Chapter 217 – Doug and Elizabeth Talk

Sunday morning dawned overcast and drizzly again. It kind of fit the mood of the townspeople, especially as the word about Jack had spread even further the night before. The sun was just starting to try and peak through. Jacobs had been up for over an hour at that point. He had made the decision that with the rain and wet conditions that he was going to give the cadets a break. As Jacobs dressed and made a list of what he needed to do that day, he let out a harsh breath. Jacobs plan was to go talk to Bill or McGinty, then collect Faith and head out to check on Jack.

Jacobs left the saloon and left Wynn sleeping or so he thought. Jacobs then went over to the jail. The cadets were up, so he went to talk to them.

"This is what is going to happen." Jacobs said. "I am going to cut you a break and not force you to run in the rain. However, if it clears off, we might go for a run later. I expect you to do your chores and get things done. Services are later this morning. I am not sure if I will be there or not. It depends on what I find out at the house. I also expect you to not be spreading gossip. Pastor Frank will probably update the town on Jack's condition, but beyond that you are to shut down the gossip. You can head over to the cafe and eat in about half an hour."

With that, Jacobs turned and left the cadets. He went into the jail and spoke to Bill for a bit. He then went next door and before he could knock on the door, he saw Faith coming down the steps.

"I just have to grab my bag." Faith said.

"Very good." Jacobs said.

Faith grabbed her bag and the two headed to Jack and Elizabeth's house.

Elizabeth woke up when Doug came up at a little after five to check on Jack.

"Sorry." Doug said. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't." Elizabeth said. "I was laying here, letting my stomach settle for a moment before I moved."

"I am just going to check on Jack's breathing." Doug said. "Nurse Carter and Sergeant Jacobs should be here before the next check."

"How is he doing?" Elizabeth asked.

"He is holding his own." Doug said. "From the log, he is not worse, but then again, he is not better either."

"Thank you for being honest with me." Elizabeth said.

"I will always try to be honest with you." Doug said. "Why don't you get dressed and come downstairs. I can start some breakfast."

"Just be careful with the coffee." Elizabeth said. "The smell still bothers me."

"Not a problem." Doug said. "Dee is still sleeping."

"Let him sleep." Elizabeth said. "He has done more than anyone and I know that it is starting to wear on him."

"I planned on it." Doug said. "See you in a bit."

Doug left and Elizabeth sat up. She knew that Doug had just checked Jack, but for her own piece of mind, she placed a hand on Jack's chest and made sure he was breathing. She then leaned over and gently placed a kiss on his forehead. After she got up, she made sure that Jack was covered with the sheet. She then quickly got dressed and headed downstairs.

Wynn was up early, despite being tired. He was glad that he and his wife were together. They had had a nice time alone the night before. Wynn had needed his wife as much as she had needed him. Wynn sat on the edge of the bed and looked over at his sleeping wife and smiled. After a quick prayer, he quietly got up and got dressed.

"Come back to bed." Elizabeth Rose said, softly.

"I can't." Wynn said. "I need to go help with Jack."

"No you don't." Elizabeth Rose said. "You want to check on Jack. Faith and Jeremiah can handle it. Doug and Dee are there to help them. You need to relax."

"I thought that was what last night was." Wynn said with a coy smile.

"You know what I mean." Elizabeth Rose said, sitting up. "I am worried about Jack and Beth as well. Right now, there is nothing that we can do. Now, come back to bed. It is early. We have time."

Wynn looked at his wife, who smiled coyly at him. Wynn slipped his button off again and went back to bed with his wife. Elizabeth Rose rubbed her husband's shoulders to get him to relax. Finally, Wynn turned around and kissed his wife. They fell back into the bed together.

Elizabeth got dressed, gave Jack one more kiss on the temple and then headed downstairs.

"I am sure you are hungry." Doug said. "I thought oatmeal would be a good breakfast on this cool morning. I also have water for tea. I made some coffee, so hopefully the smell doesn't bother you too much."

"Thank you." Elizabeth said. "Sorry I haven't been a great hostess."

"Don't worry about it." Doug said. "You have other things that you are worried about. Your family has been great."

"Thank you for saying that." Elizabeth said. "So if I remember correctly, you were a year behind Jack at the academy."

"Yes." Doug said. "He was assigned as my mentor right off the bat. Him and Joe welcomed me into their little circle immediately. They helped me adjust to the academy. I had grown up an only child and wasn't all that used to living with others."

"Where did you grow up?" Elizabeth asked.

"All over." Doug said. "My father was a soldier. After he was killed, my mother and I settled in Union City where she got a job as a secretary."

"Does your mother still live in Union City?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yes." Doug said.

"So you connected with Jack because you had lost your father as well." Elizabeth said.

"Yes." Doug said. "That was something that Jack, Joe and I all shared. We could understand what the others were feeling. We could talk about it and not have to explain."

"I didn't realize that Joe had lost his father as well." Elizabeth said.

"Yes." Doug said. "He lost his father just over two years before he entered the academy. He is also the oldest of the three of us. Jack and I are actually closer in age."

"It was nice that you all found each other." Elizabeth said. "Jack told me about you, but he didn't share many details. I got to know Joe a little better when he escorted me back here from Hamilton back in October."

"Yeah." Doug said. "I heard about that – from both Jack and Joe. They had very different descriptions of that trip."

"Oh, I am sure." Elizabeth said with a small laugh. "Jack and I were not on the best of terms when he left Hamilton. We had decided to start courting, then my family tricked me into going back to Hamilton saying my mother was ill. Jack was upset and I admit I didn't handle it the best. We fought and it took us a little bit of time to work it out. He left Hamilton and even though we were technically courting, there was a canyon between us.

He was convinced that I didn't know what I wanted and I would regret marrying him. I knew the moment he left Hamilton what I wanted. It took me some time to convince Jack of the same. I knew that he cared about me, but I had to convince him that I was fine as a Mountie wife and I could handle the sacrifice."

"You seem to be doing quite well." Doug said. "If you can survive in a coal mining town, you can pretty much survive anywhere."

"True." Elizabeth said. "I wouldn't want to walk into the mine everyday, but I appreciate the men that do it. Working with the women for a week was plenty for me."

"What are you talking about?" Doug asked. "Jack would never let you work in a coal mine."

"Jack had no say." Elizabeth said with a bit of a defensive tone. "It was shortly after I arrived almost a year ago. The company was trying to evict the widows. They formed a plan to clear one of the blocked shafts in exchange for the right to stay in their homes. After the first week and the men trying to sabotage their effort, they were discouraged and many wanted to just give up. I closed the school and joined the widows who remained to help clear the shaft. After I walked into the mine, all the other widows came back and most of the other able-bodied women helped us. We worked around the clock and cleared the shaft.

And you are right. Jack was angry that I was going into the mine. He understood why I was doing it, but he didn't like it. I am sure he didn't think I would last. I mean he called me a spoiled princess the first time we met. I surprised him and probably everyone else when I not only did it, but did it quite well. Jack couldn't take a side, officially as you know. But he was there at shift change to make sure we were all alright. He also made Gowen hold up his end of the deal, plus pay all the other women as he would any miner."

Doug smiled at the story. From everything that he knew of Elizabeth, he could see Jack calling her a spoiled princess. He also knew that Elizabeth wasn't going to stand for that and do what she could to prove them wrong.

"I am sorry if I upset you." Doug said. "I didn't mean it. I didn't realize the story."

"It is okay." Elizabeth said. "Most people are shocked to learn I worked in the coal mine. My uncle included. I have become a member of this community. I have worked hard to show the people here that I am not the spoiled princess they thought I was."

"I can see that." Doug said. "I also know that Jack struggled for a time about asking you to give up your old life. He loved you so fiercely, but he knew that he would never be able to provide for you like you had growing up."

"And I had to convince him that the money didn't matter." Elizabeth said. "That afternoon that we got stuck in the old mine because of a sudden thunderstorm, really helped to bring things into focus. It forced Jack and I to talk, really talk. We realized how much we loved each other and how miserable we were apart or at a distance from each other. After talking and sharing a few kisses, Jack got down on one knee and proposed right there next to the little fire he had built in the coal mine. He was worried I wouldn't have a romantic memory, but to me him asking was all the romance that I needed."

"I am sure that Jack was trying to plan a storybook, over the top romantic proposal." Doug said.

"I am sure he was thinking along those lines." Elizabeth said. "But how he did it was perfect for us. I was just glad that we were finally on the same page."

Doug could see the smile on Elizabeth's face.

"I am just glad that Jack found happiness." Doug said. "After the debacle that was Rosemary and him swearing off women completely, I was surprised when he wrote and told me found his dream woman."

"He used that phrase?" Elizabeth asked.

"I think he said that woman of his dreams." Doug said. "He also said that you were perfect for him. Now you are giving him the greatest gift that he could ever ask for, well I am excited to see him in this next phase in his life. I have always known that Jack would be a wonderful father."

"I believe that as well." Elizabeth said. "He still has his doubts. I think it relates back to what happened to his father, but I can't think about that."

"And you shouldn't." Doug said. "Yes, my father was a soldier. But it was his drinking that took his life. Joe's father was killed when he was injured trying to help a woman who had been hit by a wagon. Jack's father is the only one that actually died in the line of duty."

"Thank you for sharing that." Elizabeth said. "I also have realized that if the worst does happen, I have plenty of people who would surround me with love and care."

"And know that I would be one of those people." Doug said. "But I am quite sure that you won't have to worry about that. I don't see Jack taking unneeded risks. I mean he loves the thrill of the chase and putting the bad guys away, but I don't think he would do things that could potentially take him away from his family."

"Thank you for sharing." Elizabeth said.

Elizabeth got up and served them both breakfast. They said a quick prayer and continued to share as they ate their oatmeal. Doug was glad that he was getting a little time with Elizabeth. He knew what Jack had written and what Joe had written, but to see for himself was comforting. He had been hoping that he would like Elizabeth as much as Jack and Joe had said he would. He knew when Jack had written to him about Elizabeth that he was thinking that she was an amazing woman and he hasn't been disappointed. He firmly believed that she was handling the situation with grace and understanding. Not a lot of women he had met would be handling their husband injured as well as Elizabeth seemed to be handling things. Then add in family visiting and threats being made. Doug realized that Elizabeth was truly extraordinary and she really loved Jack.

As Doug and Elizabeth were talking Faith and Jacobs showed up. Jacobs had knocked on the back door and came in. He had heard their voices and knew that Elizabeth was up.

"How were things overnight?" Jacobs asked.

"Pretty good." Doug said. "Dee gave Jack medicated tea about three, right before we switched. We only did his temperature that one time, it was still right about one hundred. I think his breathing has gotten a little more labored since the last check."

"I would agree." Elizabeth said. "He hasn't done a steam treatment since yesterday morning and I think it is starting to affect him."

"I know it will be painful." Jacobs said. "But I am hoping to get him to sit up and do a breathing treatment."

"I will get the water going." Elizabeth said.

"What do you want me to do?" Doug asked.

"You can come help me with Jack." Jacobs said. "Then make sure we have water and empty waste buckets."

"Got it." Doug said.

"Go help with Jack." Dee said, coming out of the bedroom. "I have got the rest. Even though Jack and I have gotten close, I think he will be more comfortable with you. Besides, I know the setup for the breathing treatments."

"Thank you." Jacobs said.

Doug nodded and followed Jacobs upstairs. Dee grabbed the water buckets and went to fill them. Faith sat at the table with Elizabeth.