room. And the Mounties will pay some of the rent because I'm married and the cabin's not suitable. There's nothing else in town."

"You're serious?"

"Think of it this way. There's plenty of room for us, and the new baby when he or she arrives, and Rip and Comet. We're close to everything. And best of all, because it's in the center of town, no outhouse. It comes with a real bathroom."

The sign "MacIntre's Mercantile" still hung above the door although it hadn't occupied the space in more than six months, having moved into a newer and bigger building farther down the street. Elizabeth noticed that the "MacIntre "name was also painted in large green letters on the big glass store-front windows.

"I think we can take this sign out of the window", Elizabeth said as she took the cardboard advertisement which read "Eggs .30 cents a dozen" out of the window and turned to smile at Jack.

Besides having a bathroom, Elizabeth was thrilled to find out that the previous store owner had lived in the mercantile and had installed electricity.

Elizabeth made her way through the building, running her finger along the dust-covered counter which stretched across a side wall, a reminder of the building's recent past as a store.

The back room where the store owner had slept was big enough for a double bed and a dresser. They could even fit two nightstands in it. There was just one tiny closet but Elizabeth reasoned that Jack could easily put hooks on the walls for some of their things.

Looking out window, Elizabeth observed the back alley. It wouldn't be too loud at night and the window let in some light. The curtains were ugly but they would provide privacy. I can always change them, she thought as she looked around, feeling slightly giddy at the idea of a new home.

Next to bedroom was another room, which had been used for both storage and as a small office. It would be their kitchen. There was already a sink with a small counter, an ice box, and a stove, although Elizabeth wasn't sure if the previous owner had ever cooked with it or just used it for heat.

The front room was enormous compared to their cottage in Hope Valley. It was longer than it was wide and meant for rows of shelves and customers, but it would do well as a parlor and dining room.

"I feel like I'm on display" Elizabeth said with a laugh as she stood in front of the large plate glass window that ran the length of the store's front and looked out onto the street.

"We'll get some curtains from the mercantile"

"We are the mercantile", Elizabeth replied with a smirk.

"From the real mercantile", Jack responded with a grin.

He walked over and stood behind her, his arms around her waist as she looked out the window. When he kissed her on the cheek, he realized how much he had missed being with her. They had barely touched each other while staying at the hotel with its paper-thin walls.

"Is it okay with you?"

Elizabeth leaned her head back against his strong body. "It's okay", she answered with contentment. "We'll make it a home."

"Good", he whispered huskily as he placed kisses along her neck. "Because we need a home."

Elizabeth giggled. "We need privacy."

"Have I told you lately that I love you?" he whispered as he turned her around and, without waiting for an answer, he tasted her lips.

Elizabeth was kneeling on the floor surrounded by crates and unpacking some pots and pans when she thought she felt Jack coming up behind her. She spoke to him without turning to look.

"Have you seen the small crate with the good dishes anywhere?"

When Jack didn't respond, Elizabeth turned around and frowned slightly when she realized that she was all alone.

Despite the hot summer heat, a shiver went down her spine as she got the feeling that she was being watched.

"Jack, were you just in here?" she called out.

"What'd you say?" he asked as he entered from the other room carrying a box of their things.

"Were you just in here?"

"No. Why? Do you need something?"

Elizabeth sighed and shook her body to get rid of the uneasiness. "No. I was just wondering if you've seen the crate with the dishes."

Elizabeth had decided to initially concentrate on getting the kitchen organized. Until Jack took one look at her with her flushed cheeks and tousled hair as she knelt on the floor. She had undone several of her blouse's buttons due to the heat, and when she bent over a box to rifle through it, Jack's eyes were drawn to her cleavage.

"Forget the dishes. Look for the bed sheets and pillows", he instructed.

"I was going to do the kitchen things first", she replied without looking up, as she continued to search through the cooking supplies.

"You don't make me think of the kitchen", he said as set down the box, and picked up his hammer.

Elizabeth barely paid attention to his comment until the sound of hammering from the bedroom made her put down the cooking pans.

Curiously, she went to the bedroom doorway and looked inside. The new box spring and mattress were leaning up against the wall as Jack, with the top buttons of his undone shirt exposing his skin, hammered together the bed frame which he had purchased at the mercantile that morning.

Elizabeth looked admiringly at his strong arms. His sleeves were rolled up and his taut muscles had the sheen of sweat from the heat trapped in the store. With each swing of the hammer pounding in a nail, she felt her pulse quicken.

"Aw, the heck with the bed frame", Jack said when he looked at her standing in the doorway, her blouse sticking to her body which was moist from perspiration.

He moved across the room and threw the mattress onto the floor before striding over to her and pulling her into his arms. He was all man. Sweat. Muscles. Desire.

His mouth was warm. Moist. Possessive. He never took his lips off her as he lowered her to the mattress. His hands touched her through her thin blouse, exciting her, before he quickly undid the remaining buttons and tore it off her.

The next afternoon, Elizabeth felt exasperated as she looked around their new home for the letter she had planned to send to her parents. Earlier in the day, she had written to her family, giving them the couple's new address and asking them to send school supplies and books if possible. She wanted to send it out before the post office closed for the day and now she couldn't find the letter anywhere.

She was becoming so absent-minded with the move and the pregnancy that she couldn't remember where she had set down the envelope. Elizabeth was about to burst into tears of frustration when a breeze blew through the open window and floated the letter across the room, where it landed in front of her.

Thank you, she thought silently with a huge sigh of relief.

Although, there was no one to thank.

After all, it had only been the wind.

The air was heavy. Hot. Sticky.

Elizabeth could almost smell a storm coming. Heck, I just have to look in the mirror to know a storm's coming, Elizabeth thought with a smile as she looked at her reflection in the store's front window and saw her hair tightly curled by the humidity.

She looked at the building across the street and smiled again as she thought about how nice it was to be living across the street from the jail. Even if it started raining before Jack left the office this evening, he could make it home in twenty seconds. Ten if he sprinted.

She closed up the newly purchased curtains and headed to bed, anticipating him being home soon. It had been a long day with cleaning the dust and grime from every surface in the building, buying food staples, and then unpacking the rest of their belongings.

Elizabeth was lying in bed reading a book when she heard the jingling of the bell above the front door. Comet, who was lying next to her, perked up her head and concentrated her green eyes towards the front room.

"Jack, is that you?" Elizabeth called out. "I'm in bed already. How was the office?"

Not hearing a response, Elizabeth frowned and set the book down next to her. She strained her ears. Listening.

"Jack?"

Hearing nothing, she climbed out of bed. She didn't bother putting on her robe or slippers as she walked the few steps to the open doorway of the bedroom.

"Jack?"

Elizabeth paused in the doorway waiting for an answer but the night air was still.

The feeling of something brushing against her leg caused her to jump and catch her breath.

Darn cat!, she thought as she let out her breath and watched Comet walk away.

The sound of a creaking floorboard caused Elizabeth to freeze again.

"Hello? Is somebody out there?"

She could feel her heart pounding as she tried to think of what to do. Slowly, she tiptoed to the storage room just a few feet away and looked inside.

Seeing nothing amiss, Elizabeth next pushed gently on the door to the bathroom. It creaked on its hinges but the small room was empty.

Weapon, I have to get a weapon! She tiptoed back into the bedroom and grabbed the lamp from the small table by the bed.

There was no lock on the bedroom door. After all their past experiences, Jack had mentioned putting one on, but he hadn't gotten around to it yet.

Elizabeth jumped again when she heard the sound of thunder in the distance.

She thought about escaping outside by climbing out the bedroom window. Don't be stupid. I'm in a nightdress and it's about to start raining. Besides, this is my home . . .even if it is an old store!

"Elizabeth, what are you doing?" Jack asked when he walked in the front door and saw her tiptoeing into the front room, carrying a lamp.

"Oh my goodness, you scared me half to death!" Elizabeth lowered the lamp, and took a deep breath. "Where did you go?"

"I've been at the jail. You know that. What happened?"

"Were you just in here and then left?"

"Elizabeth, I've been gone for over an hour. What's going on?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "Nothing. I thought I heard something. Will you just look around and make sure no one's here."

"What'd you hear?", he asked anxiously.

"The bell over the front door jingled."

Jack looked at her strangely. "Elizabeth, the front door was locked. I just unlocked it when I came in. You couldn't have heard it jingling."

Elizabeth shivered despite the heat and humidity.

"It must have been Rip", Jack explained as he looked at the dog. "He's wearing those metal tags your students in Hope Valley made so he everyone here would know his name and who he belongs to if he got lost."

"I . . . I heard the floor creaking", Elizabeth added hesitantly as she looked at Rip and his collar.

"It was probably Rip."

Despite his confidence that Elizabeth had been spooked by the dog, Jack did a quick, but thorough search, of the mercantile .

"There's nothing here. Not even a mouse. It's just the storm and being in a new place that spooked you", he said assuredly to Elizabeth.

She stood in the center of the front room. Her arms wrapped around her. She looked around. Nothing was out of place, no one was there.

"Come on. Let's go to bed", Jack said as he put his arm around her and led her to the bedroom.

As she lay in bed in Jack's sleeping arms, Elizabeth couldn't stop thinking of the scent.

Before Jack had come back from the office, when she thought that she had sensed someone in the store, she had noticed it.

It hadn't been just the jingling of the bell or the creaking of the floorboards that had made her feel on edge.

Elizabeth had noticed the unmistakable scent of lavender permeating the front room. She hadn't noticed it earlier in the day. But it had been there just now.

And earlier. . . in her hotel room.

She had thought she noticed the faint scent once when she was writing in her baby journal.

It was a scent she never wore.

Wrapping her thin robe around her, Elizabeth walked into the front room, where Jack was sitting on their couch putting on his boots.

"Morning", he said with a smile as he looked up at her.

"I can't believe I slept so long. I didn't even hear you get up. Did you eat already?"

"I had some oatmeal."

"Where is it?", she asked with a mischievous grin as she looked around the room.

"The oatmeal? In the kitchen. I left you some."

"No, not the oatmeal", she said with a chuckle. "My present."

"What present?" he asked, giving her a perplexing look.

"Didn't you buy me something and forget to give it to me?"

"Nooo. . . Was I supposed to buy you something?" Jack's voice showed his confusion as to what he could have possibly forgotten.

"But I smelled it."

"Smelled what?" Jack asked, looking even more confused as he stood up and reached for his hat.

"Lavender."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I smelled lavender last night. I assumed you bought me something . . . maybe some perfume or something. You forgot to give it to me. You left it somewhere in the front room, didn't you?"

"Nope. Sorry. I didn't. But you don't even like the smell of lavender that much."

"I know. But I smelled it."

"I didn't smell it." Jack looked at her strangely before giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Is this some pregnant woman thing?"

"No, it's not some pregnant woman thing!" Elizabeth said in exasperation. "I smelled it . . . At least I thought I did", she added unsurely.

"Was I supposed to buy you lavender or a present?"

"Never mind." Elizabeth gave a frustrated shake of her head and started to walk into the kitchen.

"So do you want me to buy you lavender or not?", Jack called out after Elizabeth.

Deep in her thoughts, she ignored him.

Up next: Chapter 3 - Friends